18-732 Secure Software Systems
12 units, Carnegie Mellon University
Poor software design and engineering are the root causes of most security vulnerabilities in deployed systems today. Moreover, with code mobility now commonplace--particularly in the context of web technologies and digital rights management--system designers are increasingly faced with protecting hosts from foreign software and protecting software from foreign hosts running it. This class takes a close look at software as a mechanism for attack, as a tool for protecting resources, and as a resource to be defended. Topics covered include the software design process; choices of programming languages, operating systems, databases and distributed object platforms for building secure systems; common software vulnerabilities, such as buffer overflows and race conditions; auditing software; proving properties of software; software and data watermarking; code obfuscation; tamper resistant software; and the benefits of open and closed source development. Students in 18-335 will share lectures and homeworks with students in 18-732. However, 18-732 has additional requirements not shared by 18-335, including the requirement to produce scribe notes and to practice and demonstrate the ability to read and summarize scientific papers on the topics covered by the course. Senior or graduate standing required.
Prerequisites: (18-330 (min C) or 15-330 (min C) or 18-631 (min C) or 14-741 (min C) or 18-730 (min C)) and (18-213 (min C) or 15-213 (min C) or 18-613 (min C) or 15-513 (min C) or 14-513 (min C))
Offered: Spring 2027, Spring 2026
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