Technological Foundations for CS & Security Controls

Key Details

The “Technological Foundations in Computer Science and Security Controls” aims to create the fundamental set of skills and knowledge in computing systems and security. Students will gain understanding and competences expected for a system power user: investigate, update, configure, assess, monitor a computing system and its components, with particular focus on security.

Time commitment

(Estimated) Total workload: 125 hours

The module is designed to fit around professional and personal commitments. All core content is available asynchronously for self-paced study, complemented by optional live sessions offered throughout the module.

Prerequisites

• Basic programming skills and knowledge: functions, structures, classes, recursion, programmer’s toolchain
• Basic understanding and use of computing systems
  Comfort in using common applications in computing systems: web browsers, file browsers, Office suite, management of media files, email clients

Assessment

• (20%) – Practice exercises working with applications and files
• 10% – Practice exercises on a networked system
• 10% Team Project
• (20%) – Set up a (set of) secure, functional virtual machine(s)
•  20% Digitally proctored exam
• (60%) – Quiz (multiple answer questions)  45 minutes: 30%
• Practical exam: – 120 minutes: 30%

Subjects covered

Week 1. Computer Systems: Hardware, Software, Users

a. Overview of computing systems, models

b. Hardware, computer system types

c. Software, applications the software stack

d. (Security) Issues with computer systems

e. Investigate the software and hardware information of a computing system

f. Install and uninstall new applications

Week 2. Tools and Common Applications of Computer Systems

a. Applications and application types (for different system types)

b. Local and web apps

c. Using, configuring and customizing common applications

d. Online and offline office suite software

e. Synchronizing local, online and mobile apps and data

Week 3. Data and Files

a. Data storage and representation: bits, bytes, ASCII, UTF-8, binary, text

b. Files and filesystems

c. Working with data

d. Finding data and files

Week 4. File Management and Access Control

a. Users and access

b. Filesystem permissions and access control

c. Configuring filesystem permissions

Week 5. Storing and Versioning Data

a. Requirements for versioning and history

b. Versioning and history in common applications (Office Suites, storing applications)

c. Multi-versioning, version control systems

Week 6. Data Processing and Visualisation

a. Processing data, results of processing

b. Viewing data, types of plots

c. Visualization software

Week 7. Secure Programming

a. Common code weaknesses and vulnerabilities

b. Best practices in programming

c. Secure coding guidelines

d. Defensive programming

Week 8. Secure Code Operations

a. Secure Software Development Lifecycle

b. Code Auditing

c. Static and Dynamic Analys

d. Software supply chain: building, packaging, delivery e. Continuous Integration & Continuous Delivery

Week 9. Networking and Connected Systems

a. Networking Concepts: Addressing, Communcation Media, Protocols

b. Network Parameters and Configuration (addressing, gateway, DNS)

c. Network applications and services

Week 10. Fundamental Security Topics

a. Security principles and concepts: threat model, subject-object model, access control, reference monitor, bug / vulnerability / exploits

b. Security goals: integrity, confidentiality, reliability, availability, privacy

c. Security in modern computer systems

d. Data security, network security, web security, application security

Week 11. Integrity and Confidentiality

a. Requirements for integrity and confidentiality

b. Encryption, encryption algorithms and tools

c. Digital certificates, TLS, connection security

d. Validating integrity and confidentiality

Week 12. Authentication, Authorization and Access Control

a. Authentication: Passwords, tokens, user IDs, two-factor

b. Password best practices, password management, password leaks

c. Authorization, permissions, roles

d. Access control, ACLs

e. Authentication, Authorization and Access Control databases f. A, A, AC in modern systems

Learning objectives

On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:

LO1: Outline the hardware-software stack in modern computer systems

LO2: Define and explain fundamental security concepts

LO3: Use applications to configure, secure, troubleshoot issues with data, applications and networking LO4: Develop basic scripts using Python

L05: Examine, evaluate and revise security properties of data and applications: confidentiality, integrity, reliability

LO6: Identify fundamental security requirements in existing applications and setups

Module leaders

Name: Răzvan Deaconescu