Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

Objectives

• To familiarise the student with the theoretical foundations of security, in the form of (a selection of) models for security, e.g., access control models, secure information flow, calculi of (secure) computation.
• To enable a deeper understanding of the theoretical (mathematical and computer science) foundations underlying state-of-the-art security tools and techniques.

Learning objectives

Knowledge

• To know and be able to explain key points of a selection of access control models, e.g., Bell/LaPadula, Biba, Decentralised Label Model, as well as for a selection of other models of security, e.g., secure information flow or approaches based on calculi of computation.
• To know and be able to explain key theoretical results concerning the models, e.g., undecidability results.

Skills

• To be able to use one or more of the studied theories/models to perform security analyses and evaluations of a small system.
• To be able to use the studied theories/models to formally prove security properties of (a model of a) system.
• To be able to understand a formal reasoning and argument for security, e.g., for compliance with high-assurance standards.

Competences

• To be able to identify and research both classical and novel theories and models for security.
• To be able to use a model of security to model security relevant aspects of a system and identify and formally prove relevant security properties of the system (through the model).

Type of instruction

Types of instruction are listed at the start of §17; Structure and contents of the programme.

Exam

Exams