Security and Privacy - information for 2012:
The spectacular growth of the Internet has spawned increased awareness,
interest, and concern in issues of computer and network security,
and the privacy of those using these.
Although security has long been considered in the design of computer operating
systems and basic Internet protocols, many applications and network
services have been and are being designed with minimal attention paid
to issues of confidentiality, authentication, and privacy. As our daily
activities become more and more reliant upon computers and networks,
an understanding of such security issues is essential.
This unit provides an introduction to security in the context of computer
systems and the networks that connect them.
The unit commences by examining the representation and support of users
in traditional operating systems, how they are authenticated, and how
their privileges and resources are stored and manipulated during normal
execution of their processes.
Next, approaches to securing an operating system's files are discussed,
followed by techniques on securely logging an operating system's
activities, and ensuring file-system integrity.
The unit next considers the general design of the TCP/IP protocol suite,
the impact of the lack of a fundamental security model, an explanation of
some common vulnerabilities in its protocols, contemporary thinking on,
and solutions to these.
The basic building blocks of cryptography are next discussed, followed by
examples of how and where these techniques are often employed in secure
network protocols, applications, and within the World Wide Web.
The unit concludes with an examination of robust programming techniques,
and considers how programming languages may be improved to provide greater
security.
Information available from here:
Unit coordination:
| Coordinator: |
Dr. Chris McDonald,
chris@csse.uwa.edu.au,
Rm 2.20 |
| Discussion list: |
help3231
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| Lectures: |
Thursday
9am-10:45am, in the Robert Street Lecture Theatre (GP2 building)
wks 1-12.
(please do not consider enroling in this unit if you cannot attend
this 2hr lecture)
Echo360 audio recordings.
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| Tutorials: |
Tuesday 12-12:45pm,
in CSSE Seminar Room Rm 1.24 (wks 2,3,4,6,9,10,13).
Students should attend the tutorial session each week.
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| Laboratories: |
Wednesday 2pm-4:45pm, in CSSE Lab 2.3. wks 3-12
Students should attend one 3 hour laboratory session each week.
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| Assessment: |
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Student surveys:
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SURF tests for
2010, and
2011.
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Tutorials:
One hour tutorials will be held roughly every two weeks.
A revision tutorial in week 13 will discuss questions on the sample
examination paper.
Tutorials sheets will typically contain 4 or 5 short-answer questions.
Although not contributing directly to your assessment,
the form of questions discussed in tutorial sessions will be typical of
those in the final examination.
Written, sample solutions to tutorial questions will not be provided.
Laboratory and project work:
Practical work is a very important component of this unit,
both in weekly laboratory sessions that will reinforce lecture material
and in project material that requires you to increase the depth of
your knowledge.
This unit has two 2 hour, supervised weekly periods in which you
are expected to undertake the laboratory and project work.
Completion of the laboratory sheets is considered essential for satisfactory
progress in this unit.
Moreover, while you are welcome to undertake
CITS3231 work on your own computers,
this should not be seen as a substitute for attendance at supervised
laboratory sessions.
Before undertaking this unit,
students are strongly encouraged to read:
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