Advanced Network Security & Forensics (ELEC567)

Instructor

Dr Issa TRAORE, P.Eng.

Office: EOW415


 

Office hours: Monday, Thursday: 10:00-12:00
Email: itraore@ece.uvic.ca
Phone: (250) 721-8697

Students are advised to read the faculty of Engineering document Standards for professional behavior (http://www.engr.uvic.ca/policy/professional-behaviour.html), which contains important information regarding conduct in courses, in labs and in the general use of facilities.

Time/Location:
DSB C114, 8:30-9:50am, Monday, Thursday.

Course Presentation

Course Overview:

Recent years have seen a steady increase in the number of attacks on computer systems and networks. It is essential to understand the nature and modus operandi of these attacks in order to be able to design or select effective countermeasures. The course introduces fundamental concepts and techniques underlying the science and art of computer security. Examples of attack techniques and tools are introduced. Network and web application vulnerability assessment (i.e. penetration testing) techniques are covered. Various countermeasures are presented, with a particular emphasis on network protection technologies such as firewall, intrusion detection systems, virtual private network, and access control policies and mechanisms.

The fundamentals of network forensics and cyber-crime scene investigations and analysis are introduced.

In order to give students hands-on experience, practical assignments are conducted in a security lab environment using a test-bed on which various attack scenarios and countermeasures can be explored. 

Since some of the techniques learned in this course could be misused, students will be asked at the beginning of the course to sign a consent form in which they accept not to use any of the techniques learnt malevolently.

Prerequisites:

It is assumed that students have basic knowledge of networking concepts and protocols, notions of operating systems, and basic programming skills in at least one of the following languages-Java, C or C++.

Textbook:

"Computer Security: Art and Science" by Matt Bishop, Addison-Wesley, 2002; ISBN: 0201440997

Syllabus:

The following syllabus is subject to the time available and may change during the term. Some of the topics may not be covered.

The titles of the units match as much as possible corresponding chapters in the textbook; in any case the corresponding textbook chapters are indicated in bracket.

 

Unit 1: An Overview of Computer Security (TB: Chap1) 

-         Ethical issues.

-         Introduction of fundamental security principles and concepts.

 

Unit 2: Network Attacks and Penetration Testing (TB: Chap 12, 23)

-         Review of attack methods and tools

-         Generic penetration testing methodology

-         Port scanning, denial of service, attack on authentication system, and input validation attacks, web application vulnerabilities (e.g. SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting, Directory traversal) etc.

Unit 3: Malicious Logic (Chap. 22)

-         Trojan horses

-         Rootkits

-         Viruses

-         Worms

-         Botnets

Unit 4: Security Policies (TB: Chap 2, 4-7)

-         Notions and examples of security policies and models: Bell-LaPadulla, Biba, Chinese Wall etc.

-         Basic access control model, reference monitor concept, security kernel.

-         Role-based access control model.

Unit 5: Firewall Systems (Chap. 26)

-         Classes of firewall

-         Firewall configurations and architectures

-         Network Address Translation (NAT)

-         Linux IP Tables

Unit 6: Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) (Chap. 25)

-         IDS models, architectures, and tools

-         IDS performances

Unit 7: Virtual Private Network (VPN) (Chap. 26)

-         Network Layer Security

-         IPSec protocol

-         VPN Technology

-         Secure Network Architecture

Unit 8: Network Forensics 

-         Forensics Logs

-         Investigation of hacking incidents

Unit 9: Computer Forensics

-         Investigative Techniques

-         Linux-based Forensics Analysis

-         Windows-based Forensics Analysis

Unit 10: Biometrics (Chap. 12)

-         Biometric system

-         Types of biometrics (iris scan, fingerprints, voice, keystroke etc.)

-         Biometric system errors

Schedule

The dates given are subject to change, so you are responsible for checking this page regularly.

 

Jan 5-6

Unit 1: An Overview of Computer Security

Jan 9-13, 16-20

Unit 2: Network attacks and Penetration Testing

Jan 23-27

Unit 3: Malicious Logic

Jan 30-Feb 3

Unit 4: Security Policies

Feb. 6-10

Unit 5: Firewall System

Feb. 13-17

Reading Break

Feb. 20-24

Unit 6: Intrusion Detection System

Feb. 27-Mar. 2

Unit 7: Virtual Private Network

Mar. 5-9

Unit 8: Network Forensics

Mar 12-16

Unit 9: Computer Forensics

Mar 22

Midterm exam

Mar 19-24, 26

Unit 10: Biometrics

Mar 29, Apr 2-6

Seminar

Apr 5

Last day of classes

Evaluation

Activity

Weight

Assignment 1 (due Feb. 2/2012)

10%

Assignment 2 (due Mar. 1/2012)

10%

Mid-term Exam (March 22/2012)

35% 

Seminar: Modern Security Technologies (Report due March 29/2012, Presentation: Mar 29, Apr 2-6/2012)

10% 

Project: Network Security and Forensics Analysis (due April 5/2012)

35%

What's New...

Announcements and course-related material will be posted here.

1. Lecture Notes and Slides:

Reading List

 

Unit 1: An Overview of Computer Security 

 

Unit 2: Network Attacks and Penetration Testing

 

Unit 3: Malicious Logic

 

Unit 4: Security Policies

 

Unit 5: Firewall System

 

Unit 6: Intrusion Detection System

Unit 7: Virtual Private Network

Unit 8: Network Forensics

Unit 9: Computer Forensics

Unit 10: Biometrics

2. Assignment & Project

- Assignments

- Project

 

3. Seminar
The seminar topic is open and may be related to the research interest of the students (as long as it is geared towards computer security). Possible topics include (but are not limited to):
- Intrusion Detection
- Firewalls
- Biometrics
- Digital Watermarking


- Seminar Guidelines/Schedule

4. Mid-Term
- Mid-Term Guidelines & Review Questions

5. Final Grades

References

1. Basic Networking Concepts

2. "A Security Policy for Clinical Information Systems", Ross J. Anderson, IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, 1996.
3. "Attack Modeling for Information Security and Survivability", A.P. Moore, R.J. Ellison, R.C. Linger, Technical note CMU/SEI-2001-TN-001.

4. "Security Cryptography and Data Security", D. E. Denning, Addison-Wesley, 1982. 

5. C. E. Landwher et al. "A Taxonomy of Computer Program Security Flaw", ACM Computing Surveys, vol. 26, No. 3, september 1994

6."Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets and Solutions", 4th Edition, S. McLure, J. Scambray, G. Kurtz

7. M. Ranum, “Network Forensics: Network traffic Monitoring”, Tech. Rep, Network Flight Recorder Inc., 1997.