This course covers core principles of computer security. Topics include : user authentication; access control (discretionary, mandatory, role-based); security auditing; database security; software security, common vulnerabilities, and secure coding practices; malicious software; and operating system security.
Computer Security: Principles and Practice (3rd edition), W. Stallings and L.Brown. Pearson, 2015, ISBN 978-0-13-377392-7
CSC 407
During classes, I will be online for office hours; please check Bluestar for times.
Overview
There will be two (2) homework assignments, weekly presentation assignments, a Midterm Exam, and a Final Exam.
Sec. 1. Homework Assignments
Sec. 2. Weekly Presentation Assignments
Sec. 3. Midterm Exam
Sec. 4. Final Exam
Sec. 5. How Your Grade for the Course Is Calculated
Your final grade for the course is simply the addition of points from the homework assignments, weekly participation assignments, and the exams.
I will not curve the course grades; therefore, you must earn at least seventy (70) points in order to pass the course.
Alternative grade procedure for exams: If you have a documented disability, such as a history of extreme test taking anxiety, please see me for accommodation.
Lecture material will be prerecorded and uploaded to D2L for you to view. Topics will be further discussed during online sessions, including the review of presentations.
Each student is expected to turn in original work for the assignments. Copying code or other documents from another person is considered a serious violation of the university's academic integrity policy (see below).
| Week | Topics | Reading Assignment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overview of CIA; access control lists; access control beyond ACL's | Ch. 1, Ch. 4 |
| 2 | Cryptography; passwords; key encryption; TLS/SSL and HTTPS; IPSec; physical deployment of encryption; firewalls; Kerberos; Heartbleed bug; shell attacks | Ch. 3 |
| 3 | Network mapping; DOS attacks; SQL Injection; XSS attacks; CSRF attacks; buffer overflow attacks; invalid pointers; malware; metasploit; threat modeling (Part I) | |
| 4 | Threat modeling (Parts II and III) | |
| 5 | Digital forensics | |
| 6 | Midterm exam, available online | |
| 7 | Forensic investigations | |
| 8 | Controls | |
| 9 | System protections | |
| 10 | Legal and ethical issues | |
| Final Exam | Exam available online |
Completion of the Presentation exercise will constitute your participation in the course.
This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/. NOTE: All students are expected to abide by the University’s Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity. If you have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.
All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at: http://cdm.depaul.edu/enrollment.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential. To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at: csd@depaul.edu.
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation. Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
Policies of the school are explained on the webpage for this course on my.cdm.depaul.edu.