CS155 Computer and Network Security

Course Syllabus

Spring 2026

 
Lecture 1:
Mon 3/30/26
(ED)
Course overview   [pdf, pptx]
Readings:

Part 1: System Security
 
Lecture 2:
Wed 4/ 1/26
(ED)
Control hijacking attacks: exploits   [pdf, pptx]
Readings:
 
Lecture 3:
Mon 4/ 6/26
(ED)
Control hijacking attacks: defenses   [pdf, pptx]
Readings:
 
Lecture 4:
Wed 4/ 8/26
(inv)
Testing for Vulnerabilities: guest speaker (Brandon Azad, Apple)   [pdf]
Readings:
 
Lecture 5:
Mon 4/13/26
(ZD)
Principle of least privilege, access control, and operating systems security   [pdf, key]
Readings:
 
Lecture 6:
Wed 4/15/26
(ED)
Isolation and sandboxing   [pdf, pptx]
Readings:
 
Lecture 7:
Mon 4/20/26
(ED)
Processor and microarchitecture security: Intel TDX and the Spectre attack   [pdf, pptx]
Readings:

Part 2: Web Security
 
Lecture 8:
Wed 4/22/26
(ZD)
Web Security Model   [pdf, key]
Readings:
 
Lecture 9:
Mon 4/27/26
(ZD)
Web Attacks   [pdf, key]
Readings:
 
Lecture 10:
Wed 4/29/26
(ZD)
Web Defenses   [pdf, key]
Readings:
 
Lecture 11:
Mon 5/ 4/26
(ED)
Brief overview of cryptography   [pdf, pptx]
Readings:
  • The BREACH attack: encryption and compression don't mix, by Gluck, Harris, and Prado
 
Lecture 12:
Wed 5/ 6/26
(ED)
HTTPS: goals and pitfalls   [pdf, pptx]
Readings:

Part 3: Application security
 
Lecture 13:
Mon 5/11/26
(inv)
Supply Chain Risk: Invited Speaker TBA
Readings: coming

Part 4: Network Security and Privacy
 
Lecture 14:
Wed 5/13/26
(ZD)
Internet Protocols   [pdf, key]
Readings:
 
Lecture 15:
Mon 5/18/26
(ZD)
Internet Security   [pdf, key]
Readings:
 
Lecture 16:
Wed 5/20/26
(ZD)
DoS Attacks and Network Defenses   [pdf, key]
Readings:
 
Holiday:   
Mon 5/25/26
Memorial Day — No Lecture
 
Lecture 17:
Wed 5/27/26
(ZD)
Privacy, Anonymity, and Censorship   [pdf, key]
Readings:
 
Lecture 18:
Mon 6/ 1/26
(ED)
Security of AI systems   [pdf]
Readings:

Part 5: Special Topics
 
Lecture 19:
Wed 6/ 3/26
(inv)
Final invited lecture: Pankaj Rohatgi, Google   [pdf]