University of Minnesota
Introduction to Computer Security
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Course schedule overview

The scheduling and selection of lecture topics is subject to minor adjustment as the semester progresses, but the assignment and exam dates are not expected to change.

DateLecture topicOther assignments due
Monday 9/2(No class, Labor Day holiday)
Wednesday 9/4Introduction and logistics
Monday 9/ 9Part 1 overview: security failures in action
Wednesday 9/11Low-level vulnerabilities
Monday 9/16Low-level attack techniques
Wednesday 9/18Low-level defenses and counter-attacks 1Project pre-proposal
Monday 9/23Low-level defenses and counter-attacks 2
Wednesday 9/25Defensive programming and design 1
Thursday 9/26Exercise set 1 due
Friday 9/27Homework 1 early
Monday 9/30Defensive programming and design 2
Wednesday 10/ 2Access control basicsProject progress report
Friday 10/ 4Homework 1 final
Monday 10/ 7Information-flow and mandatory access control
Wednesday 10/ 9Protection, isolation, and assurance
Thursday 10/10Exercise set 2 due
Monday 10/14In-class midterm exam
Wednesday 10/16Part 2 overview: protocols and attacks
Monday 10/21Symmetric cryptography
Wednesday 10/23Public-key cryptography
Monday 10/28Crypto and protocol failures
Wednesday 10/30"S" protocols for the Internet
Thursday 10/31Exercise set 3 due
Monday 11/ 4Web security: server sideProject progress report
Wednesday 11/ 6Web security: client side
Monday 11/11Security middleboxes
Wednesday 11/13Malware and network DoS
Monday 11/18Privacy-enhancing network overlays
Wednesday 11/20Usability of security
Thursday 11/21Exercise set 4 due
Monday 11/25Application: electronic voting
Tuesday 11/26Homework 2 due (recommended)
Wednesday 11/27Application: Bitcoin
Sunday 12/ 1Homework 2 due (final)
Monday 12/ 2Project presentations 1Project progress report
Wednesday 12/ 4Project presentations 2
Thursday 12/ 5Exercise set 5 due
Monday 12/ 9Project presentations 3
Wednesday 12/11Project presentations 4Project final report
Monday 12/16Final exam 1:30-3:30pm ME-108

Detailed reading and lecture schedule