This course will cover advanced topics in computer security, united by the theme of security policies, broadly interpreted to include everything from from low-level configuration of individual firewalls and servers to high-level system-wide security requirements. This theme is motivated by the observation that the number of vulnerabilities due to incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrect security policies and configurations is growing as information systems and security requirements become more complex.
There are no course pre-requisites. For example, CSE508 and CSE509 are not prerequisites.
The course is designed to be suitable for both M.S. and Ph.D. students. Topics will be selected considering both research potential and practical significance.
The focus of the course work is a project. The instructor will propose a project. Students are welcome to propose their own projects, within the scope of the theme described above, broadly interpreted. There will also be a few problem sets and an in-class exam (no final exam).
Instructor:
Scott Stoller
Meeting Time and Place:
Wednesday, 10:00am-12:20pm, in Computer Science 2311
Office Hours: Tuesday and Friday, 11am-noon. Also by appointment,
and whenever I am in my office and not unusually busy.
Credits: 3
Most of the material is not covered in any textbook, so the readings are articles from conferences and journals. Here is a sample of the kinds of papers we will read.
Basics
Access Control
Trust Management
Policy Deployment and Enforcement
Submission of Assignments. Homeworks should be submitted on Blackboard by 11:59pm on the due date. Homeworks must be in plain text (.txt) or PDF format only. Parts of the project should be submitted on Blackboard (except part 0, which should be submitted by email to the instructor) by exactly one member of each team by 9:00am on the due date. Late submissions (homeworks or projects) will be penalized by 3% per day or fraction thereof.
Exams. During exams, you may use all the course materials (posted on the course website or on Blackboard, or distributed in class), your own notes, your own homeworks, and a dictionary. You may not use copies of other people's notes or homeworks. You may not use electronic devices other than a watch.
Grading. Each assignment is graded relative to some maximum number of points (e.g., 20). The maximum number of points is unrelated to the weight of the assignment in the course grade. Each score is normalized into a number between zero and one (e.g., 19/20 -> 0.95) and then multiplied by the weight of the assignment to obtain a weighted score. Course grades are based primarily on the sum of the weighted scores.
Integrity. All students are expected to follow CEAS's policies governing academic dishonesty. If you submit anything that includes any material (including code) created by other people, your submission must clearly indicate the sources of all such material. Failure to indicate the source will be treated as plagiarism. Discussing assignments with other people is allowed. However, after the discussion, each student must write his or her own submission independently. Showing your work to other students, giving it to them, or making it accessible to them (intentionally or through carelessness) is not allowed and will be treated as academic dishonesty.
Disabilities. The Provost requests that the following information be included in the syllabus for every course. If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact Disability Support Services at (631) 632-6748 or http://studentaffairs.stonybrook.edu/dss/. They will determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential. Students who require assistance during emergency evacuation are encouraged to discuss their needs with their professors and Disability Support Services. For procedures and information go to the following website: http://www.sunysb.edu/ehs/fire/disabilities.shtml
These grading weights are preliminary and may be adjusted as details of the assignments are determined.
| Homeworks | 16% |
| Project | 68% |
| Exam | 16% |
| TOTAL | 100% |