MIT's 6.566 graduate course delivers cutting-edge systems security training with new labs on browser vulnerabilities, supply chain attacks, and hardware trust models.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has launched its Spring 2024 graduate course (6.566) on systems security, featuring significantly updated content reflecting contemporary threats. The curriculum spans isolation techniques, privilege separation, vulnerability mitigation, and human-centered security, with five hands-on labs tackling real-world challenges like buffer overflows and WebAuthn authentication.
Key innovations this semester include coverage of the 2024 xz backdoor incident during Russ Cox's guest lecture on supply chain security, plus new labs exploring browser security and hardware-assisted protections. Students will analyze modern attack vectors through readings like Google's 2023 infrastructure security papers and transient execution research.
The course structure emphasizes practical application: Lab 4 requires dissecting browser security models while Lab 5 implements ACME protocols. Verification techniques receive expanded coverage with HACL* cryptographic verification, and differential privacy modules now include PINQ case studies. Final projects culminate with security economics analysis using click-traffic datasets.
With cyber threats evolving rapidly, this iteration adds defensive strategies against emerging risks like CPU side-channels and anonymous communication compromises. Course materials remain dynamically updated throughout the semester, with solutions to past attacks providing historical context for new defenses. Enrollment details are available via MIT's course catalog or direct inquiry to [email protected].
Comments
Please log in or register to join the discussion