Units:

12

Description:

Our growing reliance on information systems for daily activities, ranging from remote communications to financial exchanges, has made information security a central issue of our critical infrastructure. The course introduces the technical and policy foundations of information security. The main objective of the course is to enable students to reason about information systems from a security engineering perspective, taking into account technical, economic and policy factors. Topics covered in the course include elementary cryptography; access control; common software vulnerabilities; common network vulnerabilities; policy and export control laws, in the U.S., Japan, and elsewhere; privacy; management and assurance; economics of security; and special topics in information security.

Prerequisites: The course assumes a basic working knowledge of computers, networks, C and UNIX programming, as well as an elementary mathematics background, but does not assume any prior exposure to topics in computer or communications security. Students lacking technical background (e.g., students without any prior exposure to programming) are expected to catch up through self-study.In Spring 2024 this course is broadcast to the Silicon Valley campus. ECE Silicon Valley students attend classes synchronously with students in Pittsburgh.

Last Modified: 2024-01-19 10:10AM

Semesters offered:

• Spring 2024
• Spring 2023
• Fall 2022
• Fall 2020
• Fall 2019
• Fall 2018
• Fall 2017
• Fall 2016
• Fall 2015
• Fall 2014