Royal Holloway, U of London

This course addresses a number of topics in computer and network security. Its content includes: Memory errors, Web, network, countermeasures and pointers to research papers. The course prepares students to identify software vulnerabilities, shows how to address these and introduces how vulnerabilities are exploited through malware. Learning Outcomes 1. Identify and understand vulnerabilities that can be introduced into programs, network protocols and webpages as a result of poor design and technical debt due to legacy and the historical context of security. 2. Critically discuss the countermeasures that can mitigate the exploitation of vulnerabilites, including the efficacy and shortcomings of the countermeasures both in a historical and contemporary context. 3. Deploy the discussed vulnerabilities in both a guided lab session, as well as under assessment conditions. 4. Analyse suggested protocols, products and applications for potential vulnerabilites and security issues. 5. Communicate potential vulnerabilites in these products, protocols and applications as well as potential remediatations as well as alternatives to a non-technical audience.
Required Materials: Click here for the reading list system
Technical Requirements: The total number of notional learning hours associated with this module are 150. These will normally be broken down as follows: 22 hour(s) of Lectures 11 hour(s) of Laboratory classes 117 hour(s) of Guided Independent Study Formative Assessment: Weekly Moodle Quizzes (30 minutes) Summative Assessment: Short and Problem-solving Questions (6 pages) - 20% Short and Problem-solving Questions (6 pages) - 20% Exam (2 hours) - 60%