16:198:673:01: Introduction to Software Security

Archived Announcements

• (12/17/07) This course has concluded, and the grades have been posted. Happy holidays!
• (11/28/07) For the last week of class, you do not have to turn in paper reviews. Please concentrate on your projects instead.
• (11/27/07) Final project reports are due on Friday, 14th December (by 11:59pm EST). No extensions will be granted, except under extreme circumstances. (e.g., the same circumstances that would qualify you to miss a final in a course). Teams that do not turn in their reports by this date will automatically receive an F. Please plan accordingly to write your reports.
• (11/26/07) Please see the resources section of the class webpage for tips on good technical writing. Please also look up the links on effective presentation. Good writing and presentation are as important as the research itself. I expect to read well-written project reports and listen to well-thought out presentations. Half-hearted presentations and shabbility-written reports will be graded accordingly.
• (11/19/07) Now available! Call for papers for the 2007 RUSENIX Security Symposium.
• (11/12/07) Related work sections due by 19th November (append these to your proposal document). By next week, I expect all project teams to meet me and update me on the progress of their project.
• (11/11/07) There will be no class on 11/21/07 (Thanksgiving week)
• (10/11/2007) Class on 10/24/2007 is cancelled because I have to attend a workshop organized the same day. Please work on your projects instead!
• (10/10/2007) Remember, project proposals are due next Friday, October 19th. Proposals must be submitted in PDF format. The project proposal should resemble the Introduction section of a research paper, and must motivate the problem, and outline the solution methodology. For details, refer to the Project section of the class webpage.
• (09/28/2007) Updated the link to the Bro paper to point to the conference version instead of the journal version. It will suffice to read the conference version for class discussion.
• (09/28/2007) One way to start thinking about project ideas is to skim papers published in recent security conferences, and try to extend a paper that interests you. Here are links to some recent security conferences: CCS 2007, USENIX Security 2007, Oakland 2007, CCS 2006, USENIX Security 2006, Oakland 2006. If you are already engaged in a research project, you can also try to identify security issues that you'd like to address in your course project.
• (09/26/2007) Please start thinking about project ideas and finding project partners. If you have questions/need project suggestions, please come during office hours. Remember, your project proposals are due by October 19th.
• (09/07/2007) Those who haven't already signed up for the class blog, please do so soon. Paper reviews are due by noon on 09/12/2007.
• (08/22/2007) The class blog is up. We will use this blog to post paper summaries for the assigned readings for each week. On the first day of class, I will add you to the blog, so that you can post paper summaries.
• (08/11/2007) A tentative reading list for the course has been posted. The reading schedule for the first two weeks has also been posted. Please note that you are not required to write summaries for the papers assigned for the first class.
• (08/09/2007) Please come to the first class on Wednesday, 09/05/2007. The classroom is Hill 254 (not CoRE B, as advertised before).