COMP685; Seminar in CS: Network Security

Instructor:

Dr. Leon Deligiannidis
deligiannidisl AT wit.edu

Course Description

This course covers the basic issues and principles of cryptography, system and network security. This course covers: (a) mathematical background - principles of number theory, prime numbers and modular arithmetic (b) System and network security - protocols, techniques, architectures. The primary focus of the course is asymmetric encryption, key management, hash functions, digital signatures, and certificates.

Course Objectives

At the end of the course, students should understand:
  • Data encryption standards
  • Hash functions
  • Symmetric and Asymmetric encryption
  • Authentication systems for people and systems
  • Key exchange techniques and algorithms
  • Applications and Protocols used for security
  • IP and web security

Weekly Schedule

  • 1. Overview of Network Security
  • 2-3. Cryptography, Groups, Rings, Modular Arithmetic
  • 4-5. RSA
  • 6. DES, 3DES, Diffie-Hellman
  • 7. MAC, HMAC, SHA
  • 8. Digital Signatures and Certificates
  • 9. PGP, S/MIME
  • 10 - 9. IP Security
  • 11. Web Security
  • 12. Viruses
  • Other topics

Grades

  • Exam 1: 30%
  • Exam 2: 40%
  • Assignments: 30%

Textbook

Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice, (4th edition) By William Stallings. Prentice Hall ISBN:0-13-187316-4
Book's site

Optional Textbooks:

  • Introduction to Programming in Java: An Interdisciplinary Approach (Paperback) by Robert Sedgewick and Kevin Wayne Book's site
  • The Java(TM) Developers Almanac 1.4, Volume 1: Examples and Quick Reference (4th Edition) (The Java Series) (Paperback) by Patrick Chan Examples
Contents of the syllabus are subject to change.