SRA 221: Overview of Information Security
Overview
SRA 221 focuses on providing an understanding of the overview of information security. Students will learn the principles of information security, including information security fundamentals, cryptography and encryption authentication, network/software/web security, as well as AI security and data privacy. Students will develop the skills necessary to formulate and address the security needs of enterprise and personal environments.
Prerequisites
- SRA 111
- IST 140 or CMPSC 101 or CMPSC 121
Logistics
- Time: Tuesday/Thursday 4:35PM - 5:50PM
- Location: Westgate Bldg E203
- Course Website: https://jinghuichen.github.io/SRA221-23Spring/
- Canvas: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2243598
Instructor Team
- Instructor: Jinghui Chen
- Office hours: Wed 4-5pm Westgate E380
- TA: Yujia Wang
- Office hours: Mon 2-3pm Westgate E301
Email : Use Canvas email - all course-related email, including messages to your instructor, TA and fellow students should be sent within Canvas, using the Inbox.
Course Materials
- Recommended (not required):
- Mark Stamp: Information Security: Principles and Practice, Third Edition
- Charles Pfleeger, Shari Pfleeger, Jonathan Margulies : Security in Computing, Fifth Edition.
- Required: Lab Access - Purchasing a Practice Labs Voucher is required for the lab components of the course. The voucher is purchased online from the PSU bookstore and is listed under the course just like a book would be. The following link provides help on how to get your voucher code https://www.up.ist.psu.edu/vhol/pl-voucher.php (https://www.up.ist.psu.edu/vhol/pl-voucher.php)
Grading Policy
Grades will be computed based on the following factors:
- Assignments 25%
- Labs 25%
- Midterm 30%
- Final Project 10%
- Quiz 10%
Final grade cutoff:
- A [93%, 100%]
- A- [90%, 93%)
- B+ [87%, 90%)
- B [83%, 87%)
- B- [80%, 83%)
- C+ [77%, 80%)
- C [70%, 77%)
- D [60%, 70%)
- F [0%, 60%)
Schedule
| # | Date | Topics | Due Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 01/10/23 | Course Introduction | |
| 2 | 01/12/23 | Security Principles | |
| 3 | 01/17/23 | Cryptography Basics 1 | |
| 4 | 01/19/23 | Cryptography Basics 2 | |
| 5 | 01/24/23 | Symmetric Cryptography 1 | Assignment 1 Due |
| 6 | 01/26/23 | Symmetric Cryptography 2 | |
| 7 | 01/31/23 | Introduction to Practice Lab (TA) | |
| 8 | 02/02/23 | Integrity | |
| 9 | 02/07/23 | Pub Key Cryptography 1 | Lab 1 Due |
| 10 | 02/09/23 | Pub Key Cryptography 2 | |
| 11 | 02/14/23 | Pub Key Infra 1 | |
| 12 | 02/16/23 | Pub Key Infra 2 | Assignment 2 Due |
| 13 | 02/21/23 | Access Control 1 | |
| 14 | 02/23/23 | Access Control 2 | Lab 2 Due |
| 15 | 02/28/23 | Access Control 3 | |
| 16 | 03/02/23 | Midterm Review | Assignment 3 Due |
| - | 03/07/23 | Spring Break | |
| - | 03/09/23 | Spring Break | |
| 17 | 03/14/23 | Homework Review (TA) | Final Project Proposal Due |
| 18 | 03/16/23 | Midterm Exam (in-class) | |
| 19 | 03/21/23 | Network Security 1 | |
| 20 | 03/23/23 | Network Security 2 | |
| 21 | 03/28/23 | Software/Web Security 1 | Lab 3 Due |
| 22 | 03/30/23 | Software/Web Security 2 | |
| 23 | 04/04/23 | Intrusion Detection | Lab 4 Due |
| 24 | 04/06/23 | AI and Security 1 | |
| 25 | 04/11/23 | AI and Security 2 | Lab 5 Due |
| 26 | 04/13/23 | AI and Security 3 | |
| 27 | 04/18/23 | Data Privacy 1 | Assignment 4 Due |
| 28 | 04/20/23 | Data Privacy 2 | |
| 29 | 04/25/23 | Final Project Presentation 1 | |
| 30 | 04/27/23 | Final Project Presentation 2 | |
| - | 05/01/23 | Final Project Report Due |
The instructor reserves the rights to make any changes.
Attendence
- There is not a traditional “attendance”. We will have occational in-class quiz for checking attendance. The intent for this to assess your knowledge of the material and hold you accountable for attending.
Final Project
- Everyone in this class is expected to explore some special topics in information security beyond the content of this class (or extension of what is covered in class).
- It is expected to be done by individuals.
- The topic of the project can be:
- A cool demo of applying information security in real world application.
- A nice introduction towards new emerging security topics (e.g., blockchain, decentralized computing, differential privacy, stenography, cloud encryption, zero-knowlodge proof etc.)
- An interesting project demonstrates the importance of protecting information security.
Late Submission Policy
- All assignments are due on the due date at 11:59 pm (EST).
- Students can submit late with the penalty of 25% deduction for every 24 hours late (up to 3 days).
- After 3 days, no more late submission is allowed.
- Extensions can be granted for special cases (email the instructor)
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the University’s Code of Conduct states that all students should act with personal integrity, respect other students’ dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.
Academic integrity includes a commitment by all members of the University community not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contact information for every Penn State campus (http://equity.psu.edu/sdr/disability-coordinator). For further information, please visit Student Disability Resources website (http://equity.psu.edu/sdr/).
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation: See documentation guidelines (http://equity.psu.edu/sdr/guidelines). If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES STATEMENT
Many students at Penn State face personal challenges or have psychological needs that may interfere with their academic progress, social development, or emotional wellbeing. The university offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultations, online chats, and mental health screenings. These services are provided by staff who welcome all students and embrace a philosophy respectful of clients’ cultural and religious backgrounds, and sensitive to differences in race, ability, gender identity and sexual orientation.
Counseling and Psychological Services at University Park (CAPS) (http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/): 814-863-0395
Counseling and Psychological Services at Commonwealth Campuses (https://senate.psu.edu/faculty/counseling-services-at-commonwealth-campuses/)
Penn State Crisis Line (24 hours/7 days/week): 877-229-6400 Crisis Text Line (24 hours/7 days/week): Text LIONS to 741741
EDUCATIONAL EQUITY/REPORT BIAS STATEMENTS
Consistent with University Policy AD29, students who believe they have experienced or observed a hate crime, an act of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment that occurs at Penn State are urged to report these incidents as outlined on the University’s Report Bias webpage (http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/)