cs458 - Fall 2008

Goal

This class is an introduction to the fundamentals of computer and information security. The course focuses on algorithms and techniques used to defend against malicious software.

Topics include an introduction to encryption systems, operating system security, database security, network security, system threats, and risk avoidance procedures.

Prerequisites: CS-425 and CS-450.

Hours

Section 1 Section 2 Section 3
Instructor Virgil Bistriceanu
Office hours Mon, Tue 5:30 pm - 6:15 pm
Office SB-214
Phone (312) 567-5146
Fax (312) 567-5067
e-mail bistriceanu@iit.edu
Lecture Mon 6:25 pm - 9:05 pm, SB-201
Teaching Assistant
  • Name: Mao Xufei
  • Office: SB-019B
  • Office Hours
    • Wed 2:00pm to 3:30pm
    • Thu 10:00am to 11:30am
  • Phone: 312-567-5869
  • email: xmao3@iit.edu

Books

Textbook

  • Security in Computing, Charles P. Pfleeger and Shari L. Pfleeger, 4th edition, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 0132390779

Other books

  • The Web Application Hacker's Handbook: Discovering and Exploiting Security Flaws, Dafydd Stuttard, Marcus Pinto, Wiley, ISBN-10: 0470170778
  • Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, Jon Erickson, 2nd edition, No Starch Press, ISBN-10: 1593271441
  • Exploiting Software - How to Break Code, Greg Hoglund and Gary McGraw, Addison Wesley, ISBN: 0-201-78695-8
  • The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security, Kevin D. Mitnick, Wiley, ISBN-10: 076454280X
  • Introduction to Computer Security, Matt Bishop, Addison Wesley, ISBN: 0-321-24744-2

Grading

  • Homeworks: 10%
  • Midterm: 15%
  • Final: 25%
  • Programming Assignments: 35%
  • Presentation: 15%

Everything you have to turn in is due before midnight the day the work is due.

For late submittal there is a 10% per calendar day penalty.

Printers tend to be busy the day the assignments are due, don't let them ruin your grade!

All the work you submit must be individual.

Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Please read IIT's rules and regulations.

Exams are open-book(s) open-notes.

The following grading scale will be used to determine your grade in this class:

  • A: 90 - 100
  • B: 80 - 89
  • C: 70 - 79
  • D: 60 - 69
  • E: 0 - 59 This is a failing grade!
To pass this class you will need to have a passing mark (60+) in each of the following:
  • Programming Assignments
  • Homeworks average
  • Presentation
  • Final
The overall average must be 60+ as well.

Class attendance and participation will help settle the borderline grades. Regular class attendance is important and students are expected to actively participate in class; questions and comments are always welcome.

Extra Credit

There are multiple ways you can receive extra credit in this class, here are some:

  • Take class notes: scan them and return them to your instructor after each class in PDF format. If you take notes electronically, then turn in to your instructor a copy of your notes, .txt, .odf, .doc, .pdf formats ok.
    • Maximum extra credit: 4 points that will be added to the average class score (scale from one to 100)
    • If you want to get this extra credit, then you'll have to commit to turning in notes for each class.
    • In addition, your instructor will have to confirm upfront that you are eligible for this extra credit since only one student in class can get it.
  • Recommend new programming assignments for this class. Your recommendation should be original and non-trivial. If you're not sure what original and non-trivial mean, then talk to your instructor.
    • Extra credit: 5 points per accepted recommendation. All extra credit will be added to your average class score (scale from one to 100).
  • Recommend problems to be included in the midterm or final. You'll get credit for submitting a good problem. Your submission should be original and non-trivial.
    • Extra credit: 2 points per accepted recommendation. All points you earn for your recommendations will be added to your average class score (scale from one to 100).
    • The credit will be doubled for each problem that's included in the exam.
  • Turn in (attach to your final exam) the paper for extra credit on topics assigned in class by your instructor. This assignment can boost your final exam mark by up to 10%.

Programming Assignments

Programming assignments are designed to improve your understanding of core concepts by implementing them. Feel free to use your favorite programming language or use this as an opportunity to learn new ones.

Class Presentations

The purpose of this section is for students to do some independent research work and present their findings to the class.

No later than 9/29/08, each student must choose a topic for the class presentation. Your topic must be approved by your instructor.

Topics must be chosen from current issues in Information Security.

Submit your request via email to your class instructor. Topic requests will be honored on a FIFO basis. Your presentation will be scheduled based on the timing of your request, with requests coming in early being scheduled for class presentation later in the semester and later requests scheduled earlier.

A draft of the presentation is due two weeks prior to the scheduled date for the presentation. The purpose of this is to make sure you're on track with your work.

Your presentation must include notes for each slide, which notes include the detail related to each slide; if you prefer, you can produce a separate document that includes the detail of your presentation.

Allocate significant time to survey the IS topic you have selected. Do not wait until a few days before the presentation is due, chances are that if you do so, then you'll run out of time and will end up with a very poor mark in this section.

Presentations will be limited to 20' and will be followed by Q&A up to a total of 30'. Grading will consider both the content and the way the presentation is made to the class. Your peers will participate in the grading process and their opinion accounts for 40% of your mark.

From time to time there will be more students enrolled than the maximum number of time slots we can dedicate to presentations. In those cases the last students to submit a topic request will be graded solely based on the quality of written work they submit, with no class participation in the grading process. You'll have to record your presentation as if you were giving it in front of your peers and turn in a .mpeg movie together with all the other deliverables for the class presentation. Your presentation is due on the first day of student presentations as outlined in the Class Schedule; a draft of the presentation is due two weeks prior.

The presentation must be very well rehearsed; failure to properly prepare for the presentation will result in an extremely poor mark on the presentation.

The following grading sheet will be used for your class presentation.

Class Schedule

Date Lecture Assignment Due
9/1/08 Labor Day, no class  
9/8/08 Security Overview  
9/15/08 Elementary Cryptography HW#1
9/22/08 Program Security PA#1
9/29/08 OS Security / Trusted OS PA#2
10/6/08 Network Security HW#2
10/13/08 Database Security PA#3
10/20/08 Administering Security HW#3
10/27/08 Midterm PA#5
11/3/08 Privacy  
11/10/08 Legal Issues PA#6
11/17/08 Class Presentations, Day #1  
11/24/08 Class Presentations, Day #2 PA#7
12/1/08 Class Presentations, Day #3  
12/8/08 Final  

Your instructor reserves the right to change this schedule.

Important Events

Event Sections 1, 2, 3
Last day to change/add/drop a class and receive full tuition refund 9/6/08
Deadline for topic selection for class presentation 9/29/08
Last day to remove incomplete grades 10/3/08
Midterm 10/27/08
Fall break (no classes) 10/16/08 - 10/18/08
Last day for official withdrawal 10/31/08
Thanksgiving Day (no classes) 11/27/08 - 11/29/08
Last day of classes 12/6/08
Final 12/8/08, 7:30pm to 9:30pm, SB-201

For more important dates and detail go to the IIT site.

Varia

Unless otherwise stated all papers you turn in will be TYPED. No handwritten work is accepted.

It is strongly recommended that you use a plain text editor such as vi/vim, notepad, etc. or OpenOffice. The use of proprietary word processors, such as Microsoft Office or presentation applications such as Power Point, is very much discouraged.

Each page will have a header as follows:

  • the left side: your name
  • middle: page number and the total number of pages (ex. 2/5 indicates this is page 2 out of a total of 5)
  • right hand side: name of the assignment (ex. Homework #2)

Each page will also have a footer:

  • the left hand side will contain the following text: cs458-section: Fall 2008 where section stands for the section you are in
  • the right hand side will contain the following text: Illinois Institute of Technology - Computer Science

The header and the footer will be Arial, 10 points or equivalent, regular. The text for the paper itself will be typed using Times Roman or equivalent (12 points regular, except for titles which may be larger and bold).

Last update: Nov 11, 2008 Virgil Bistriceanu cs458 Computer Science
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