Systems Security

The Syllabus lists some of the core texts and finer details of this module from an administrative viewpoint.  The Syllabus is here.

The philosophy of this module is to introduce the student to the issues that arise when we consider the security of computer networks, from both a “white-hat” (defensive), and “black-hat” (offensive) perspective. The lecture on Wednesdays are in room MF124 from 9:15-11:15 and the practicals are in room MF124 from 11:15 to 14:05.

The module is 100% coursework. Coursework 1 is a report on a cyber security topic which is worth 25%. The submission date is week 5 – Monday October 23rd. The second coursework is a lab test where you will demonstrate aspects of your practical & theoretical pen testing skills. This is in week 12 – Wednesday December 11th and is worth 75% of your final module mark.

Notes

Lecture 1 : Introduction & Emerging Topics
Optional additional reading: Tor: The Second-Generation Onion Router by Dingledine et al.
Optional video clip: Vacuum Robot Security & Privacy – Prevent your Robot from Sucking Your Data

Lecture 2: Authentication – Access control & cryptography
Optional additional reading: Cloud Security – A short primer by Joel-Ahmed Mondol.
Optional video clip: Tracking the Worlds Dumbest Cyber Mercenaries

Lecture 3: Programs & Programming
Optional additional reading: Microsoft vs. Apple: Resilience against Distributed DoS Attack by Altunbasak et al.
Optional video clip Drinking from the caffeine firehose we know as shodan

Lecture 4: Network Security
Optional additional reading: Can we make operating systems reliable and secure by Tanenbaum et al.
Optional video clip: Darknet Opsec By a Veteran Darknet Vendor

Lecture 5: Operating Systems
Optional additional reading: A Taxonomy of Buffer Overflow Characteristics by Matt Bishop et al.
Optional video clip: Badge of Shame Breaking into Secure Facilities with OSDP

Week 6 – No Lecture – Consolidation Week – Project clinic (1/2 day) + plagiarism/writing/presenting workshop.

Lecture 7: Databases
Optional additional reading: It is Time for Trustworthy Systems by Hesier et al.
Optional video clip: Infinite Money Glitch – Hacking Transit Cards

Lecture 8: Cloud Computing
Optional additional reading: A Survey on Security for Mobile Devices by La Polla et al.
Optional video clip: Phreaking Smart Shopping Cart Wheels Through RF Sniffing

Lecture 9: Privacy & Security Incident Management
Optional additional reading: Why I wrote PGP by Phil Zimmermann.
Optional video clip: Private Until Presumed Guilty

Lecture 10: Cryptography
Optional additional reading: Keystroke Dynamics for User Authentication by Zhong et al.
Optional video clip: A Different Uber Post Mortem

Lecture 11: Legal Issues & Ethics
Optional additional reading: Legal, Ethical & Social Issues in the case of an Intrusive Remote Monitoring Software by McBrearty et al.
Optional video clip: LLMs at the Forefront Pioneering the Future of Fuzz Testing

Lecture 12: No Lecture – Class Test only
Optional additional reading: A Lightweight Authentication Protocol for Secure Communications between Resource-Limited Devices and Wireless Sensor Networks by Ksiazak et al.
Optional video clip: Shall We Play a Game

Labs

All practicals are placed on BlackBoard each week.

Assignments

Coursework components

CLASS ASSIGNMENT 1 – 25% (Date: Week 5)
Cybersecurity Report

CLASS ASSIGNMENT 2 – 75% (Date: Week 12)
Theory & practical lab test

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