INFO 415: Emerging Topics in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity

Instructor: Lindah Kotut
Meeting Times: Tuesday, Thursday 3:30pm - 5:20pm (SAV 132)
TA: Linda Chen
Office Hours: See Canvas

Course Description

This course examines the emerging trends in cybersecurity and information assurance. It considers implications on people (individual users, groups, and even countries), devices (from internet of things to critical infrastructure) and domains (from healthcare to artificial intelligence). The class is designed not only to allow you to be in the know regarding what is happening in the cybersecurity realm, but it is also to prepare you for either the job market or for a deeper research into the domain.

All upto date information will be posted on Canvas.

Course Schedule: Autumn 2021

Week/Dates          Topic Description Readings Due
Week 1: Sep 29 Introduction Course welcome and orientation, then general overview of the topic we will cover this quarter.
  • Security Posture Chapter from Cybersecurity--Attack and Defense Strategies: Infrastructure Security with Red Team and Blue Team Tactics, by Yuri Diogenes and Erdal Ozkaya
  • Information Assurance Chapter from the Information assurance handbook: effective computer security and risk management strategies by Corey Schou and Steven Hernandez
 Assignment 1: Self-Review
Week 2: Oct 4 Authentication We'll cover the foundational aspects of authentication: Permissions, access control and passwords. The focus will primarily be on the end-user and various security concerns.
  • "Accounts and Identity" (Chapter 14) from Threat Modeling : Designing for Security by Adam Shostack
 Quick Reflection 1
Week 2: Oct 6 We'll build on the foundation, and consider current landscape (and what the future brings). We switch focus to considering the sources and methods behind examples of breaches, and the support structures. We'll also talk about the structure of case studies. We'll also discuss options about your final project.
  • Case Studies: T-Mobile Breach (2021); Facebook Data Exposure (2019); and ClearViewAI (2020)
 Assignment 2: Authentication
Week 3: Oct 11 Spam, Phishing & Ransomware We'll consider the Small "phish" and discuss the fundamentals, the types of weaknesses, motivation for attacks and defense strategies. Quick Reflection 2
Week 3: Oct 13 We'll turn our attention to the Big "phish" and consider massive infrastructure and state actors.
  • Case Studies: Colonial Pipeline Ransomware (2021), JBS Meat Plant ransomware (2021); Microsoft Exchange Server Breaches (2021)
 Assignment 3: Spam, Phishing and Ransomware
Submit final group names and topic
Week 4: Oct 18 Risk Assesment We consider risk assessment from the individual level and work our way up. We cover topics like: vulnerability scanning, asset inventory, nth-party risk, pen testing, source-code scanning, blackboxes vs whiteboxes, blue/red teaming, social engineering
  • TBD
 Quick Reflection 3
Week 4: Oct 20 Security Architecture: From organization (e.g. access control and identity management) to government level.
  • TBD
 Assignment 4: Final project pitch/draft (about 2 pages)
Week 5: Oct 25 Governance, Surveillance and Cyberwarfare Matters democracy, censorship and attacking in the name of country. We discuss WAR! (maybe) and how different countries are impacted, mitigation strategies and what the future augurs.
  • "When we Police" (Chapter 5) from The Rise of Big Data Policing: Surveillance, Race, and the Future of Law Enforcement by Andrew Guthrie Ferguson
  • "Offensive Cyber Operations by Nation- State Actors" (Chapter 10) from Cyberwarfare: an Introduction to Information-Age Conflict by Isaac R. Porche
 Quick Reflection 4
I will provide feedback to the final project pitch
Week 5: Oct 27 MIDTERM Each group will give their initial presentation and submit the finalized project document. Class members will provide written feedback. Specific instructions to come.
Week 6: Nov 1 Privacy and Privacy Enhancing Technologies We'll talk about user expectations (including those that cannot give informed consent), the existing laws, and how all these impact design Decisions--for good and for ill. Quick Reflection 5
Week 6: Nov 3 We talk about malicious compliance, trickeries and other hijinks. Assignment 5: Privacy
Week 7: Nov 8 Artificial Intelligence While we focus on these complex systems, you will find that they touch on other domains: Artificial Intelligence and Ethics for example. We'll start from discussing the security landscape and then go from there.
  • TBD
 Quick Reflection 6
Week 7: Nov 10 We'll continue our discussion on Artificial Intelligence
  • TBD
Week 8: Nov 15 Internet of Things Does anyone have an exhaustive list of these... things? This first week is understanding both the landscape and the security requirements and concerns. Skim both, pick one: Quick Reflection 7
Group Check-in #1
Week 8: Nov 17 We build on our knowledge by considering case studies of breaches, and what they reveal about the future of securing (if this is even possible). Assignment 5: Privacy
Group check-in #2
Week 9: Nov 22 Automotive, Drone and Robot Security Smart vehicle, swarm robots and the security implications of new tech Skim both, pick one: Quick Reflection 8
Week 9: Nov 24 Thanksgiving Holiday. No class.
Week 10: Nov 29 Blockchain Understanding Blockchain, its applications and the user perceptions surrounding its security. Quick Reflection 9
Week 10: Dec 1 Blockchain application across domains. We discuss information assurance and security implications.
  • Applications: Business, cryptocurrency (beyond the user expectations), the ballot, cross-discipline applications (and conflicts)
 Assignment 7: Blockchain
Week 11: Dec 6 Conclusion Wrap-up and project presentations
Week 11: Dec 8 Wrap-up and project presentations. You can submit your reports at this time as well, although the final deadline is by 11:59pm PT on December 15, 2022. (We do not have a final exam)

Grading and Late Submission Policy

There are four groups of assignments that will determine your final grade for this class:

  • 35% : Weekly "Quick Reflections"
  • 30% : Assignments
  • 10% : Midterm (5% presentation grade, 5% feedback to classmates grade)
  • 25% : Final Project (includes 5% for presentation grade)

Late Policy

  • The Quick Reflections are due on Tuesdays by 11:59pm. There are no late days, but the lowest grade will be dropped.
  • The Assignments are on Friday by 11:59pm. You each have 5 "bank days" that allow you to submit one or more of your assignment late with no explanation. For example, you can can submit three assignments a day late and a fourth assignment two days late. When you wish to use your bank days, let the TA know and they will adjust the due date for your assignment so that you are able to submit late.
  • The Midterm and Final Project do not have a late submission allowance.
  • If you are having trouble keeping up with the class pace, are generally struggling, let me know and we'll work on making sure you have the resources to succeed.