CS 5434

Defending Computer Networks

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2014-2015.

We discuss attacks on operational computer networks, with a focus on how to prevent them, or detect them if we fail to prevent them; we study the reasons why real-world software tends to be vulnerable and how attackers exploit those vulnerabilities; we talk about the lifecycle of network attacks - methods of reconnaissance, gaining control of bulk volumes of computers via scanning, by worms, or by client-side attacks such as drive-by downloads from malicious websites; discuss the control of the resulting botnets of computers and the motives of attackers such as criminal syndicates and intelligence agencies; cover network-level defenses such as firewalls, encryption and virtual private networks; cover technical approaches for detecting attacks both on the network and on the host; talk about legal and ethical issues for network defenders.

When Offered Fall or spring.

Permission Note Enrollment limited to: CS MEng standing.
Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: CS 2022 or equivalent, CS 3410 or equivalent, CS 4410 or equivalent.

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