CSE 8990


Section 1

Special Topics

Security Under Resource Constraints

Security Issues in Autonomic / Ubiquitous Computing



Session

Instructor

Office Hours

2:00-3:15 Tu, Th

Mahalingam Ramkumar

315 Butler Hall
325-8435

  • Monday 10:AM-11:00AM

  • Wednesday 10:00AM-11:00AM

  • Friday 10:00AM-11:00AM

  • Other times by appointment

Random Number Generator

Grading Policy

Add / Drop Policy

References

Presentation Schedule

Any security solution involves overheads. Practical security solutions have to ensure that the mandated overheads do not render the deployment unusable or impractical. The overheads could take various forms - ranging from computational, bandwidth, electrical energy (battery consumption), to storage. The costs associated with each resource are typically application dependent. For example, in wired networks bandwidth may not be expensive, while this is not the case for wireless networks.

Efficient security solutions are especially challenging for emerging application scenarios involving ubiquitous and autonomic computing . Apart from constraints on resources like bandwidth, computation and storage, another form of resource mandated for ubiquitous computing applications takes the form of providing assurances of trustworthiness of devices.
The main focus areas of this course are

  1. Qualitative investigation of resources, associated costs, and security-resources trade-offs in traditional security solutions.
  2. Security solutions for resource constrained environments.
  3. Security issues in Ubiquitous and Autonomic Computing
  4. Strategies and technologies for realization of trustworthy devices.

The course will include investigation of traditional public key cryptographic schemes, elliptic curve systems, and key pre-distribution schemes. Particular attention will be paid to issues in ubiquitous and autonomic computing and problems and solutions for read-proofing / tamper-resistance of trustworthy computing chips. While a prior introduction to Cryptography is not a necessary pre-requisite for this course, it can be helpful. The introductory lectures will include a condensed introduction to Cryptography (material from References 1-3). At the end of the introductory lectures the students will be tested on this material (20 minute quiz).

Selected technical papers, white papers and tutorial presentations from the current literature will serve as the basis for this course. The list of papers to be covered will be listed under the References section below. Every student is expected to read all papers , present them to the class if called upon to do so, and engage actively in discussions.

By the end of the first week of classes every student will be expected to pick at least 3 of the 18 (from items 4 - 21 in the list below) papers indicating first, second and third choice, for presentation before the class. Each presentation will last between 20-30 minutes. Apart from the papers specifically assigned, students picked will be picked at random will to provide brief introductions to more in-depth presentations that follow. Following each presentation, randomly picked students will be asked to summarize the paper presented.

Grading Policy


Grading for this course will be based on the
  1. T: attendance
  2. Q: One 20 minute quiz (15 points)
  3. L: level of participation in discussions (35 points)
  4. P: individual presentations (50 points)
  5. O: Original ideas suitable for publication (upto 20 bonus points)
The overall score (Q+L+P+O) will be weighed by attendance T.
The final score on which the assigned grades will be based will be evaluated as
Total Score = T(Q+L+P+O)
Students with less than 90% attendance will automatically forfeit any chance of getting an A grade .

References

  1. Cryptography and Network Security, William Stallings, Fourth Edition
  2. Introduction to Number Theory and Asymmetric Cryptography Link
  3. Digital Signatures Link
  4. Key Pre-distribution - Matsumoto - Imai Link
  5. Key Pre-distribution - Matrix Link
  6. Key Pre-distribution - random subsets Link
  7. Key Pre-distribution and Escrowed KDS - Leighton and Micali Link
  8. One-way hash chains Link
  9. Authentication Protocols using One-way hash chains Link
  10. Multicast Security Link
  11. Why Cryptosystems Fail Link
  12. Ubiquitous Computing - Link 1 Link 2
  13. Dyad: A System for Using Physically Secure Coprocessors Link
  14. The vision of Autonomic Computing Link
  15. Security issues in Autonomic Computing Link
  16. Design Principles for Smartcard Processors Link
  17. Low Cost Attacks Link
  18. Secure Deletion Link
  19. Virtual Secure Co-processing Link
  20. IBM 4758 Link1 Link2
  21. Physical Unclonable Functions Link1 Link2

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Unless explicitly specified, it is to be understood that all homework

assignments and tests are to be performed without collaboration. The

departments academic honesty policy applies to this class and can be

found at http://www.cse.msstate.edu/academics/honesty.html



ADD-DROP POLICY

  1. Add/drop without penalty

    A student has through the fifth class day into the semester to add a course and through the tenth class day to drop a course without being assessed a fee or academic penalty.

  2. Drop after the tenth class day through the 30th class day into the semester

    A student who elects to drop a course during this period must receive the approval of his/her adviser, will be assigned a W on his/her academic record, and be assessed a fee. The adviser who permits the drop will specify its effective date.

  3. Drop after the 30th class day into the semester

    A student cannot drop courses after this period except in documented cases of serious illness, extreme hardship, or failure of the instructor to provide significant assessment of his/her performance. A request to drop a course during this period must be approved by the student's adviser and academic dean. The dean who permits the drop will specify its effective date. A student receiving permission to drop will receive a W on his/her academic record and be assessed a fee.

  4. Faculty are expected to provide a student with significant evidence or assessment of his/her class performance within the first six weeks.

Presentation Schedule

Ref Presenters
10 4, 27
14 9, 16
12 20, 24
11 15, 18
15 32, 34
5 11, 30
6 26, 31
4 13, 29
7 3
8 1
9 19, 23
13 10, 12
16 5, 25
17 2
18 14, 17
19 22, 28
20 6, 33
21 7, 8