This graduate course covers foundational work and current topics in computer network measurement and security. The course consists of reading and discussing published research papers, presenting recent security work, and completing an original research project.
Discussion: M/W 2:00–4:00 PM. Room TBD.
⚠️ This course is based on in-person discussion of research.
On time, in-person attendance and participation is required.
Instructor: Liz Izhikevich. Office Hours: By appointment.
Prerequisites: This course is open to all graduate students as well as advanced undergraduate students. While the course has no official prerequisites, it requires a mature understanding of software systems and networks. It is required that all students who have not taken a computer networking course to watch all lecture videos from Stanford's Introduction to Networking Course (approximately 4.5 hours of content), before the first lecture.
Communication: We use Ed Discussion for announcements and discussion.
Submissions: All course assignments are to be submitted through Gradescope. Enrollment code: EVZN2Y.
The tentative schedule and required readings for the class are below:
This course is composed of three parts: reading and discussing foundational papers in every class, reading and presenting recent work for one class, and completing a group research project. Grading will be based on:
📚 Readings and Discussion (30%)
We will read and discuss 1–2 papers for each class, typically formative works in an area of networking and security. Students must come prepared to actively discuss assigned papers and make substantive intellectual contributions. This means thoroughly reading each paper ahead of time. Before each session, students will submit a short (400-word) summary and reaction for each paper, along with a proposed discussion question.
📨 Students should submit the reading assignments through Gradescope by 1:00 PM on the day of each class.
Grading is based on 15% for written responses and 15% for in-class participation. No late submissions are allowed for paper reactions, but students may skip two paper summaries and two lectures without penalty. Attendance will be taken, but participation grades are based on both attendance and active engagement during discussions.
📣 Do not underestimate the time required to properly read and process a research paper. Expect to spend several hours preparing for each session.
🧑🏫 Topic Presentation (15%)
To explore how subfields have evolved, each student will present one recent paper relevant to the day's topic. Students will sign up for their preferred topic/date at the start of the quarter.
Students should select a paper published in the last three years from a top-tier venue in security (e.g., IEEE Security and Privacy, USENIX Security, ACM CCS), networking (NSDI, SIGCOMM, SIGMETRICS, IMC) or adjacent fields (e.g., CHI, ASPLOS, PLDI). Avoid low-tier venues, as such papers will not be accepted for presentation.
⚠️ Presentations must be 12–15 minutes long, with 5 minutes for questions. Presentations exceeding 15 minutes will be cut off, impacting grades. Be prepared to answer questions about the paper.
⚠️ Students must submit their selected paper for approval at least three days before their presentation.
🔬 Course Project (55%)
Students will complete a quarter-long original research project in groups of 1–3 students. Projects will culminate in a presentation and a 6–10 page report, similar to the papers read during the course.
Projects have four graded components:
All written submissions must be in paragraph form, in English, and submitted as PDFs using LaTeX. Refer to Writing Technical Articles for guidance if you are new to academic research writing.
Submit all reports via Gradescope by 1:00 PM on the day of each deadline.
The class presentation counts as the final exam.
All submitted work must be original and directly written by the submitting student(s). Using generative AI tools for assignments or projects (e.g., generating text) is strictly prohibited.
Class structure and website layout design inspired by CS356 from Stanford University.