| Category | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| HW | 3 to 4 |
| Exams | 4 |
This course introduces the foundations of information security. By the end of the course, you are expected to have a solid understanding of information security principles to analyze systems from a security perspective. In-person attendance for each lecture is strongly encouraged and reinforced through completion-based in-class quizzes, with a couple of allowed absences at no penalty.
As this is an introductory course, there are no specific prerequisites in terms of security knowledge. However, it's beneficial to have a working knowledge of C/UNIX programming, computers, and networks. Prior experience with 18-213's Attack lab or buffer overflow attacks will be advantageous for one assignment. Additionally, some basic exposure to Python might be helpful for some assignments.
- Cryptography Basics & Applications
- Access Control
- Software & Hardware Security
- Network & Web Security
- Additional Special Topics (such as Usability and Privacy)
Most of the homework assignments in this course consist of capture the flag (CTF) problems related to the material taught in class, with some assignments also containing one or two non-CTF problems. Late submissions are allowed with grace days awarded. I recommend starting the first two assignments early to ensure you have grace days available, as they can be valuable toward the end of the semester when you may have time constraints.
This course includes three exams, with the first two generally considered more challenging than the third. To do well, ensure a solid grasp of core concepts for each topic and attend the exam review session after completing the provided sample exam.