Computer Science SYCS 654-01: Computer Security II
Howard University
Professor: Wayne Patterson
Syllabus Spring 2010
Computer Security, or information security, or information assurance is a rapidly growing field. The
vastly increased use of the internet and the attendant problems with privacy and security have created
enormous interest in this area.
As we indicated in Computer Security I, this is a topic that is expanding very rapidly in our field and
for which many, many questions remain to be answered. It is hoped that this course will place the
student at the edge of some of the many research questions in Computer and Information Security.
Professor: Wayne Patterson, Senior Fellow in the Graduate School and Professor of Computer
Science. My office is Room 110 in the Graduate School. You can certainly call me there and also meet
by appointment if you wish. My Graduate School number is 202-806-5518. FAX: 413-451-9837.
Email: Either wpatterson@howard.edu. Residence: 202-546-8166.
Grading Scale: 60 – 69: C;
70 – 79: B;
80 – 100: A.
Logistics: Class time will be arranged at the first meeting, Wednesday, January 6, 6:10 pm, Room 2006
Downing Hall
Evaluation: There will be several assignments (value 40%), one test (value 20%), a final exam (value
40%).
Texts: The primary text is Information Security, Mark Stamp, Wiley 2006, chapters 9-12. The secondary
text is Security Engineering, by Ross Anderson, John Wiley and Sons, 2001, chapters 8, 12, 13, 18, 19. I
will be giving lecture notes as handouts, or will make them available on Blackboard. Many of the
assignments will also involve computational problems, and either Maple 10 or Mathematica 5 are
recommended.
Lectures:
1) Hash Functions
6) Software security I
2) Simple Authentication Protocols
a) Software flaws
3) Network Security
b) Malware
a) Network attack and defense
4) Real-world Security protocols
c) Miscellaneous software-based attacks
7) Software security II
a) SSL
a) Software reverse engineering
b) IPSec
b) Software tamper resistance
c) Kerberos
c) Digital rights management
d) GSM
d) Software development
5) Steganography
8) Advanced encryption techniques
9) Electronic voting
10) Coin flipping by telephone
11) Mental Poker
12) Quantum cryptography