Information Security, Privacy, and Policy

Course Number: 17331, 17631

As layers upon layers of technology mediate increasingly rich business processes and social interactions, issues of information security and privacy are growing more complex too. This course takes a multi-disciplinary perspective of information security and privacy, looking at technologies as well as business, legal, policy and usability issues. The objective is to prepare students to identify and address critical security and privacy issues involved in the design, development and deployment of information systems. Examples used to introduce concepts covered in the class range from enterprise systems to mobile and pervasive computing as well as social networking. Format: Lectures, short student presentations on topics selected together with the instructor, and guest presentations. Target Audience: Primarily intended for motivated undergraduate and masters students with CS background. Also open to PhD students interested in a more practical, multi-disciplinary understanding of information security and privacy.

Academic Year: 2025-2026
Semester(s): Fall
Required/Elective: Required
Units: 12
Prerequisite(s): Basic understanding of computer and network technologies, ability to program, basic understanding of computational theory, college-level mathematical sophistication expected from a freshman computer science undergrad.
Location(s): Pittsburgh

Format

Lecture

Textbook(s):

The course mixes technical discussions with a wealth of examples spanning enterprise and government systems, social networking, mobile and pervasive computing, cloud computing, Web 2.0 and much more. Course material combines formal lectures with the discussion of recent/hot topics and how they relate to material covered in the lectures. The main resources for this course are the slides and videos of the lectures. In addition, the course has two required textbooks:

Learning Objectives

Students will learn what it takes to design, develop, deploy and maintain information systems, services and software products that are secure and comply with expectations of privacy. They will develop an appreciation for the multifaceted challenges associated with this space and the complex trade-offs that are often entailed in addressing these challenges in practice.