Fall 2009

General Information

Catalog description // Who should take 6.893 // Communication // Grading // Turn-in // Collaboration // Class meetings // Staff // TA office hours

MIT catalog description

Prereq.: 6.033
G (H)
3-0-9
4 EDP

Design and implementation of secure computer systems. Lectures will explore attack vectors that can compromise security, and engineering techniques that help avoid compromises, with discussion of research papers. Topics will include threat models, capabilities, information flow control, access control models, language security techniques, use of cryptography in building secure protocols, trusted hardware, and web browser security. Lab assignments in the first half of the course will explore the use of individual techniques, and the second half will involve student-proposed final projects.

Students can use 6.893 to fulfill the engineering concentration requirements for Computer Systems.

Who should take 6.893?

6.893 is primarily intended for seniors and M.Eng students who want to learn about how to build secure computer systems in detail. PhD students are also welcome, but note that 6.893 is not a "core" subject for the TQE.

Communication

We will distribute assignments and announcements on the course web site. We expect students to check the 6.893 home page for both news and assignments at least once a week. If you hear a rumor, check it there.

Grading policy

Grades in 6.893 will be based on the results of two quizzes (one during the term and one in the next-to-last week of classes, 30% in total), lab exercises (20%), final project and presentation (30%), and class participation (20%). No quiz during final exam week.

Turn-in policy

You are required to turn in each lab. Labs that are not turned in will receive an F. Labs that are turned in but score 0 points will receive a D. You have a total of 3 late days to use throughout the semester. There are no partial late days: an assignment that is only six hours late uses an entire late day. After you have used up your late days, each additional day late will incur a full letter grade penalty. Saturday and Sunday both count as days.

Collaboration

You may not collaborate on quizzes. You are welcome to discuss the labs with other students, but you should complete all assignments on your own, and you should carefully acknowledge all contributions of ideas by others, whether from classmates or from sources you have read. Final projects will be in groups, where you should collaborate.

Class meetings

Lectures will be held on Monday and Wednesday from 2:30pm to 4pm in 36-155.

Staff

Lectures
Nickolai Zeldovich   32-G994   x3-6005  
 
Teaching assistant

Xi Wang   32-G980     
 
Course secretary

Neena Lyall   32-G970   x3-6019  
 

Course mailing list: 6.893-staff@pdos.csail.mit.edu
Use this mailing list to contact all the 6.893 staff.

TA office hours

Office hours will be held Monday from 4:00-5:00 and Thursday from 4:00-5:00. If you can't make that time, you can email us to set up another time to meet. You are welcome to stay and ask questions after the lectures on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Questions or comments regarding 6.893? Send e-mail to the course staff at 6.893-staff@pdos.csail.mit.edu.

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