Special Topics (Cybersecurity)

First Semester AY 2025-2026

About

Catalog Description
Course Number and Section CMSC 191 EF
Course Title Special Topics (Cybersecurity)
Description Concepts in protecting computer systems and networks from attacks.
Prerequisites CMSC 125 and CMSC 131 or COI
Credit 3 units
Aim

This course aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills in identifying threats and vulnerabilities as well as developing protection mechanisms for computer systems and networks.

Objectives
At the end of this course the student should be able to:
  1. explain the fundamental concepts in computer systems security: confidentiality, integrity, availability, asset, threat, attack, policy, mechanism;
  2. find and identify software, platform, and network security vulnerabilities;
  3. develop and use exploits for security vulnerabilities;
  4. perform incident response and digital forensics after a security breach;
  5. apply secure programming practices;
  6. design, implement, and deploy secure network and web services; and
  7. explain and evaluate the legal and ethical implications of security attacks and breaches.
Topics (based on ACM's 2023 CS Curriculum Guidelines: Security)
  1. SEC-Foundations: Foundational Security
  2. SEC-SEP: Society, Ethics, and the Profession
  3. SEC-Coding: Secure Coding
  4. SEC-Crypto: Cryptography
  5. SEC-Engineering: Security Analysis, Design, and Engineering
  6. SEC-Forensics: Digital Forensics
  7. SEC-Governance: Security Governance
Specific topics
  • Why Computer Security is challenging?
  • Computer Security Strategy
  • Symmetric Encryption
  • Asymmetric Encryption
  • Software Security
  • Database Security
  • Penetration Testing
  • Buffer Overflow Attacks
  • TCP/IP and attacks
  • DNS and attacks
  • Malicious Software
  • IT Security Management and Risk Assessment
  • IT Security Controls, Plans, and Procedures
  • Human Resources Security
Evaluation/Grading(Tentative)
Exercises 45%
Quizzes 10%
CTF Exam 25%
Written Exam 20%
Total 100%
Passing grade is 55%. No grade of 4.0 will be given. Grading scale is shown below.
0.00 54.99 5.0
55.00 59.99 3.0
60.00 64.99 2.75
65.00 69.99 2.5
70.00 74.99 2.25
75.00 79.99 2.0
80.00 84.99 1.75
85.00 89.99 1.5
90.00 94.99 1.25
95.00 100 1.0
Policies
Attendance Policy

The University Policy on Attendance will apply.

Collaboration Policy

All lab activities will be done individually. Discussions are allowed but there should be no sharing/direct copying of code.

Academic Integrity and Generative AI Use
  • Properly acknowledge help received by indicating your sources in your submissions.
  • No looking at solutions/programs from previous years.
  • No sharing of code with other students. Be ready to explain your code.
  • By default you are not allowed to used AI tools during lab classes. You may use AI tools in this course only when allowed and never to replace your own work. AI can help with brainstorming, explanations, or debugging (if permitted), but you must verify results, credit the tool, and explain your work yourself. Do not use AI to generate complete solutions for graded work, plagiarize, or submit misleading content. Misuse will be treated as academic misconduct. Use AI to learn, not to cheat.
Communication and LMS

We will use Google Classroom and Slack.

Staff

Name Role Email
Joseph Anthony C. Hermocilla Instructor jchermocilla@up.edu.ph

Schedule

Week Date Topic Learning Materials Laboratory
1 Aug 11-15 COURSE OVERVIEW AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
2 Aug 18-22 The Confidentiality-Integrity-Availability triad
3 Aug 25-29 Environment Variables and Set UID
4 Sep 1-5 Shellshock
5 Sep 8-12 Buffer Overflow
6 Sep 15-19 Secret-Key Encryption
7 Sep 22-26 Public-Key Infrastructure
8 Sep 29-Oct 3 Cross-Site Scripting
Oct 6-10 READING BREAK
9 Oct 13-17 SQL Injection
10 Oct 20-24 TCP/IP Attacks
11 Oct 27-31 Local DNS Attacks
12 Nov 3-7 Penetration Testing
13 Nov 10-14 Malware Analysis
14 Nov 17-21 (Buffer Week/DFIR)
15 Nov 24-28 CTF EXAM
16 Dec 1-5 (Buffer Week)
Finals Week TBA WRITTEN EXAM

Resources

Main Resources
  • Lecture: [STA]:Stallings, W. and Brown, L. (2024). Computer Security: Principles And Practice (5th ed.) Pearson Education Inc.
  • Labs: SEED Labs
Supplementary Textbooks
  • Wenliang Du.(2017).Computer Security: A Hands-on Approach.
  • Goodrich, M., & Tamassia, R. (2010). Introduction to computer security. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company
  • Pfleeger, C. P., & Pfleeger, S. L. (2002). Security in computing. Prentice Hall Professional Technical Reference.
  • Gollmann, D. (2011). Computer Security. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Bishop, M. (2006). Introduction to computer security. Pearson Education India.
  • Bishop, M. (2003). Computer Security: Art and Science. ISBN: 0-201-44099-7. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
  • Kaufman, C., Perlman, R., and Speciner, M. (2002). Network security: private communication in a public world. Prentice Hall Press.
  • Jon Erickson. (2008). Hacking: The art of exploitation. No Starch Press, Inc.
  • Michael Sikorski and Andrew Honig.(2012). Practical Malware Analysis. No Starch Press, Inc.
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