CS526 Network Security and Cryptography

This course explores the principles, protocols, and practices of securing modern computer networks through cryptographic techniques and system-level defenses. Students will study the foundational concepts of network security, including common threats, attacks, and vulnerabilities, and learn to apply cryptographic methods to mitigate these risks. Topics covered include encryption (AES, RSA, ECC), hash functions and message authentication codes (SHA, HMAC), PKI and digital certificates, secure communication protocols (SSL/TLS, HTTPS, IPsec, SSH), authentication protocols, access control, intrusion detection, and intrusion prevention systems (IDS, IPS).