Prospectus

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Introduction to Cyber Security

Course
2020-2021

Admission requirements

Not applicable.

Description

As the digital world and physical world become more and more interconnected, it becomes increasingly important to develop methods to maintain security in the digital world. Governments, corporations and individuals all have different cyber security needs, and how we meet those needs is of critical importance in our modern world.

In this course, we will study the main issues surrounding cyber security. We will study the core principles of cyber security, debate the trade-off implications of different methodologies, and discuss critical topics that are relevant to our current understanding of cyber security.

More specifically, we will focus on:

  • understanding the key terms needed to discuss cyber security

  • the opponent and what they want

  • cryptography and cryptanalysis

  • attack and system modeling

  • security and risk management

  • privacy

This course is intended for students with a strong interest in security topics. While a background in computer science broadly may be beneficial, it is not expected nor required.

Course objectives

  • Students will develop an awareness of the main concepts and principles of cyber security.

    • Understanding of the key vocabulary
    • Understanding of basic attack structures
    • Understanding of basic defense structures
  • Students will identify technical security requirements for different types of systems and understand the trade-offs that arise due to these requirements.

    • Students can analyze structures for security requirements
    • Students can argue for the necessity of some security requirements over
      others
  • Students will understand the socio-technical view on security and privacy that
    encompasses not only technical but also societal aspects.

Timetable

The most updated version of the timetables can be found on the students' website:

https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/study-programmes/bachelor/security-studies/about-the-programme/programme-structure

Mode of instruction

Lecture, discussion, assignments and exam

Assessment method

  • There will be a written examination with close and short questions. There will also be 2 assignments.

  • The final grade for the course will be the weight average of 60% examination and 40% assignments. Both components need to be at least 5.0, and the final grade should be at least 5.5 to pass the course.

  • It will be possible to retake the exam.

  • It will not be possible to resubmit assignments.

The teacher will inform the students how the inspection of and follow-up discussion of the exams will take place.

Reading list

Recommended textbook: Ross Anderson “Security Engineering: A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems”. Information is available here https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/book.html
Note that this textbook is recommended, but not required.

Other literature and reading materials will be announced during the course.

Registration

Aanmelding voor vakken verloopt via uSis. Hiervoor is de uSis-code van het vak nodig, die te vinden zijn in de Studiegids. Meer info over het inschrijven voor vakken of tentamens is hier te vinden.

MyTimetable

In MyTimetable kun je alle vak- en opleidingsroosters vinden, waarmee jij je persoonlijke rooster kunt samenstellen. Onderwijsactiviteiten waarvoor je in uSis staat ingeschreven, worden automatisch in je rooster getoond. Daarnaast kun je My Timetable gemakkelijk koppelen aan een agenda-app op je telefoon en worden roosterwijzigingen automatisch in je agenda doorgevoerd; bovendien ontvang je desgewenst per e-mail een notificatie van de wijziging.

Vragen? Bekijk de video-instructie, lees de instructie of neem contact op met de ISSC helpdesk.

Brightspace

Inschrijving voor vakken verloopt via uSis. Wanneer je je hier inschrijft voor een bepaald vak krijg je automatisch ook toegang tot de omgeving van dit vak via Brightspace.

Voor meer informatie over Brightspace kun je op deze link klikken om de handleidingen van de universiteit te bekijken. Bij overige vragen of problemen kan contact opgenomen worden met de helpdesk van de universiteit Leiden.

Contact

Onderwijscoördinator Informatica, Riet Derogee

Remarks

Interest in information technology and its security issues is desired.