Networking and Cryptography

Catalog description

This course will cover three primary areas of networking: Networking Components, Secure System Design fundamentals, and Cryptography. In this class, students will gain a basic understanding of network components, their roles, and how they interact in systems. Basic network architectures will be covered, and how they relate to specific host/client needs. Students will learn how to track and identify the packets involved in a simple TCP connection. They will learn to use networking tools such as Wireshark, and network mapping tools, such as Nmap. A thorough understanding of the first principles of security will be conveyed, including why each principle is important, and how it enables the design and development of security mechanisms that can meet and implement security policies. Security failures will be analyzed so that students can learn to identify: the specific failures; the design principles that have been violated; which principles are needed in specific scenarios. Human/machine interface principles will be discussed, and their importance in design and usage. Students will explore the connections between security and usability, and the importance of minimizing the effects of security mechanisms.