MSIT 458: Information Security and Assurance

Fall 2011

Yan Chen

I.  Course description:

The past decade has seen an explosion in the concern for the security of information. This course introduces students to the basic principles and practices of computer and information security.  Focus will be on the software, operating system and network security techniques with detailed analysis of real-world examples. Topics include cryptography, authentication, software and operating system security (e.g., buffer overflow), Internet vulnerability (DoS attacks, viruses/worms, botnets, etc.), intrusion detection systems, firewalls, VPN, Web and wireless network security. 

II. Required text and/or other materials:

• Network Security - Private Communication in a Public World, by Charlie Kaufman, Radia Perlman and Mike Speciner, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, 2002.
• Cryptography and Network Security, by William Stallings, 4^th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2006.

III.  Reference text and/or other materials:

• Writing Secure Code, Michael Howard and David LeBlanc, Microsoft Press, 2002.
• Security in Computing, Charles Pfleeger, Shari Lawrence Pfleeger, 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall, 2002.
• Firewalls and Internet Security: Repelling the Wily Hacker, 2^nd edition, by William R. Cheswick, Steven M. Bellovin, and Aviel D. Rubin, Addison Wesley, 2003.
• Lecture Notes on Cryptography, by S. Goldwasser and M. Bellare.
• Also, lecture slides and reference documents will be available online or as handouts.

IV. Required prerequisites or knowledge base

• 421 Principles of Computer and Information Technology
• 432 Communications Networks I

V. Rationale for inclusion in MSIT Program:

This course provides students with an extensive understanding of information security management with emphasis on network security. Whereas other courses provide an overview of the basics of the discipline, information security is simultaneously a technical and managerial discipline with enterprise-wide implications for employees, operations and systems at every level. For organizations to successfully implement and manage an effective and efficient security program while managing shifting risks associated with interrelated information technology and decision-making employees, contractors, vendors, and suppliers must understand the concepts, technologies and practices of information security and be able to apply them effectively in their own distinctive areas of responsibility.

VI. Course goal:

• Understand the fundamental principles and underlying technologies of information security and assurance;
• Illustrate the security principles with the state-of-the-art security technologies and products through case studies.

VII. Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

• Understand the basic principles for information and communication security, and be able to apply these principles to evaluate and criticize information system security properties.
• Be able to identify the vulnerability of the Internet systems and recognize the mechanisms of the attacks, and apply them to design and evaluate counter-measure tools.

VIII. Course topics/content (by week):
Note: all homework are due by the 8am of Fri. morning.

• Firewall Selection by Curtis Pethley
• Authentication through Password Protection by SBC
• Laptop Security in the Current IT World by the W3
• Mobile Data Protection by the Trailblazers.
• Mobile Device Management by the Praxiteles

• Mobile Device Management by the Praxiteles
• Mobile Data Protection by the Trailblazers.
• Sophos Safeguard Enterprise: A Solution for Data Protection by the W3
• Authentication through Password Protection by SBC
• Firewall Selection by Curtis Pethley

X. Assignments

There will be several group-based homework assignments so that students can reflect on what they learn in each class and try to apply them. In the beginning of each class, we will discuss the homework as warm-up.

In addition, students are expected to engage in technical paper reading, and writing summaries. These papers are carefully selected (with little math!) which can be understood with the basic information security and networking knowledge.   Each group is expected to briefly present their findings and takeaway of the papers.

Your summary should include at least:

• Paper title and its author(s).
• Brief one-line summary.
• A paragraph of the one or two most significant new insight(s) you took away from the paper.
• A paragraph of the one or two most significant flaw(s) of the paper: maybe an experiment was poorly designed or the main idea had a narrow scope or applicability. Being able to assess weaknesses as well as strengths is an important skill for this course and beyond.
  
• A last paragraph where you state the relevance of the ideas today, potential future research suggested by the article, etc.

Project: each group will work on a quarter-long project called Information Security in Real Business with the following steps.

• Class participation and discussions (including paper summary): 20%
• Homework assignments (including group quizzes): 25%
• Project report and presentation: 20%
• Exam: 35%

XII.Instructor profile

Yan Chen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Northwestern University. He got his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley in 2003. He has over ten years of experience in network security, network and distributed system measurement and diagnosis, for both wired and wireless networks. He won the Department of Energy (DOE) Early CAREER award in 2005, the DoD (Air Force of Scientific Research) Young Investigator Award in 2007, and the Microsoft Trustworthy Computing Awards in 2004 and 2005 with his colleagues. His research is also sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF), Motorola, and NEC. In addition to the industry sponsors, he has widely collaborated with industry researchers from Microsoft, AT&T, Motorola, Yahoo, Keynote, and the Internet Storm Center of the SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Institute. According to Google Scholar, his papers have been cited for more than 3,600 times. He has also offered security consulting services to several companies.

He started several security courses at Northwestern University, including the EECS 350 Introduction to Computer Security, EECS 354 Network Penetration and Security, and EECS 450 Internet Security. He was awarded as a Searle Junior Fellow by the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence of Northwestern University in 2004.