Syllabus #

Prerequisites #

Formal: CSC326 or CSC 510.

Informal: You need to have a basic understanding of programming/the use of programming languages to build software systems. They should also be able to pick up a new programming language (e.g., Python) with relative ease. You need to understand the software engineering process including requirements, agile software development, use cases. If you do not have a basic understanding of these areas, you will have difficulty with the course. If you have questions regarding these prerequisites, please contact the instructor.

Technology Requirements #

Laptops (or a mobile device with internet access) are required in class to complete in-class lab activities. NC State’s Online and Distance Education provides technology requirements and recommendations for computer hardware.

Software that will be used in the class exercises includes the following (hosted on the NCSU Virtual Computing Laboratory and/or installed locally):

• SonarQube
• ZAP
• Seeker
• Contrast

Required Materials #

There are no required books to purchase for this class.

Recommended Materials #

We will use online resources as noted in the syllabus. You may find the following online resources helpful as well:

• Security Engineering, Ross Anderson
• Computer Security and the Internet: Tools and Jewels, Paul C. van Oorschot
• Software Security: Principles, Policies, and Protection, Payer
• The library has print and online copies of ‘The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook’. We recommend checking it out (first come, first served), or finding a copy of your own. The book presents a principled approach to discovering web application vulnerabilities, and a lot of detail on how to do so, things that will help you succeed at the project assignments.
• While the book is old, ‘The Art of Software Security Assessment: Identifying and Preventing Software Vulnerabilities’, Dowd, McDonald and Schuh is the bible of conducting security audits. The book is available in print from the library. If you were going to build a library of security books, you should consider this one.

Course Details #

A detailed list of lecture by lecture contents, assignments, and due dates (subject to change as semester evolves) is available on the course schedule.
The semester’s submission lockers will be within the Gradescope system. No submissions will be accepted through email or message board posts!
Classroom attendance and activities will be managed through TopHat.

Grading Information #

Excused absences are defined in the NC State Academic Policy on Attendance Regulations. Documentation of the absence is required to excuse an absence. DO NOT SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW ON THE MIDTERM OR FINAL EXAM DATES! (You cannot get an excused absence for an interview on an exam date.)

Grade Scale #

To pass, you must have a passing grade on the average of the two individual graded elements: Midterm and Final.

Students are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner at all times. Grades will be adjusted if students do not handle themselves in a respectful and professional manner with all members of the teaching staff and with others in the class, including emails, message board posts, in-person communication, and peer evaluations. Any threatening language or behaviors will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

Attendance #

Please contact the teaching staff to obtain an excused absence only in the case that you had adequate documentation, such as a doctor’s note or an interview invitation. All anticipated absences must be presented to the instructor no later than one week before the absence. All emergency absences must be turned in no later than one week after the student’s return date.
You are allowed to miss up to 4 lectures throughout the semester without penalty. Please do NOT contact the teaching staff if you feel sick but not sick enough to see a doctor or have something else going on in your life that prevents you from coming to class.

Homework #

Due time: Homework will be turned in via Gradescope. The due date/time will be posted on the assignment.
Late Policy: No late assignments will be accepted without prior approval.

Regrading #

• Should you discover what you think is an error in grading, you must submit a request for regrade via Gradescope.
• You have only ONE WEEK after the grades are returned to you to request a re-grade. After that point, you cannot appeal your grade.
• Communicate with the TA (who did the grading) and see if you can get it resolved. If you are still unsatisfied, you should then contact Dr. Williams.

Class Communications and Course Evaluations #

The class will use Piazza for communication.

You can email Dr. Williams at laurie_williams@csc.ncsu.edu. When emailing, use “[CSC515]” in the subject.

Online class evaluations will be available for students to complete during the last two weeks of class. Students will receive an email message directing them to a website where they can log in using their Unity ID and complete evaluations. All evaluations are confidential; instructors will never know how any one student responded to any question, and students will never know the ratings for any particular instructors.

• Evaluation website: https://classeval.ncsu.edu
• Student help desk: classeval@ncsu.edu (for evaluations)
• More information about ClassEval: http://www2.acs.ncsu.edu/UPA/classeval/index.htm