Computer Security

• Teachers
• Weekly hours
• Competences
• Objectives
• Contents
• Activities
• Teaching methodology
• Evaluation methodology
• Bibliography
• Previous capacities

Teachers

Person in charge

• René Serral Gracià ( )

Others

• Marc Catrisse i Pérez ( )
• Roberto Barreda Orenga ( )

Weekly hours

Competences

Technical Competences

Common technical competencies

• CT6 - To demonstrate knowledge and comprehension about the internal operation of a computer and about the operation of communications between computers.
  • CT6.4 - To demonstrate knowledge and capacity to apply the characteristics, functionalities and structure of the Distributed Systems and Computer and Internet Networks guaranteeing its use and management, as well as the design and implementation of application based on them.
• CT7 - To evaluate and select hardware and software production platforms for executing applications and computer services.
  • CT7.1 - To demonstrate knowledge about metrics of quality and be able to use them.
  • CT7.2 - To evaluate hardware/software systems in function of a determined criteria of quality.
  • CT7.3 - To determine the factors that affect negatively the security and reliability of a hardware/software system, and minimize its effects.
• CT8 - To plan, conceive, deploy and manage computer projects, services and systems in every field, to lead the start-up, the continuous improvement and to value the economical and social impact.
  • CT8.1 - To identify current and emerging technologies and evaluate if they are applicable, to satisfy the users needs.

Technical Competences of each Specialization

Information technology specialization

• CTI1 - To define, plan and manage the installation of the ICT infrastructure of the organization.
  • CTI1.1 - To demonstrate understanding the environment of an organization and its needs in the field of the information and communication technologies.
  • CTI1.2 - To select, design, deploy, integrate and manage communication networks and infrastructures in a organization.
  • CTI1.3 - To select, deploy, integrate and manage information system which satisfy the organization needs with the identified cost and quality criteria.
• CTI2 - To guarantee that the ICT systems of an organization operate adequately, are secure and adequately installed, documented, personalized, maintained, updated and substituted, and the people of the organization receive a correct ICT support.
  • CTI2.3 - To demonstrate comprehension, apply and manage the reliability and security of the computer systems (CEI C6).
• CTI3 - To design solutions which integrate hardware, software and communication technologies (and capacity to develop specific solutions of systems software) for distributed systems and ubiquitous computation devices.
  • CTI3.1 - To conceive systems, applications and services based on network technologies, taking into account Internet, web, electronic commerce, multimedia, interactive services and ubiquitous computation.

Transversal Competences

Information literacy

• G6 [Avaluable] - To manage the acquisition, structuring, analysis and visualization of data and information of the field of the informatics engineering, and value in a critical way the results of this management.
  • G6.3 - To plan and use the necessary information for an academic essay (for example, the final project of the grade) using critical reflection about the used information resources. To manage information in a competent, independent and autonomous way. To evaluate the found information and identify its deficiencies.

Objectives

1. Being able to understand the threats and security risks of computer systems.
   Related competences: CT7.1, CT7.2, CT7.3, CTI1.1,
   Subcompetences:
   • Being able to understand the general ideas of the legal implications of computer security.
2. Being able to analyze malicious code such as viruses, Trojans, etc..
   Related competences: CT8.1, G6.3, CT7.1, CT7.3,
3. Being able to understand and identify mechanisms for access control of an operating system.
   Related competences: CTI1.2, CT8.1, CT7.2, CT7.3, CTI1.3,
4. Knowing the problems of security in computer networks and be able to find solutions to protect them.
   Related competences: CTI3.1, CT6.4, CTI2.3,
   Subcompetences:
   • Being able to understand the implications of a network on the enterprise security
5. Being able to design protection mechanisms for distributed applications.
   Related competences: CTI3.1, CTI1.2, CT8.1, G6.3, CT6.4, CT7.3, CTI2.3,
   Subcompetences:
   • Being able to identify security threats and propose solutions in web applications and electronic commerce.
6. Being able to understand the need and operation of forensic computer security mechanisms.
   Related competences: G6.3, CT7.1, CT7.3, CTI2.3,
7. Being able to use cryptographic mechanisms to protect resources.
   Related competences: CTI3.1, CTI2.3,
   Subcompetences:
   • Being able to implement mechanisms for electronic signatures.
8. Being able to understand, design and implement public key infrastructure (PKI).
   Related competences: CTI3.1, CTI1.2, CT8.1, CT6.4, CTI1.3,
   Subcompetences:
   • Being able to design and manage public key certificates.
9. Being able to understand the mechanisms of protection and security policies.
   Related competences: CTI1.2, CT7.3,
10. Be able to manage the acquisition, structuring, analysis and visualization of data and information in the field of computer engineering, critically evaluating the results of this management.
    Related competences: G6.3,

Contents

1. Introduction
   Threats, risk analysis, protection mechanisms, security of communications, security forensics, politicies, recovery, legal aspects, ...
2. Cryptography
   Basics of cryptography. Public key. Electronic signatures.
3. PKI Infrastructure
   Certificates. Directories. Protocols.
4. Security in applications
   Security on the web. Secure application protocols.
5. Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
   Currently, many of the attacks carried out by malicious actors are based on social engineering. In order to carry out more advanced attacks, the use of open sources of data on the Internet opens new frontiers in these attacks. This topic will cover the techniques for carrying out this type of attack and how to mitigate them.
6. Security in operating systems
   Threat analysis. Operation of malicious codes. Viruses and worms. Protection. virus. Structure of an OS.
7. Forensic analysis
   Collection of evidence. Analysis.

Activities

Activity Evaluation act

Teaching methodology

Evaluation methodology

Bibliography

Basic:

• Cryptography and network security: principles and practice - Stallings, W, Person, 2023. ISBN: 9781292437484
  https://discovery.upc.edu/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991005147378506711&context=L&vid=34CSUC_UPC:VU1&lang=ca
• Computer Security: Principles and Practice - Stallings, W, Prentice Hall, 2018. ISBN: 9781292220611
  https://discovery.upc.edu/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991004175229706711&context=L&vid=34CSUC_UPC:VU1&lang=ca
• Handbook of applied cryptography - Menezes, A.J.; Van Oorschot, P.C.; Vanstone, S.A, CRC Press, 1997. ISBN: 0-8493-8523-7
  https://discovery.upc.edu/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991001420389706711&context=L&vid=34CSUC_UPC:VU1&lang=ca
• Understanding PKI: concepts, standards, and deployment considerations - Adams, C.; Lloyd, S, Addison-Wesley, 2003. ISBN: 0-672-32391-5
  https://discovery.upc.edu/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991002739719706711&context=L&vid=34CSUC_UPC:VU1&lang=ca

Complementary:

• Cibercrimen : ¡protégete del Bit-Bang!, los ataques en el Ciberespacio a : tu ordenador, tu móvil, tu empresa... aprende de víctimas, expertos y CiberVigilantes - Medina, M.; Molist, M, Tibidabo , 2015. ISBN: 9788416204823
  https://discovery.upc.edu/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma991004074839706711&context=L&vid=34CSUC_UPC:VU1&lang=ca

Previous capacities