| week | date | topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tue Sep 8 | Introduction: definitions, threats, and risks (Monday classes meet on this Tuesday) |
| 2 | Sep 14 | Cryptography |
| 3 | Sep 21 | Key distribution, public keys, hybrid cryptosystems, and post-quantum cryptography Integrity, hashes, digital signatures, signed software, and software supply chain attacks |
| 4 | Sep 28 | Authentication: passwords, multi-factor authentication, and passkeys Biometric authentication, hardware roots of trust: TPMs, secure enclaves, and device attestation Phishing and social engineering |
| 5 | Oct 5 | Blockchain & Bitcoin Exam 1 |
| 6 | Oct 12 | Access control Recitation: CAPTCHA and automated solvers |
| 7 | Oct 19 | Memory corruption vulnerabilities: Code injection, Protection: ASLR, DEP, and canaries Microarchitectural side channels: cache-timing attacks, Spectre, and Meltdown |
| 8 | Oct 26 | Command injection Containment, sandboxing, mobile app sandboxing |
| 9 | Nov 2 | Malware and defenses Exam 2 |
| 10 | Nov 9 | Network security Denial of Service and amplification attacks |
| 11 | Nov 16 | Network security (continued) VPNs |
| 12 | Nov 23 | Network security defenses: Firewalls, Intrusion detection, and Zero Trust Architecture Web security |
| 12.5 | Wed Nov 25 | Friday classes meet: no recitation Thanksgiving recess Nov 26-29 |
| 13 | Nov 30 | Hiding: Steganography, covert channels, Tor, and anonymous communication Exam 3 |
| 14 | Dec 7 | AI and security: adversarial machine learning, prompt injection, agentic systems, model supply chain, AI-assisted attacks and defenses, and content provenance and watermarking |
| 15 | Dec 15-22 | Final exam (date and time per the university exam schedule) |
Go here to get lecture notes and other course documentation.
Note
The list of topics is subject to change without notice. This schedule is approximate, as some topics may spill over to a successive lecture or recitation. Weeks with an exam have a shortened lecture.
Rutgers CS Diversity and Inclusion Statement
Rutgers Computer Science Department is committed to creating a consciously anti-racist, inclusive community that welcomes diversity in various dimensions (e.g., race, national origin, gender, sexuality, disability status, class, or religious beliefs). We will not tolerate micro-aggressions and discrimination that creates a hostile atmosphere in the class and/or threatens the well-being of our students. We will continuously strive to create a safe learning environment that allows for the open exchange of ideas while also ensuring equitable opportunities and respect for all of us. Our goal is to maintain an environment where students, staff, and faculty can contribute without the fear of ridicule or intolerant or offensive language. If you witness or experience racism, discrimination micro-aggressions, or other offensive behavior, you are encouraged to bring it to the attention to the undergraduate program director, the graduate program director, or the department chair. You can also report it to the Bias Incident Reporting System.