Carnegie Mellon University

COURSE SYLLABUS

14-850: INSuRE Cybersecurity Research - Fall, 2020

Instructor: Professor Ehab Al-Shaer

Email: ehab@cmu.edu

Other contact: skype:ealsaher

Office: Pittsburgh, INI Building, Office# 125

Office hours: Wednesday 4:30-5:30 and Friday 3:00-4:00 and by appointment

Phone: (412) 268-7899 (Office)

(803) 792-1067 (Google Voice)

TA: TBD

Email: <andrewID>@andrew.cmu.edu

Office hours: TBD

Course Description: In this course, students will learn an overview of the theoretical foundations and methodologies of conducting rigorous and high impact research in cybersecurity. The class will include topics on how to select research problems, how to search, identify, and review research papers, how to conduct a survey or taxonomy research papers, how to develop a technical research plan, how to evaluate your research approach and how to write a research paper and proposal. In addition, this learning will be in the context of engaging students in the experience of real-world cybersecurity problems of interest to government organizations and industry partners. Students will learn how to apply research techniques, think clearly about problems and constraints, formulate and analyze potential solutions, evaluate solutions through simulation and experimentation, and communicate their results effectively. Working in small groups under the mentorship of technical clients from government and industry, teams of students will formulate, carry out, and present original research on current cybersecurity/information assurance problems of interest. Project topics come from lists supplied by government and industry partners. The course will be synchronized with similar offerings at several partner schools via videoconference, using resources provided through the INSuRE program. The course will be open to graduate students in computer science and engineering (e.g., INI, CS, ECE, Information Systems, etc.) who have background in information security / information assurance and have significant expertise in at least one relevant technical area. All students will be initially waitlisted for the course until instructors have the chance to verify student qualifications beyond the basic prerequisites.

Number of Units: 12

Prerequisites: 14741 or 18730; instructor approval

Contact the instructor directly with questions about prerequisites

Class Schedule

@Pittsburgh campus: Wednesday 02:30am-4:30pm EDT (and occasionally Friday @ 1:30 EDT if SECuRE group meeting is needed), INI DEC

Textbook Information

No Text Book is required

Course Objectives

In this course, students will learn an overview of the theoretical foundations and methodologies of conducting rigorous and high impact research in cybersecurity. The class will include topics on how to select research problems, how to search, identify, and review research papers, how to conduct a survey or taxonomy research papers, how to develop a technical research plan, how to evaluate your research approach and how to write a research paper and proposal. In addition, this learning will be in the context of engaging students in the experience of real-world cybersecurity problems of interest to government organizations and industry partners.

In successfully completing this course, you will have the opportunity to:

Lean how to use scientific research methods to conduct novel and high impact research: Students will learn both revolutionary and evolution approaches to do research and innovation.
Learn the Science of Security (SoS) foundation for conducting research in cybersecurity: Students will learn metrics and hypothesis-driven techniques to conduct and evaluate research in cybersecurity.
Learn an overview of computational research foundations: Students will study and discuss foundational papers in the following areas: formal methods, logic and reasoning, data-driven, optimization/game theory.
Learn how to review and present research papers: Students will learn how to identify and assess the technical contribution of research papers, and how to give a concise and accurate presentation of research papers.
Learn how to develop a technical research and evaluation plan for research proposal: Students will learn by experience how to analyze a research problem, derive the technical requirements, and develop the evaluation criteria in the context of solving a real-world problem while engaging with a Technical Director from the government/industry.

Course Philosophy

This course is to learn the theory and practice of conducting research in cybersecurity. The first part of the class will focus on learning the scientific foundation for conducting research by studying, presenting, and discussing papers in various theoretical foundations. This objective will be accomplished through a series of student presentations of selected paper and highly interactive in-class discussions. The second part of the course is to learn-by-experience how to analyze a research problem and how to develop a scientific approaches and how to conduct a systematic evaluation plan. The background and reading material will be selected to build a background for the problem to be tackled by the group. This objective will be conducted through teamwork and intense class discussion. Students should be prepared to learn how to contribute as individuals and integrate as a team member.

Course Website

Course Canvas: https://cmu.instructure.com/

Important Dates and Deliverables

Open House/TD Meet and Greet	8/28
Bid Submission	9/11
Problem Assignment	9/14
Proposal	TBD – (estimated: 9/18)
Progress Report	10/16
Progress Report Presentation	10/16
Final Report	TBD—(Estimated 12/4)
Final Report Presentation	TBD —(Estimated 12/13)

Course Deliverables

Students will participate in a significant group project in addition to individual in-class activities. All submissions are to be made through Canvas. Email submissions will NOT be accepted.

Project:

Teams of students will work on a collaborative project for the duration of the semester. Teams will be formed based on Project Bids. Through the semester, teams will give two formal project presentations and submit two written reports as follow.

• Project Proposal:

• Project Progress report and presentation

• Final report and presentation

In addition to the team deliverables, each student will be responsible for preparing two Peer Reviews, and Survey Paper, which will be due along with the progress and final reports. All of the course deliverables are also briefly summarized on the Project Info page

Evaluation and Grading

Grades will be determined based on multiple deliverables for the group project done in the course as well as individual effort toward in-class presentations and activities. Individual students will prepare bids for their desired problem areas, and project teams will work toward several major deliverables, including a project proposal, progress report, progress presentation, final report, project poster, and final presentation. Students will be individually evaluated on all project deliverables as well as all individual work done in and out of class.

Attendance	5%
In-Class Presentations (foundation and Application domain papers)	25%
Writing Survey Paper	10%
Paper Review	10%
Project Proposal	5%
Final Report and Presentation	45%

The resources below are useful across multiple classes including this one.

Every individual must be treated with respect. The ways we are diverse are many and are critical to excellence and an inclusive community. They include but are not limited to: race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, ancestry, belief, veteran status, or genetic information. We at CMU, will work to promote diversity, equity and inclusion because it is just and necessary for innovation. Therefore, while we are imperfect, we will work inside and outside of our classrooms, to increase our commitment to build and sustain a community that embraces these values.

It is the responsibility of each of us to create a safer and more inclusive environment. Bias incidents, whether intentional or unintentional in their occurrence, contribute to creating an unwelcoming environment for individuals and groups at the university. If you experience or observe unfair or hostile treatment on the basis of identity, we encourage you to speak out for justice and support in the moment and and/or share your experience anonymously using the following resources:

Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion: csdi@andrew.cmu.edu, (412) 268-2150, www.cmu.edu/student-diversity

Report-It online anonymous reporting platform: www.reportit.net username: tartans password: plaid

All reports will be acknowledged, documented and a determination will be made regarding a course of action.” All experiences shared will be used to transform the campus climate.

Active Shooter Advice: To prepare for the unlikely event of a campus shooting, please refer to https://www.cmu.edu/police/Resources/Active%20Shooter.html

Earthquake Preparation: During an earthquake, “drop, cover, and hold on.” Please see details: https://www.earthquakecountry.org/step5/

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: If you have a disability and have an accommodations letter from the Disability Resources office, I encourage you to discuss your accommodations and needs with me as early in the semester as possible. I will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as appropriate. If you suspect that you may have a disability and would benefit from accommodations but are not yet registered with the Office of Disability Resources, I encourage you to contact them at access@andrew.cmu.edu.

Take Care of Yourself: Please do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep and taking some time to relax. This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress.

All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful.

If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, I strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 or visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/.

Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty, or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help. Please let me know if I can be of assistance to you in this way. It is not my intention to know the details of what might be bothering you, but simply to let you know I am concerned and that help, if needed, is available.

Course Policies:

Language

This course is entirely taught in English, and all materials submitted by the students, including homework, exams, assignments, and quizzes, must be submitted in English. In-class oral participation must also be in English. Homework, quizzes or exams submitted in a language other than English will not be graded.

Please do not worry about making grammatical or vocabulary mistakes. We will never penalize you for using improper grammar or vocabulary, as long as your statements remain clear and unambiguous.

Lectures

Class attendance is required. In-class participation is encouraged and expected. In other words, please do ask questions and make constructive comments during lectures. Additionally, you are only eligible to take quizzes if you attend class.

Auditors & Non-degree Students

Auditors are expected to attend lectures, but cannot submit homework, hand in tests, or take exams. Auditors only get a record of audit at the end of the semester. On the other hand, non-degree students are subject to the same rules and expectations as degree students.

Cell Phone and Wi-Fi

Please remember to turn off or silence your phones (and other alarms) before each class meeting. We will subtract i points from your total grade the i-th time your phone/alarm/pager rings in class during the semester. No exceptions.

As a matter of courtesy to the instructor and other students, please refrain from reading the news, participating in social networks, or checking your email using your wi-fi connection during lectures. It is most likely the case that you do not need a laptop when you come to class.

Late Homework Submission Policy

For full credit, homework must be turned in by 5:00 PM EST on the due date. You have two “grace days” that you can use at any time during the semester for late homework. That is, you can turn in a total of two homework assignments a day late (“a day late” is defined as any delay between 0 and 24 hours after the deadline,) one homework two days late, etc. You must notify the instructor and T.A.s prior to using (a) grace day(s). Assignments turned in late without “grace credit” will be penalized by 10% per day. Homework late by more than three days will not be graded. Exceptions require either prior arrangement or doctor-validated medical excuse.

Collaboration Policy

Students are encouraged to talk to each other, to the T.A.(s), to the instructor, or to anyone else about any of the homework assignments. Any assistance, though, must be limited to discussion of the problem and sketching general approaches to a solution. Each student must write out his or her own solutions to the homework. Consulting another student’s solution is prohibited, and submitted solutions may not be copied from any source. These and any other form of collaboration on assignments constitute cheating. Any form of collaboration is strictly prohibited on the exams and is considered cheating. If you have any question about whether some activity would constitute cheating, please feel free to ask.

Cheating on an assignment/exam will result in failure of the course, and the university administration (department, college) will be notified per the appropriate procedures.

Simply stated, feel free to discuss problems with each other, but do not cheat. It is not worth it, and you will get caught.

Copyright Policy

All teaching materials in this class, including course slides, homework, assignments, practice exams and quizzes, are copyrighted; reproduction, redistribution and other rights solely belong to the instructors. In particular, it is not permissible to upload any or part of these materials to public or private websites without the instructor’s explicit consent. Violating this copyright policy will be considered as an academic integrity violation, with the consequences discussed above. Reading materials are also copyrighted by their respective publishers and cannot be reposted or distributed without prior authorization from the publisher.

ECE Academic Integrity Policy

(http://www.ece.cmu.edu/programs-admissions/masters/academic-integrity.html):

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering adheres to the academic integrity policies set forth by Carnegie Mellon University and by the College of Engineering. ECE students should review fully and carefully Carnegie Mellon University's policies regarding Cheating and Plagiarism; Undergraduate Academic Discipline; and Graduate Academic Discipline. ECE graduate student should further review the Penalties for Graduate Student Academic Integrity Violations in CIT outlined in the CIT Policy on Graduate Student Academic Integrity Violations. In addition to the above university and college-level policies, it is ECE's policy that an ECE graduate student may not drop a course in which a disciplinary action is assessed or pending without the course instructor's explicit approval. Further, an ECE course instructor may set his/her own course-specific academic integrity policies that do not conflict with university and college-level policies; course-specific policies should be made available to the students in writing in the first week of class.

This policy applies, in all respects, to this course.

CMU Academic Integrity Policy (http://www.cmu.edu/academic-integrity/index.html):

In the midst of self-exploration, the high demands of a challenging academic environment can create situations where some students have difficulty exercising good judgment.

Academic challenges can provide many opportunities for high standards to evolve if students actively reflect on these challenges and if the community supports discussions to aid in this process. It is the responsibility of the entire community to establish and maintain the integrity of our university.

This site is offered as a comprehensive and accessible resource compiling and organizing the multitude of information pertaining to academic integrity that is available from across the university. These pages include practical information concerning policies, protocols and best practices as well as articulations of the institutional values from which the policies and protocols grew. The Carnegie Mellon Code, while not formally an honor code, serves as the foundation of these values and frames the expectations of our community with regard to personal integrity.

THE CARNEGIE MELLON CODE

Students at Carnegie Mellon, because they are members of an academic community dedicated to the achievement of excellence, are expected to meet the highest standards of personal, ethical and moral conduct possible.

These standards require personal integrity, a commitment to honesty without compromise, as well as truth without equivocation and a willingness to place the good of the community above the good of the self. Obligations once undertaken must be met, commitments kept.

As members of the Carnegie Mellon community, individuals are expected to uphold the standards of the community in addition to holding others accountable for said standards. It is rare that the life of a student in an academic community can be so private that it will not affect the community as a whole or that the above standards do not apply.

The discovery, advancement and communication of knowledge are not possible without a commitment to these standards. Creativity cannot exist without acknowledgment of the creativity of others. New knowledge cannot be developed without credit for prior knowledge. Without the ability to trust that these principles will be observed, an academic community cannot exist.

The commitment of its faculty, staff and students to these standards contributes to the high respect in which the Carnegie Mellon degree is held. Students must not destroy that respect by their failure to meet these standards. Students who cannot meet them should voluntarily withdraw from the university.

This policy applies, in all respects, to this course.

Carnegie Mellon University's Policy on Cheating (http://www.cmu.edu/academic-integrity/cheating/index.html) states the following:

According to the University Policy on Academic Integrity, cheating "occurs when a student avails her/himself of an unfair or disallowed advantage which includes but is not limited to:

· Theft of or unauthorized access to an exam, answer key or other graded work from previous course offerings.

· Use of an alternate, stand-in or proxy during an examination.

· Copying from the examination or work of another person or source.

· Submission or use of falsified data.

· Using false statements to obtain additional time or other accommodation.

· Falsification of academic credentials.”

This policy applies, in all respects, to this course.

Carnegie Mellon University's Policy on Plagiarism (http://www.cmu.edu/academic-integrity/plagiarism/index.html) states the following:

According to the University Policy on Academic Integrity, plagiarism "is defined as the use of work or concepts contributed by other individuals without proper attribution or citation. Unique ideas or materials taken from another source for either written or oral use must be fully acknowledged in academic work to be graded. Examples of sources expected to be referenced include but are not limited to:

· Text, either written or spoken, quoted directly or paraphrased.

· Graphic elements.

· Passages of music, existing either as sound or as notation.

· Mathematical proofs.

· Scientific data.

· Concepts or material derived from the work, published or unpublished, of another person."

This policy applies, in all respects, to this course.

Carnegie Mellon University's Policy on Unauthorized Assistance (http://www.cmu.edu/academic-integrity/collaboration/index.html) states the following:

According to the University Policy on Academic Integrity, unauthorized assistance "refers to the use of sources of support that have not been specifically authorized in this policy statement or by the course instructor(s) in the completion of academic work to be graded. Such sources of support may include but are not limited to advice or help provided by another individual, published or unpublished written sources, and electronic sources. Examples of unauthorized assistance include but are not limited to:

· Collaboration on any assignment beyond the standards authorized by this policy statement and the course instructor(s).

· Submission of work completed or edited in whole or in part by another person.

· Supplying or communicating unauthorized information or materials, including graded work and answer keys from previous course offerings, in any way to another student.

· Use of unauthorized information or materials, including graded work and answer keys from previous course offerings.

· Use of unauthorized devices.

· Submission for credit of previously completed graded work in a second course without first obtaining permission from the instructor(s) of the second course. In the case of concurrent courses, permission to submit the same work for credit in two courses must be obtained from the instructors of both courses."

This policy applies, in all respects, to this course.

Carnegie Mellon University's Policy on Research Misconduct (http://www.cmu.edu/academic-integrity/research/index.html) states the following:

According to the University Policy For Handling Alleged Misconduct In Research, “Carnegie Mellon University is responsible for the integrity of research conducted at the university. As a community of scholars, in which truth and integrity are fundamental, the university must establish procedures for the investigation of allegations of misconduct of research with due care to protect the rights of those accused, those making the allegations, and the university. Furthermore, federal regulations require the university to have explicit procedures for addressing incidents in which there are allegations of misconduct in research.”

The policy goes on to note that “misconduct means:

·         fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other serious deviation from accepted practices in proposing, carrying out, or reporting results from research;

·         material failure to comply with Federal requirements for the protection of researchers, human subjects, or the public or for ensuring the welfare of laboratory animals; or

·         failure to meet other material legal requirements governing research.”

“To be deemed misconduct for the purposes of this policy, a ‘material failure to comply with Federal requirements’ or a ‘failure to meet other material legal requirements’ must be intentional or grossly negligent.”

To become familiar with the expectations around the responsible conduct of research, please review the guidelines for Research Ethics published by the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance.

This policy applies, in all respects, to this course.