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DD2395 Computer Security 6.0 credits

Overview of computer/cybersecurity (6 ECTS). Taught together with DD2391 Cybersecurity overview, with overlapping content. The courses can thus not be combined, i.e., one cannot receive credits for both courses.

Information per course offering

Choose semester and course offering to see current information and more about the course, such as course syllabus, study period, and application information.

Termin

Information for Autumn 2025 dasak25 programme students

Course location

KTH Campus

Duration
25 Aug 2025 - 24 Oct 2025
Periods
P1 (6.0 hp)
Pace of study

50%

Application code

50301

Form of study

Normal Daytime

Language of instruction

English

Course memo
Course memo is not published
Number of places

Places are not limited

Target group

Open for all students from year 3 and for students in master's programmes except TCYSM, as long as it can be included in your programme.

Planned modular schedule
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Schedule
Schedule is not published

Contact

Examiner
No information inserted
Course coordinator
No information inserted
Teachers
No information inserted
Contact

Musard Balliu (musard@kth.se)

Course syllabus as PDF

Please note: all information from the Course syllabus is available on this page in an accessible format.

Course syllabus DD2395 (Autumn 2021–)
Headings with content from the Course syllabus DD2395 (Autumn 2021–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )

Content and learning outcomes

Course contents

  • introduction to computer security
  • introduction to cryptography
  • authentication, access control, security models
  • intrusion detection, firewalls
  • malware: virus/worms/troyans
  • web attacks
  • buffer overflow attacks
  • human factors, security audits, and social manipulation
  • selected current security related problems and technologies

Intended learning outcomes

After passing the course, the student shall be able to

  • identify threats against confidentiality, integrity and availability in a system
  • explain basic terminology and concepts in computer security and use them
  • find and use documentation of security related problems and tools
  • analyse simple program code and system descriptions to identify vulnerabilities and predict their corresponding threats
  • select countermeasures against identified threats and argue for their suitability
  • compare countermeasures and evaluate their side effects,
  • present and explain their reasoning to others,

in order to

  • be able to develop software and computer systems with security in mind
  • if interested, be able to move on and specialise in computer and network security.

Literature and preparations

Specific prerequisites

Completed courses in programming equivalent to DD1310/DD1311/DD1312/DD1314/DD1315/DD1316/DD1318/DD1331/DD1337/DD100N/ID1018 and computer science equivalent to DD1338/DD1320/DD1321/DD1325/DD1327/ID1020.

Active participation in a course offering where the final examination is not yet reported in LADOK is considered equivalent to completion of the course.

Being registered for a course counts as active participation.

The term 'final examination' encompasses both the regular examination and the first re-examination.

Recommended prerequisites

Internet protocols and principles, basics of command-line interface and operating systems, and general programming skills are prerequisites. Web programming (html, javascript, sql) knowledge is needed for lab exercises.

Equipment

No information inserted

Literature

No information inserted

Examination and completion

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

Grading scale

A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Examination

  • LAB1 - Laboratory Work, 3.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
  • TEN1 - Examination, 3.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination

No information inserted

Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination

It is not possible to raise an approved grade.

Examiner

Ethical approach

  • All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
  • In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
  • In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Further information

Course room in Canvas

Registered students find further information about the implementation of the course in the course room in Canvas. A link to the course room can be found under the tab Studies in the Personal menu at the start of the course.

Offered by

Main field of study

Computer Science and Engineering

Education cycle

Second cycle

Add-on studies

DD2520 Applied Cryptography, DD2448 Foundations of Cryptography, DD2460 Software Safety and Security, EP2500 and EP2520 Networked Systems Security

Contact

Musard Balliu (musard@kth.se)

Supplementary information

In this course, the EECS code of honor applies, see:

http://www.kth.se/en/eecs/utbildning/hederskodex