Can Computer Systems Keep Secrets?
Course Description
When we use our phones to send a message or visit a website, we often don’t think of the computer systems in place that protect our data. But attackers are constantly trying to break into computer systems. Once an attacker breaks into a system, they can cause potentially catastrophic damage by stealing data. What are some of the most common ways that attackers steal data? How can cryptography protect sensitive data? And what security challenges does AI introduce? In this class, we’ll explore how attackers compromise computer systems and how systems defend against attacks. The class will cover the core ideas behind secure systems that we use every day, ranging from secure network connections to end-to-end encrypted messaging to authentication. As part of the class, students will discuss new ideas at the forefront of computer security and participate in in-class activities.
Meet the Instructor: Emma Dauterman
"My research focuses on using cryptography to build systems that provide strong security and privacy properties. But when I was a Stanford frosh 12 years ago, I didn’t know what I wanted to study, much less that I wanted to work in computer security. My time at Stanford helped me realize how much I enjoyed computer science and that I wanted to pursue research in computer security. My research aims to answer questions such as: How can users search over the internet without sharing their search queries with the search engine? How can users browse the web without revealing their URL? And how can servers train a model over many users’ data, but without having access to individual users’ data?"
Of related interest
Is Privacy Dead? Privacy, Surveillance, and Freedom in the Digital Age
The Wireless World, and the Data You Leak
