Topic outline

  • Latest info: The course can still be completed in May, but you should have started earlier. Advice and demo times for May can now be booked. Typically, you need two meetings per project: one for advice and feedback on your initial solution and the other for the final demo. The exam can be booked between 7 April and 27 May (link). 

    Network security is an advanced master-level course on network security technologies and secure system design. Students are expected to have previous knowledge of computer networks, information security, and basic knowledge of applied cryptography. At minimum, see lectures 5, 7, 8 in CS-C3130.

    In the academic year 2021-2022, the course will consist of lectures on campus, an examination (25%) based on the lectures, and three projects (3 x 25%) where the students apply the learned knowledge to design and implement security solutions. The projects can be done in pairs or individually. The examination will be in the EXAM studio. See the examination instructions.

    To contact the course staff, please use the course email alias cs-e4300 rather than the personal email addresses.

    The lectures cover background knowledge on network security protocols and standards. The purpose of the examination is to ensure that everyone watches the lectures and reads the lecture material. The projects are secure systems design tasks that typically require independent learning and more than one iteration to complete. The project can be done pairs or individually. A successful demo is required for each project. Typically, you first book one session for advice and feedback, and then another for the demo.

    Planned lecture topics

    • Network security threats and goals
    • Classic protocol flaws
    • TLS 1.3
    • Kerberos
    • IPsec and IKEv2
    • WPA2 and WPA3, EAP
    • Bluetooth security
    • Firewalls
    • VPN

    Sorry, no fixed timetable for the topics because the lecture material is now in many shorter segments. 

    Exercise topics

    1. NFC ticket design
    2. IPsec VPN: connecting IoT devices to cloud
    3. WireGuard VPN

    Course timeline

    1 Nov 2021

    More course information published
    Nov 2021Lectures on campus

    Nov-Dec 2021

    Projects 1,2,3. Advice and demo sessions 

    Jan - April 2022

    break or independent work

    May 2022 (schedule TBA)

    Alternative period for advice and demo sessions


    Lecture times:

    Mon        01.11.21 (week 44)        10:15 - 12:00        TU1
    Wed        03.11.21 (week 44)        10:15 - 12:00        AS1
    Mon        08.11.21 (week 45)        10:15 - 12:00        TU1
    Wed        10.11.21 (week 45)        10:15 - 12:00        AS1
    Mon        15.11.21 (week 46)        10:15 - 12:00        TU1
    Wed        17.11.21 (week 46)        10:15 - 12:00        AS1
    Mon        22.11.21 (week 47)        10:15 - 12:00        TU1 
    Wed        24.11.21 (week 47)        10:15 - 12:00        AS1
    Mon        29.11.21 (week 48)        10:15 - 12:00        TU1 

    Spring semester information

    It is possible to complete or start the course in the spring semester 2022 as self-study. All the information is here in MyCourses. The recorded live lectures are available, but please understand that the recordings are not professional quality. The exam can be booked between 7 April and 27 May (link). Limited project advice and demo times will be scheduled for May 2022 and announced here. It would be a good idea to start working on all remaining projects in April, get advice and feedback on each projects in early May, and present the final demos later in May. Note that you normally need two meetings per project, the first for advice and feedback and the second for the final demo. Unfortunately, the course staff are unable to provide support for the projects outside the scheduled sessions, which will be in May.

    To register for the course, please contact Learning Services at studentservices@aalto.fi. Refer them to the green text on this page.  To Learning Services: It is ok to register students to the course until 30 April 2022.