Instructor: Yixin Sun
TA: David Xue (dx8zp), Galen Harrison (gh7vp), Zichuan Guo (zst2ym)
Lecture time: MW 2:00-3:15pm
Location: Thornton E316
Office hours:
Mon 10-12 (David, Discord)
Tue 3-4 (Galen, Discord)
Wed 3:30-4:30 (Yixin, Rice 403)
Thu 3-4 (Galen, Discord)
Fri 12-2 (Zichuan, Discord)
This course provides an in-depth look into privacy issues on the Internet and introduces privacy enhancing technologies. We will cover topics such as anonymous communications, traffic analysis, and security topics with privacy implications.
CS2150 or CS3130 with a grade of C- or above. Some background in cybersecurity (CS3710) and computer networks (CS4457) will be helpful but not required.
Tentative schedule. Subject to change.
| Dates | Topic | Notes |
| Wed 8/24 | Intro | |
| Mon 8/29 | Online tracking | |
| Wed 8/31 | Online tracking | HW1 out |
| Mon 9/5 | Network background | |
| Wed 9/7 | Network background | Quiz 1 |
| Mon 9/12 | Network background | |
| Wed 9/14 | Scanning | HW1 due, HW2 out |
| Mon 9/19 | DDoS | |
| Wed 9/21 | (No lecture, TA session) | Quiz 2 |
| Mon 9/26 | DNS attack | |
| Wed 9/28 | DNS privacy | HW2 due on Friday 9/30 |
| Mon 10/3 | (No class, fall break) | |
| Wed 10/5 | Privacy issues w/ IP | HW3 out |
| Mon 10/10 | Anonymity Systems | Quiz 3 |
| Wed 10/12 | Website fingerprinting | |
| Mon 10/17 | Censorship | |
| Wed 10/19 | Censorship | |
| Mon 10/24 | Censorship | Quiz 4 |
| Wed 10/26 | Routing attacks | HW3 due on Friday 10/28 |
| Mon 10/31 | Certificate/PKI | |
| Wed 11/2 | CDN privacy | Project team/form due 11/5 |
| Mon 11/7 | New Internet architecture | Quiz 5 |
| Wed 11/9 | ISP privacy | |
| Mon 11/14 | Policy and user study | |
| Wed 11/16 | Summary (and trivia) | |
| Mon 11/21 | (Guest lecture TBD) | |
| Wed 11/23 | (Thanksgiving) | |
| Mon 11/28 | Project Presentation | |
| Wed 11/30 | Project Presentation | |
| Mon 12/5 | Project Presentation | Last day of class |
| Wed 12/14 | Final report due | |
Homework assignments: 45% (3 assignments, 15% each)
Final project (presentation and report): 40%
Quizzes: 15% (5 quizes, 3% each)
Late Policy
All assignments are due via Collab at 11:59pm on the due date.
Grace period: 12 hours (intended to cover real issues, e.g., internet issues, server down)
10% penalty per day late
There is no textbook for the course that you need to purchase. We will distribute materials as needed.
There are several sites for the course that you can utilize:
Course website (this one): informational purpose
Collab: Announcements, assignment submissions, course materials and recordings, Zoom links
Piazza: Long-form questions, notes, private messages for faculty/TA, regrade request
Discord: Online office hours and meetings, quick chat, off-topic discussion
Please direct all course-related questions to Piazza (or go to office hours). If you want to discuss other topics or have personal/team issues that can and should only be handled by a professor, please email me directly (ys3kz).