Selected Topics in IT-Security

CS 408 | English

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Frederik Armknecht
Teaching Assistants: Christian Müller and Jochen Schäfer

The large-scale deployment of Internet-based services and the open nature of the Internet come alongside with the increase of security threats against existing services. As the size of the global network grows, the incentives of attackers to abuse the operation of online applications also increase and their advantage in mounting successful attacks becomes considerable.

These cyber-attacks often target the resources, availability, and operation of online services. In the recent years, a considerable number of online services such as Amazon, CNN, eBay, and Yahoo were hit by online attacks; the losses in revenues of Amazon and Yahoo were almost 1.1 million US dollars. With an increasing number of services relying on online resources, security becomes an essential component of every system.

This course aims to increase the security awareness of students and offers them a basic understanding with respect to a variety of interesting topics. After this course, students will be able to (1) learn about symmetric and asymmetric encryption schemes, (2) classify and describe vulnerabilities and protection mechanisms of popular network protocols, web protocols, and software systems (3) analyze / reason about basic protection mechanisms for modern OSs, software and hardware systems.

Exam Information and Dates

You may find up-to-date information on the exam schedule at https://portal2.uni-mannheim.de/portal2...e1s1. Please also check the “My Studies – My registrations” section in your student portal. The regular and re-sit exam dates, respectively, for the FSS 2023 term are:

  1. Written, in-person 90-minute exam on Saturday, 2023–06–17, from 1230h to 1400h in room SN 163 in building Schloss (Schneckenhof Nord).
  2. Written, in-person 90-minute exam on Thursday, 2023–08–31, from 0830h to 1000h in room B144 in building A5.

Lecture and Exercise

  • Lecture: Thursdays: 1530h-1700h, room B2.43, in building A5
  • Exercise: Thursdays: 1345h-1515h, room SN 169, in building Schloss (Schneckenhof Nord)

Lectures by Prof. Arkmnecht (cf. Lecture Roadmap) are offered as inverted lectures, i.e., videos are available on ILIAS for self-study and you may ask questions about or discuss the topic on thursdays.

The exercise sessions are offered on-site only and take place on an almost bi-weekly basis. The exact schedule will be updated continuously. Please note that you need a laptop (or a comparable computing device) for some of the exercises. The exercise scoreboard can be found here: https://itsec.informatik.uni-mannheim.de/

ILIAS & Portal²

Please register via Portal² to gain access to our ILIAS course in which you may find all lecture materials.

Once registered, you may access the course using the following URL: https://ilias.uni-mannheim.de/goto.php?target=crs_1351671

Lecture Topics (tentative)

  • Security Goals
  • Crash Course in Cryptography
  • Access Control
  • Authentication
  • Social Engineering
  • E-Mail Security
  • System Vulnerabilities
  • Malware
  • Network Security
  • Web Security
  • Bitcoin
  • Privacy

Lecture Roadmap (2023)

Tentative Agenda (Last update on: 2023-05-22)
DateTimeRoomTopicsLecturers

Feb. 16

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Feb. 161530h – 1700h

A5 B2.43

Intro to and organization of this lecture

Armknecht
Schäfer

Feb. 23

1345h – 1515hSN169

Exercise Session 01

Müller/Schäfer

Feb. 23

1530h – 1700h

A5 B2.43

Introduction

Armknecht

Mar. 02

1345h – 1515hSN169Exercise Session 02

Schäfer

Mar. 02

1530h – 1700hA5 B2.43Access Control

Armknecht

Mar. 09

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Mar. 09

1530h – 1700h

A5 B2.43

Authentication

Armknecht

Mar. 16

1345h – 1515hSN169Exercise Session 03

Schäfer

Mar. 16

1530h – 1700hA5 B2.43Social Engineering

Armknecht

Mar. 23

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Mar. 23

1530h – 1700h

A5 B2.43

E-Mail Security

Armknecht

Mar. 30

1345h – 1515hSN169Exercise Session 04

Müller

Mar. 30

1530h – 1700hA5 B2.43Vulnerabilities

Armknecht

Apr. 06

------/** Easter

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Apr. 06

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   * ...

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Apr. 13

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   * ...

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Apr. 13

------   * Break **/

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Apr. 20

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Apr. 20

1530h – 1700h

A5 B2.43

Malware

Armknecht

Apr. 27

1345h – 1515hSN169Exercise Session 05

Müller

Apr. 27

1530h – 1700hA5 B2.43WLAN Security

Armknecht

May 04

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May 04

1530h – 1700h

A5 B2.43

Network Security

Armknecht

May 11

1345h – 1515hSN169Exercise Session 06

Müller

May 11

1530h – 1700hA5 B2.43Web Security

Armknecht

May 18

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May 18

------// Public Holiday (Bitcoin)

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May 25

1345h – 1515hSN169Privacy

Müller/Schäfer

May 25

1530h – 1700h

A5 B2.43

DFIR – Ransomware & Malware AnalysisDr. M. Hamann (ERNW)
June 011345h – 1515hSN169Exercise Session 07

Schäfer

June 011530h – 1700hA5 B2.43Q'n'AAll