Stanford CS155: Computer and Network Security

Dan Boneh and John Mitchell's security course covering both theoretical foundations and practical attacks.

About This Course

Stanford CS155 provides a broad survey of computer and network security. Taught by Dan Boneh (one of the world's leading cryptographers) and John Mitchell, the course covers both the theory behind security mechanisms and practical attack/defense techniques.

The course includes three major projects: a web security lab, a network security lab, and a binary exploitation lab.

What You Will Learn

  • Web Security: Same-origin policy, XSS, CSRF, clickjacking, content security
  • Network Attacks: DNS poisoning, BGP hijacking, TCP attacks, ARP spoofing
  • Session Management: Cookies, tokens, authentication protocols
  • Malware: Viruses, worms, rootkits, botnets, ransomware
  • OS Security: Privilege escalation, access control, MAC vs. DAC
  • Browser Security: Sandboxing, extensions, security models
  • Applied Cryptography: Symmetric/asymmetric encryption, digital signatures, PKI
  • Privacy: Tracking, fingerprinting, anonymous communication, differential privacy

Prerequisites

Systems programming experience. Networking basics. Cryptography fundamentals helpful.

Course content belongs to Stanford University.