Foundations of Hardware in Cyber Security Engineering. 3 credits

Catalog description

This course integrates analog and digital circuit design, computer architecture, and hardware security. Students begin with circuit analysis and analog computational elements using op-amps, capacitors, and inductors. The curriculum then transitions to digital electronics, focusing on MOSFET/CMOS switching and amplification. Learners explore instruction set architecture through MIPS and LC-3 models, covering micro-architectural principles such as single-cycle, multi-cycle, and pipelined processors. Performance analysis and critical path evaluation are emphasized throughout. Advanced topics cover hardware security fundamentals, including hardware security modules (HSMs), physical unclonable functions (PUFs), and true random number generators (TRNGs). The course concludes with hands-on exposure to physical and side-channel attacks, providing system-level insight into secure, high-performance hardware design and defense. Offered by Cyber Security Engineering . Limited to two attempts.