Course content

Cryptography; symmetric and public-key, cryptographic protocols, key distribution, authentication, digital signature structures. Network security; access control, services and mechanisms for authentication, IPSec, application layer security and secure network management. System security; intrusion detection, malicious software, firewalls, identification.

Learning outcome

A. Knowledge:
To get a basic understanding of principles and practice of cryptography and network security by gaining knowledge in four broad categories:
1) Cryptographic algorithms (symmetric encryption, asymmetric encryption and cryptographic hash functions with related topics of message authentication codes and digital signatures).
2) Establishing mutual trust by studying the techniques and algorithms for key management, key distribution and user authentication.
3) Network security by studying the use of cryptographic algorithms in network protocols and network applications.
4) Computer security by studying the techniques for securing computers against intruders and malicious software.

B. Skills:
1) To set up own Certificate Authority (CA) based on OpenSSL with Digital certificates signed by the TTM4135 staff.
2) To set up Apache web server with client/server authentication with X.509 certificates access protected HTML pages.
3) To be able to login with PHP script using MySQL, cookies and sessions.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, technical essay, laboratories and exercises. The course can be held in English if international students attend. Portfolio assessment is the basis for the grade in the course. The portfolio includes a written final exam (60%), report (20%) and exercise (20%). The results for the parts are given in %-scores, while the entire portfolio is assigned a letter grade. If there is a re-sit examination, the examination form may be changed from written to oral.

Compulsory assignments

• Technical essay
• Exercises

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge in discrete mathematics and algebra (e.g. TMA4140 Discrete Mathematics) and data communications (e.g. TTM4100 Communications - Services and Networks).

Course materials

1. William Stallings: Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice: International Version, Fifth Eddition, Publisher: Pearson Higher Education, Copyright: 2011. Support litterature (In Norwegian):
Svein J. Knapskog: Informasjonssikkerhet i internett, Tapir Akademisk Forlag, 2005,
2. Power Point Slides given during the lectures.

Credit reductions