Course Description

Topics. This course will cover advanced topics in computer security. The selection of topics will be guided by a few themes, including the two below and possibly a third to be added later.

• Security policies. One motivation for this theme is that vulnerabilities due to incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrect security policies and configurations are growing as information systems and security requirements become more complex. Security policies range from low-level configuration of firewalls, servers, etc., to security policies enforced by middleware such as databases, to application-specific security policies. They include privacy policies, access control policies, and trust management policies in personal settings, such as social media, and institutional settings, such as healthcare. Sample topics related to this theme include design and usability of security policy languages, policy analysis, and policy mining.
• Mobile security. Sample topics related to this theme include the Android permission model, Android application security, inter-application communication in Android, Security Enhanced (SE) Android, and usability of Android security mechanisms. Note that there is some overlap between this theme and the security policy theme.

Prerequisites. The course is designed to be suitable for M.S. students and Ph.D. students. There are no course prerequisites. The official prerequisite for CSE 608 in general is "CSE 508, CSE 608, or permission of instructor", but the Spring 2015 offering of CSE 608 will provide necessary background and does not require CSE 508 or CSE 608.

Course Work. The main part of the course work will be a project. Students are encouraged to propose their own projects related to one of the course themes. The instructor will propose projects for students who do not propose their own. Projects may be done individually or in teams of two, depending on the project's size. Students will present one or two conference or journal articles to the class. Students may propose articles related to one of the course themes. The instructor will select articles for students who do not propose their own. There will be in-class exercises and a few problem sets. There will be no exams.

Instructor: Scott Stoller
Meeting Time and Place: Tuesday and Thursday, 10:00am-11:20am.
Credits: 3

University Policies

Electronic Communication Statement. Email and especially email sent via Blackboard is one of the ways the faculty officially communicates with you for this course. It is your responsibility to make sure that you read your email in your official University email account. For most students that is Google Apps for Education, but you may verify your official Electronic Post Office (EPO) address. If you choose to forward your official University email to another off-campus account, faculty are not responsible for any undeliverable messages to your alternative personal accounts. You can set up Google Mail forwarding using these DoIT-provided instructions. If you need technical assistance, please contact Client Support at (631)632-9800 or supportteam@stonybrook.edu.

Academic Integrity. In Fall 2006, the Undergraduate Council adopted the following statement and mandated that it be included in all undergraduate course syllabi.

Each student must pursue his or her academic goals honestly and be personally accountable for all submitted work. Representing another person's work as your own is always wrong. Any suspected instance of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Academic Judiciary. For more comprehensive information on academic integrity, including categories of academic dishonesty, please refer to the academic judiciary website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/uaa/academicjudiciary/

Disabilities. The Provost requests that the following information be included in the syllabus for every course. If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact Disability Support Services, ECC (Educational Communications Center) Building, room 128, (631) 632-6748. They will determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential. https://web.stonybrook.edu/newfaculty/StudentResources/Pages/DisabilitySupportServices.aspx

Critical Incident Management. Stony Brook University expects students to respect the rights, privileges, and property of other people. Faculty are required to report to the Office of Judicial Affairs any disruptive behavior that interrupts their ability to teach, compromises the safety of the learning environment, or inhibits students' ability to learn.