CSci680 - Computer Architecture Security

CSCI 680: Computer Architecture Security, Fall 2021

General Information

Prerequisites

Students are expected to have a good understanding of computer organization basics, operating systems principals and programming.

Course Materials

Lecture slides will be posted on Blackboard. Links to research papers used in this course will be posted on course’s website.

Recommended books:

Other useful books:

Course Description

This course provides an overview of emerging security challenges in computer systems. Recent attacks such as Spectre, Meltdown, Rowhammer and others are discussed in this course. The goal of the course is to provide an in-depth perspective on why these attacks are made possible, what features of computer systems can introduce new attack vectors, how to protect against know attacks and how to design safe computer systems. A range of top-tier conference papers are discussed to understand the important research challenged in computer architecture security. Students are expected to participate in discussions and give an in-class presentation. Students will be evaluated via various assignments and a written examination.

Grade Distribution

General Information

Paper Critiques and Homeworks

Instructions for paper critiques:

All students are required to submit a detailed critique for paper presented in class. Student presenting a paper does not need to submit a critique. Critiques must be submitted before the beginning of class in which the paper is discussed.

Submission Format:

Each critique should not exceed one-page and must consist of four sections:

  1. Paper summary (2-3 lines)
  2. Strengths (2-3 lines), what you liked about the paper
  3. Weaknesses (2-3 lines), what you did not like
  4. Detailed comments (rest of the page) explaining your points

In-Class Presentations

Each student will present two papers throughout the semester. If you plan to audit the course, you are required to present at least one paper. When you present a paper, be prepared to answer a variety of questions asked by the instructor and fellow students. The goal is to make class lively. A list of papers will be provided to students. Students will be allowed to choose papers from the list or suggest other papers. Suggested papers need to be approved by the instructor.

Semester-Long Research Project

Registered students are expected to perform a semester-long research project. If you audit the class, the project is optional. All projects need to be approved by the instructor. Please contact the instructor early to brainstorm potential project ideas. Projects are expected to demonstrate novelty. A limited list of topics will be announced by the instructor. However, students are encouraged to choose a topic of their interest. The topic needs to overlap with a broader definition of computer architecture security. Remember, the key to successful project is making steady progress and starting early, not trying to finish your project the night before the deadline.

You can form teams of two students to work on the project. If you choose to do that, explain in your final report what part of the project was done by each student. Multiple students can work on same topic independently.

Project Timeline

Project determination:

Please send an email to the instructor before the deadline containing:

  1. Project Name (think of this as your paper/report title)
  2. Problem Statement
  3. Expected Steps (setting up infrastructure, implementation, performing experiment, data analyses, etc.)
  4. Expected/possible outcome and contribution

Final Project Presentation

You are expected to present your results in class at the end of semester. Focus on your results you achieved and conclusions.

Final report

Please submit your final report via email your final project report in PDF format. Please use the ACM sigconf format. The PDF should have following sections:

  1. Problem Statement
  2. Introduction (with problem statement)
  3. Threat model (clearly explain all your assumptions)
  4. Background and Related Work
  5. Implementation Details
  6. If you are proposing some security solution, include a security analyses section
  7. Results
  8. Conclusions

If you need any help with the project or have any questions, contact the instructor during office hours. If you require access to computational resources or any specific hardware, talk to the instructor.

Exams

Students will be asked to take a Final exam.

Semester Schedule

Tentative schedule. Please watch for updates!

Week Date Topic Reading
1 Thu, Sep 2, 21 Introduction to the Course  
2 Tue, Sep 7, 21 Security Model, Intro  
  Thu, Sep 9, 21 Security Model, Intro  
3 Tue, Sep 14, 21 Cryptography Intro I  
  Thu, Sep 16, 21 Cryptography Intro II  
4 Tue, Sep 21, 21 Cryptography Intro III  
  Thu, Sep 23, 21 Cryptography Intro IV  
5 Tue, Sep 28, 21 Timing Attacks and Side Channel Attacks I  
  Thu, Sep 30, 21 Timing Attacks and Side Channel Attacks II  
6 Tue, Oct 5, 21 Speculative Execution Attacks I  
  Thu, Oct 7, 21 Speculative Execution Attacks II  
7 Tue, Oct 12, 21 Speculative Execution Attacks III  
  Thu, Oct 14, 21 Attacks using other CPU components  
8 Tue, Oct 19, 21 Fall Break  
  Thu, Oct 21, 21 Performing computations using CPU microarchitecture  
9 Tue, Oct 26, 21 Protections againts microarchitectural attacks  
  Thu, Oct 28, 21 Isolated execution enviroments  
10 Tue, Nov 2, 21 Phisically unclonable functions  
  Thu, Nov 4, 21 Rowhammer and attacks on Memory I  
11 Tue, Nov 9, 21 Rowhammer and attacks on Memory II  
  Thu, Nov 11, 21 Fault Injection Attacks  
12 Tue, Nov 16, 21 Paper Presentation  
  Thu, Nov 18, 21 Paper Presentation  
13 Tue, Nov 23, 21 Paper Presentation  
  Thu, Nov 25, 21 Thanksgiving Break  
14 Tue, Nov 30, 21 Paper Presentation  
  Thu, Dec 2, 21 Paper Presentation  
15 Tue, Dec 7, 21 Paper Presentation  
  Thu, Dec 9, 21 Overview  
  Mon, Dec 13, 2021 Final Exam  

Helpful Services

Students wanting to improve their academic writing or teaching/presenting skills should consider taking GRAD 520: ACADEMIC WRITING and GRAD 550: COLLEGE TEACHING. The courses are offered through the Reves Center and are aimed at non-native English speakers, specifically. If interested please contact Glosson, Sarah G at sgglos@wm.edu.

The Writing Resources Center (WRC) can help when students have questions about how to construct an argument, deliver a presentation, use and cite sources, and more. Please visit the WRC website to request a class visit, tour, or brochures. The Writing Resources Center, located on the first floor of Swem Library, is a free service provided to W&M students. Trained consultants offer individual assistance with writing, presentation, and other communication assignments across disciplines and at any stage, from generating ideas to polishing a final product.

Academic Accommodations

It is the policy of The College of William and Mary to accommodate students with disabilities and qualifying diagnosed conditions in accordance with federal and state laws. Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a learning, psychiatric, physical, or chronic health diagnosis should contact Student Accessibility Services staff at 757-221-2512 or at sas@wm.edu to determine if accommodations are warranted and to obtain an official letter of accommodation. For more information, please click here.

Honor Code

Students are required to follow the Honor System of the College of William and Mary.