Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Computer Engineering

New technologies have increasingly enabled corporations and governments to collect, analyze, and share huge amount of data related to individuals. Today, the challenge is enabling the legitimate use of the collected data without violating privacy and security. In this course, we are going to analyze the fundamental models of ensuring data privacy and security, and explore potential theoretical models, algorithms, and technologies that can enhance data privacy and security in different contexts, such as market basket, search engine, location-based services, social network, cloud computing, cryptocurrencies, and smart grid. We will also design and implement different techniques (e.g., cryptographic protocols, secure computation, and data sanitization) as well as examine their performance in terms of three critical properties (privacy/security, utility, and efficiency).

The primary distinguishing features of 5th Generation (5G) wireless network are its operations in the mm wave region for effectively handling Machine Type Communication (MTC) for supporting secure and tactile Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud based virtualization and operations. This course covers the details of 5G Cloud based Radio Access Network (C-RAN) and the 5G Core along with how the cloud infrastructure creates a very powerful flexible, secure, and reliable network through virtualization and Network Slicing. Unique features of 5G New Radio (NR) including accessing and duplexing schemes, mm wave operation, and enhanced coverage are discussed. The capabilities of the 5G Core, which provides a very flexible usage of network resources, are discussed. Projects will entail application to a selected set of use cases in the domains of smart city, smart transportation, and e-Health among others.

This course gives students a clear understanding of computer and cybersecurity as threats and defense mechanisms backed by mathematical and algorithmic guarantees. Key topics covered include introductory number theory and complexity theory, cryptography and applications, system security, digital forensics, software and hardware security, and side-channel attacks. Course projects will provide hand-on experiences on languages, libraries, and tools supporting state-of-the art cryptography applications.

This course studies computer network security by covering topics such as fundamental cryptographic algorithms; protocol design and analysis for secure communications over the internet; efficient key management infrastructure; strong password protection; attack and security models; and practical security protocols in application layer, transport layer, network layer, and link layer. Students registering for ECE 543 are required to complete additional projects in advanced areas.

This course introduces students to cloud native systems that build on top of the cloud computing architecture to provide scalable services in dynamic environments. Key topics covered include virtualization and containerization, distributed database systems, communication mechanisms, batch and stream processing, resource management, consensus, security, and system design techniques for scalability, resilience, manageability, and observability. Course projects will provide hand-on experiences on state-of-the-art languages, libraries, and tools. Students registering for graduate course section are required to complete additional project sections in advanced areas and review research papers in this field.

This course provides students with the understanding of the fundamental concepts of computer architecture, organization, and design. It focuses on the relationship between hardware and software and its influence on the instruction set and the underlying central processing unit (CPU). The structural design of the CPU in terms of datapath and control unit is introduced. The techniques of pipelining and hazard management are studied. Advanced topics include instruction level parallelism, memory hierarchy and cache operations, virtual memory, parallel processing, multiprocessors, and hardware security. The end-to-end design of a typical computer system in terms of the major entities, including CPU, cache, memory, disk, I/O, and bus with respect to cost/performance trade-offs, is also covered. Differentiation between ECE 485 and ECE 585 is provided via use of projects/case studies at differing levels.

This course gives students a clear understanding of the fundamental concepts of object-oriented design/programming (OOD/OOP). Languages addressed include C++ and Python. Key topics covered include introduction to machine and deep learning, software development life cycle, core language and standard library of C++ and Python, class design and design patterns, OpenMP, and CUDA platforms. Students will design a complex learning application using these concepts and Agile software engineering practices. Students are required to complete an open- ended project in one of the advanced areas, for example numerical optimization, tool integration, heterogeneous acceleration.

LAW 252 Privacy Law
Privacy may be one of the most pervasively discussed issues in this decade as a result of the increased concerns for security in travel, the openness of the internet, the consolidation of information in massive databases both by corporations and by governments, high incidence of identity theft, and the development of more and more highly sophisticated “listening and viewing” devices. This class examines privacy as protected by statute B through a patchwork of privacy acts B and the concomitant freedom of information requirements of a democratic government, as developed through tort doctrine in the courts, and as articulated through the Constitution of the United States and those of the various states. All aspects of privacy are considered, including wiretapping, government-required personal and business information, personal, family, and reproductive autonomy, the “right to be let alone,” and the right of publicity.

OR

LAW 478 Computer and Network Privacy
More and more, both practice and the job market require lawyers who understand the interface between law and technology. This course provides a unique opportunity to understand that interface. No technical knowledge is required. Everything is explained in plain English. The course addresses the issue of privacy in an age of surveillance. How much privacy should we demand? Why does privacy matter? How is privacy to be defined? The course addresses security issues because in the internet age there is no privacy without security and security failures may yet lead to the end of the internet age. The course provides a unique opportunity to really understand the interface between law and technology.

This course includes in-depth examination of topics in the management of information technology security, including access control systems and methodology, business continuity and disaster recovery planning, legal issues in information system security, ethics, computer operations security, physical security and security architecture, and models using current standards and models.