UT D

CS 4393
Computer and Network Security

Introduction
1

UT D

Instructor Information
Nhut Nguyen, Ph.D.
Office: ECSS 3.607
E-mail: nhutnn <at> utdallas <dot> edu
Tel: 972-883-4521

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 The WWH of CS4393
• What?
– Concepts, issues, solutions, and techniques in computer
and network security
• Why?
– Want to gain a solid knowledge about security, an
increasingly important area of Information Technology (IT)
– Want to be able to evaluate, judge and make intelligent
decisions on computer and network security concepts,
techniques, issues and their solutions
• How?
– Spend effort: be prepared and participate
– Ask questions!

Curiosity, Discovery and Gecko Feet

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/curiosity-discovery-and-gecko-feet-robert-full

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 Information Technologies
Convergence
Mobility

Telecom Infocom
Industry Internet Industry
PC-LAN
PC
Desk-top computing

Computer Industry
Mainframes
Electronic
publishing and
entertainment
Media Industry

Computers and networks are driving the

Information Revolution! 5

Why Security?
• Information Revolution!
– From hard economy: manufacturing, distributing, and
retailing atoms to soft economy: media, knowledge,
services - information
– Involve creation, manipulation (computing), distribution
and sharing of information (networking)
– Computer systems and networks are essential and very
important in the information based economy
– They are constantly under attack!!!
• Security technologies are required to protect
computer systems, networks and their services

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Computer and Network Technologies
• 1970s – Mainframe, PSTNs
• 1980s – Network computing, separate data
(PSDN) and voice (PSTN) networks
• 1990s – Personal computing, LAN, ISDN, the
Internet
• 2000s – RISC, wireless networks
• 2010s – Mobile computing, wearables,
Internet of Things (IoT)
• 2020s – ??????

Computers and Networks Usage

• Computers
– No longer ‘computing’ devices
– Used everywhere, e.g. ECUs in cars, smart
‘something’, etc…
• Networks
– Communications: telephony, cell-phone, e-
mails, IM, SMS, fax
– Information access: Google, Yahoo!...
– Entertainment: place-shift (Slingbox), Internet
TV, …
– E-commerce: B2B and B2C
–…

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Why Computer and Network Security?
• People and organizations are increasingly
dependent on computers and networks
– Generate and manipulate information
– Provide means to access and share information
• Computer and networks have become an
indispensable infrastructure for individuals
and organizations alike
• But they are susceptible to security attacks!!!
• Security attacks on networks and computers
have become a huge (and expensive) problem
for both individuals and organizations

Why Computer and Network Security –

cont’d
• Frequently asked security questions:
– Is my computer safe from malwares and intrusion?
– Can I send sensitive data over networks?
– Can someone steal my identity when I am online and
misuse it?
– Is my computer being used by others as a launching
pad for attacks?
– Are my services and resources are used illegally or in
an unauthorized manner?
–…
Fact: computers and networks are constantly under
attacks for fun and for profits! 10

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 Security Attacks Trends

Sophistication
High ?
?
Packet Alteration
IP Spoofing

Masquerading ?
DDoS
Session Hijacking

Rogue RTP

DoS
Sniffers
Required Technical
Knowledge
Low

1990 2000 2010 11

Course Overview
• What will be covered?
– Security concepts: threats, attacks, mechanisms, services,
architecture
– Malwares and network attacks
– Tools and techniques to defense against security attacks
• Introductory cryptography
• What will not be covered?
– Advanced cryptography
– Computer and network concepts, e.g. OS, data networks
– How to hack 

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 Learning Levels

13

“The most valuable acquisitions in a

scientific or technical education are the
general-purpose mental tools which
remains serviceable for a life-time.”
George Forsythe (1968)

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 15

“The road is challenging not because of

the mountains and the rivers that are in
your way, but because your mind is afraid
of those rivers and mountains.”

Vietnamese Proverb

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