SFWR ENG 4C03 - Computer Networks & Computer Security
Term 2, McMaster University

Introduction:
This is the official webpage for "SFWR 4C03 - Computer Networks & Computer Security". Please check this page regularly for announcements and updates regarding the course. The date at the bottom is when the page was last updated. I will try and keep this webpage more or less up to date. However, please inform me about missing links, and necessary updates by sending email to kartik at optlab.cas.mcmaster.ca

Instructor:
Kartik Krishnan
Coordinates : ITB 106
Phone : (905) 525-9140 ext. 27765
Email id : kartik at optlab.cas.mcmaster.ca
Office Hours: MWR 1-2 PM, and by appointment.

Time and Place: MWR 10.30-11.20AM at JHE/326H

TA's in alphabetical order:
  • Zhihui Dong (Coordinates: ITB 207, ext. 23144, Office Hours: MW 1.30-3.30 PM, Lab Coords: Host 16 )
  • Hany Shalaby (Coordinates: ITB 206, ext. 23133, Office Hours: TR 1.30-3.30 PM, Lab Coords: Host 1)

    • Course Outline and Policies: The course outline can also be downloaded as a pdf file sfwr4c03.pdf.
    Course Schedule

    Lecture notes:
  • Lecture 1 (Jan 5-8) is now available.
  • Lecture 2 (Jan 12-15) is now available.
  • Lecture 3 (Jan 19-22) is now available.
  • Lecture 4 (Jan 26-29) is now available.
  • Lecture 5 (Feb 2-5) is now available.
  • Lecture 6 (Feb 9-12) is now available.
  • Lecture 7 (Feb 23-26) is now available.
  • Lecture 8 (Mar 1-4) is now available.
  • Lecture 9 (Mar 8-11) is now available.
  • Lecture 10 (Mar 15-18) is now available.
  • A nice tutorial on ssh that I found on the web (includes a discussion on ssh with public-key authentication).
  • Lecture 11 (Mar 22-25) is now available.
  • A discussion on using FTP in active and passive modes.
  • Steve Woodall has written a nice project report on firewalls. This should supplement my discussions in Lecture 12.
  • Lecture 12 (Mar 29-Apr 1) is now available.
  • A Firewall FAQ; a nice article I found the web.
  • Class projects by Ramez Mousa and Andrew Ross: Ramez's project discusses IPv6 and Andrew's project the transition from IPv4 to IPv6.

    • Supplementary Reading:
  • Linux NET-3-HOWTO, Linux Networking: Your reference manual for the labs.
  • Charles Spurgeon's Ethernet website: An excellent overview of the Ethernet layer.
  • Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol
  • Routing Information Protocol (RIP)
  • User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
  • Six degrees of separation: The myth; a link to a movie based on this myth too.
  • Navigation in a small world: An article by Jon Kleinberg.
  • A Cryptography FAQ at RSA Labs
  • 20 years of attacks on the RSA cryptosystem: An article by Dan Boneh
  • Breaking a monoalphabetic substitution cipher.
  • Breaking the polyalphabetic Vignere cipher via Friedman's attack.
  • The Digital Signature Algorithm
  • The Internet Security protocol (IPsec)
  • The PGP FAQ: Email security

    • Announcements and Updates:
  • We will meet in JHE/326H every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday between 10.30AM - 11.20AM.
  • The course outline and policies are available as a pdf attachment.
  • The course questionnaire is available. Please fill in the relevant information, and hand this back to me.
  • Lecture 1 is now available.
  • The lab timings are MTWR between 11.30-3.30 PM in ITB 238.
  • Lab 1 is now available.
  • Lecture 2 is now available.
  • We will have our first lab meeting tomorrow morning after class (11.30 AM) in ITB 238.
  • Lab 1 is now due in class on Thursday, the 29th of January.
  • Lecture 3 is now available.
  • The team and host assignments are now available.
  • Lab Assignment 2 is now available.
  • Lecture 4 is now available.
  • Lecture 5 is now available.
  • Please remember to pick up your corrected Lab 1 assignments from me in ITB 106.
  • Lecture 6 is now available.
  • The midterm exam will be held in class on Thursday, the 26th of February.
  • Information on the class project is now available.
  • Lab 3 is now available.
  • We will hold a special Lab session in ITB 238 on Monday, 1st of March. at 11.30 am. You are all strongly encouraged to attend this session.
  • Lecture 7 is now available.
  • Lecture 8 is now available.
  • Lecture 9 is now available.
  • Lab 4 is now available.
  • How to Part 4A of Lab 4 correctly.
  • Lecture 10 is now available.
  • Please pick up your reviewed preliminary project reports from me in class on Monday, the 5th of April.
  • The revised project report is due in pdf format (via email to Kartik/Hany/ Zhihui) by Wednesday, the 7th of April.
  • Lecture 11 is now available.
  • I have set up the following webpage for the project reports; I will post the final project reports here as and when they become available.

    • Lab Assignments:
  • Specification of the Little Internet.
  • Lab Assignment 1 (Now Due Jan 29, 2004)
  • Team and host assignments are now available.
  • Lab Assignment 2 (Due Feb 23, 2004)
  • Lab Assignment 3 (Due Mar 10, 2004)
  • Lab Assignment 4 (Due Apr 5, 2004; demo for part A is due Mar 29, 2004)
  • How to do Part 4A of Lab 4 correctly.

    • Class Project:
  • Some information on the class project, including policies, deadlines and references is now available (proposal due Mar 11, preliminary project report due Mar 25, and final report due Apr 5, 2004).
  • Here is a listing of tentative class projects in computer security.
  • Please pick up your reviewed preliminary project reports from me in class on Monday, the 5th of April.
  • The revised project report is due in pdf format (via email to Kartik/Hany/ Zhihui) by Wednesday, the 7th of April.
  • I have set up the following webpage for the project reports; I will post the final project reports here as they become available.
  • The 4c03 prefinal scores are now available.

    • Class Project Reports: 4C03 Prefinal scores:

    Exams:
  • A sample midterm exam is now available.
  • The solution key to the sample midterm is also available. Please attempt the sample midterm exam before examining the solutions.
  • The midterm exam will be held in class on Thursday, 26th of February 2004.
  • The final exam (2002) with solution key is now available.
  • The final exam (2003) with solution key is now available.
  • The final will held in JHE/326H on Monday, 12th of April between 9-11 AM.

    • Discrimination:
    "The Faculty of Engineering is concerned with ensuring an environment that is free of all adverse discrimination. If there is a problem that cannot be resolved by discussion among the persons concerned individuals are reminded that they should contact their Department Chair, the Sexual Harassment/Anti-Discrimination Officer (SHADO) or the Human Rights Consultant, as soon as possible."

    Academic Dishonesty:
    "Students are reminded that they should read and comply with the Statements on Academic Ethics and the Senate Resolutions on Academic Dishonesty as found in the Senate Policy Statements distributed at registrations and available in the Senate Office."

    Useful Resources on the Web:
  • An overview of TCP/IP Protocols and the Internet
  • A TCP/IP Resources List
  • Connected : An Internet Encyclopedia
  • TCP/IP FAQ.
  • RFC-Editor Webpage
  • The WWW Security FAQ
    • Last Updated: 19th-April-04
        kartik at optlab.cas.mcmaster.ca
        Webmaster : Kartik Krishnan
    © Copyright 2004 (Y2K4)