Network Security - I

CSCI-4971-01 &  6869-01 

Wednesday 10:00-12:50 PM  

Amos Eaton 215

(subject to change without advance notice)

 

Course Description
 

This is a four-credit self-contained class that  will include topics from number theory, basic cryptography to protocol security. It is a hybrid course since it will has sufficient depth in theory as well as hands-on experience with the  network protocols. A tentative outline and topics will be covered in this class are as follows:
 

  1. Classical Cryptography
  2. Block Ciphers (DES, AES)
  3. Math Background 
  4. Information Theoretical Cryptography
  5. Randomness, RNG and Stream Ciphers
  6. Hash and MAC Algorithms
  7. Public-Key Cryptography
  8. Elliptic Curve Cryptography
  9. Digital Signatures and Identification
  10. Internet Attacks
  11. Web Security, SSL and PGP

 

 

Prerequisites:
Required:
               ECSE-4670 Computer Communication Networks or equivalent
               C programming knowledge
Desirable:
               Operating Systems

 

Expected learning outcomes

The main objective of this course is to bridge fundamental cryptographic concepts with practical applications.  Students will develop technical skills to implement basic crypto algorithms to solve security problems. Each assignment will require demonstration of clear understanding of key concepts covered in the class. The term projects will be chosen from the topics above and require presentations to explain the design and implementation details and justification of security trade offs.



Instructor:
Bulent Yener
     Office: Lally 310
     Phone: 276-6907
     Email: yener@cs.rpi.edu
     Office Hours:  Wednesday 2:00 - 3:30 PM



Required Text:
Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice (5’th Edition)

     Publisher: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2010
     by William Stallings
    

 

Optional Books:
Applied Cryptography (2nd edition)
      Publisher: John Wiley & Sons  

      by Bruce Schneier
      ISBN #: 0471117099


Cryptography: Theory and Practice
      Publisher: Chapman & Hall/CRC; 2 edition (February 27, 2002)
      by Douglas R. Stinson
      ISBN #: 1584882069


[Note: Since this is an advanced graduate class, the textbook is only the starting point for a majority of topics that we will cover. The slides used will cover ideas from a broad range of sources including other books, papers, etc. ]

Tentative Grading Percentages:

 

2  Midterm Exams

(20 points each)

40%

4 Homeworks

(5 points each)

20%

Project

 

10%

Take Home Final 

 

30%

 

Exam Schedule and Conflicts:
Since the exams will be held during class hours, you should not have any conflicts. However, if you do have a scheduled conflict for the exam period with a lower-numbered course, see the instructor. There will be NO make-up exams.

All exams will be closed book/notes. Exams will cover both text and additional reading material.

  

Course Delivery Format:
This course will consist of lectures, in-class exercises, homeworks, a project and examinations.
 

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Lectures will consist of up to 75% of class time.

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Book, and paper readings: The reading is meant in part to supplement lectures, help you catch up, and allow lectures to be more focused and interactive. More importantly, research paper readings will also give a historical and research perspective.

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Homeworks will contain exercises, implementations, and design problems.

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Project will contain implementation and design problems from network security applications.



General Policies Regarding Graded Material:

1.  Homeworks should be handed in at the beginning of lecture on which it is due. Our policy will be to return graded material to you within one week of handing it in. Students should submit source codes, binaries and any tools required for compilation (i.e. makefile) for the implementation part of the homeworks. All issues regarding graded material should be resolved within one week of the date graded material is returned.

2.  Late submission policy: Any problem set submitted later than this will be marked as late. Any homeworks not handed at the beginning of class (e.g. slipped under a door, placed in a mailbox) will be marked as late. Exceptions will require a valid and documented reason (eg: doctor’s letter). Late submissions will NOT BE ACCEPTED after one week of the deadline or the day solutions are made available, whichever is earlier. There will be no makeups for homeworks.

3.  If you feel that an error was made in grading, you should submit a re-grading request to me (by email) WITHIN A WEEK of the date the graded material was returned to the class. Requests for re-grading or any questions regarding graded material WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED after that time. Any graded material that is not picked up within two weeks will be discarded.