Computer Networks and Security

PROGRAM CORE

Credit Hours : 3

Pre-requisite: Foundation of Programming

Synopsis

This course will discuss the topics of computer network and security which includes OSI model and its layers, security protocols, security attributes and cryptography. Based on TCP/IP Internet protocol stack, the course starts with the importance and usage of computer networks in common applications, the approach will go into further detail in the technical aspect in data communication. For the network system aspects, students are exposed to the principles of data communications, architecture and types of network such as LAN, WAN, Internet: network topology and network protocols. For security, it will be focused on fundamental of network security, information assurance and security and social implications of computing in a networked world. At the end of this course, students will have an understanding and appreciation of how the applications of computer network and security works in particular, and cyberspace security in general.

Course Content

1. Introduction

Uses of Computer Networks
Types of Computer Networks
Network Technology, from Local to Global
Examples of Networks
Network Protocols
Reference Models
Standardization
Policy, Legal, and Social Issues
Metric Units

2. The Physical Layer

Guided Transmission Media
Wireless Transmission
Using the Spectrum for Transmission
From Waveforms to Bits
The Public Switched Telephone Network
Cellular Networks
Cable Networks
Communication Satellites
Comparing Different Access Networks
Policy at the Physical Layer

3. The Data Link Layer

Data Link Layer Design Issues
Error Detection and Correction
Elementary Data Link Protocols
Improving Efficiency
Data Link Protocols in Practice

4. The Medium Access Control Sublayer

The Channel Allocation Problem
Multiple Access Protocols
Ethernet
Wireless LANs
Bluetooth
DOCSIS
Data Link Layer Switching

5. The Network Layer

Network Layer Design Issues
Routing Algorithms in a Single Network
Traffic Management at the Network Layer
Quality of Service and Application QoE

Internetworking

Software Defined Networking
The Network Layer in the Internet
Policy at the Network layer

6. The Transport Layer

The Transport Service
Elements of Transport Protocols
Congestion Control
The Internet Transport Protocols: UDP
The Internet Transport Protocols: TCP, QUIC, BBR
Performance Monitoring
Delay-Tolerant Networking

7. The Application Layer

DNS — The Domain Name System
Electronic Mail
The World Wide Web
HTTP/2
Streaming Audio and Video
Content Delivery Networks and Distributed Cloud Services

8. Security

Fundamentals of Network Security
Defensive Programming
The Core Ingredients of an Attack
Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems
Cryptography
Symmetric-Key Algorithms
Public-Key Algorithms
Digital Signatures
Management of Public Keys
Authentication Protocols
Communication Security
Email Security
Web Security
Social Issues

References

1. Computer Networking, 8th Edition, James F. Kurose, Keith Ross, 2021 Pearson

2. Computer Networks, 6th edition, Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Nick Feamster, David J. Wetherall, 2020 Pearson

Prepared By

En Mohd Alif Hasmani Bin Abd Ghani

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