CS 294: Advanced Topics in Computer Security

Instructor	Dawn Song
TA	Noah Johnson
Location	Soda Hall 310
Lecture Times	Thu, 2:30-5:10pm

Course Description

In this class, we will first explore the context and some foundational questions of security research and practice in general, such as why are some security technologies deployed and others fail, how we measure security and assess risk, and the economics of security. We will also learn to have an attacker's mind by studying various recent attacks. These questions and studies will help the students develop a foundation and a well-rounded view for security research. With this foundation, we will then cover some of the state-of-the-art research results and on-going research activities in a number of topics in software security, web security, security and privacy issues in cloud computing, mobile devices and networks, and medical devices and systems. We will explore how to define and address security research questions in these settings. In particular, we will discuss new threats emerged from these new platforms and applications such as web2.0, the rich cloud and mobile platforms, and medical systems, study various analysis techniques and tools for vulnerability discovery and threat analysis, and explore approaches for building in better security in these platforms and applications. This class is particularly suited to students who are interested in learning about current research activities and conducting research projects in computer security.

Course Schedule

Here's the course schedule and reading list.

Project

The final report for Project 1 is due Monday (03/15) at midnight.
The milestone report is due Feb. 22.
Here's the project description.

Grading

15% Class particpation
15% Reading notes and critique
15% Scribe notes
20% Project 1
35% Project 2

Scribe Notes

The template for scribe notes is here with the Makefile. Pls read the comments in the beginning of the file to follow the naming convention for your files. Thanks!

Homework submission

Weekly written assignments based on the readings can be found on the course schedule and reading list page. These assignments should be turned in by 5pm on Wednesday (the day before class). Students should submit a hard copy to Dawn's office (675 Soda), as well as email a copy to 294.s10@gmail.com. It's important that you finish these assignments on time, since we will discuss the questions during class.

FAQ

Prerequisite:
No prerequisite for graduate students, although sufficient security background is expected. For undergraduate students, please check with the instructor.
Class style:
This course will be mostly lecture and in-class discussion oriented. The course is divided into three topics as outlined above. The instructor will provide context for each topic, introduce the core techniques, and lead in-class discussions on challenging issues and open research questions. Some lectures have required reading, and other lectures have supplemental readings for those interested in more in-depth learning.
Intended audience:
This course is intended for graduate students interested in research in computer security. Both first year graduate students and more senior graduate students are welcome.
Relationship with CS261:
This course and CS261 have no overlap in terms of materials covered in class. CS261 aims to provide an introduction to basic concepts in computer security, whereas this course focuses on more advanced computer security research and aims to introduce students to the most recent results and open research questions in selected areas.