Research Projects

Overview

An independent project is a major component of this course. You are free to select any research project related to computer security, broadly defined. Projects will be conducted in groups of 2-4 people (please ask me about possible exceptions). The projects will be due in several stages, detailed below and on the course schedule.

Do not actually attack or potentially compromise anyone's security or privacy without first obtaining appropriate approval. (Check with the instructor if you're unsure.)

We suspect that most projects will fall into at least one of the following categories:

• Design/Build. Design, build, and evaluate a new system. You have a lot of flexibility here. Your system might improve the security of an existing system. Your system might address a problem that no one has thought of addressing before. Or your system might improve upon the usability of the security portions of a system.
• Analyze. Analyze the security of something, perhaps an important and widely-deployed (or soon to be deployed) system or a research proposal. If you choose this type of project, please try to look for new lessons that one might learn from your analysis. Please also consider how one might redesign or reimplement the system in order to improve its resistance to any attacks you might have uncovered. You might analyze a computing technology, or use computing technologies to analyze some security property in the physical world.
• Measure. Measure something. The goal should be to improve our understanding about some ecosystem or adversarial phenomenon. For example, in the past, researchers have conducted measurement studies of spyware, botnets, worms, and web tracking. Others have measured the adoption of HTTPS or HTTPS versions of web servers.
• Human Aspects. Evaluate the human element of something related to computer security and privacy. The human element could include usability, but may extend far beyond usabilty, e.g., how does the computer system impact the human values of stakeholders, including both direct stakeholders (like users) and indirect stakeholders?

Project Selection

You are welcome to choose a course project related to your current research, or something entirely different.

Project Timeline and Deadlines

There will be multiple project checkpoints and opportunities for feedback throughout the quarter. Unless otherwise specified, submit your documents via Gradescope.

1. 01/21/2026 at 11:59pm: Project Groups Due.
   You may work in groups of 2-3 people. Make sure that your project group's names are all included on all submitted items.
2. 01/21/2026 at 11:59pm: Project Proposals Due.
   Each group will submit a 1-2 page project proposal, including a problem definition, motivation, planned approach and evaluation, and a list of milestones and dates.
   Additionally, you should submit a short (less than 1) page document that explains a group agreement on how the project will be done collaboratively. This should include (at least):
   • How often and how you will meet.
   • What your policy on the use of genAI tools is.
   • How you will give feedback to each other/set expectations on progress.
3. Week of ~January 26: Meet with Instructor to Discuss Proposal.
   Each group will meet with me to discuss their project proposal. We will schedule these meetings (approximately 15 minutes each) in advance of this week. A scheduling document will be posted the week before.
4. 02/18/2026 during class: Project Checkpoint Presentations.
   Each group will give a 5 minute presentation during class, presenting their project goals and progress to the class, setting us up for receiving feedback and providing feedback to other groups.
5. 02/18/2026 at 11:59pm: Project Checkpoint Writeups Due.
   Each group should submit a short (2-3 page) progress report. The progress report should explicitly address the milestones established in your original proposal, discuss which milestones you have met, and propose a new set of milestones if it appears that your original milestones are no longer appropriate. In your progress reports, you should reflect on what you have accomplished and draw preliminary conclusions from your results. If you need additional time to workshop a survey, get additional feedback, etc. this is the time to do so! Let course staff know first.
   Separately, each group member should also submit a short (up to 1 page) summary of their contributions to the project thus far and their planned contributions for the remainder of the quarter.
6. 03/13/2026 at 11:59pm: Project Report Drafts Due.
   Each group should submit a draft of their written report. The formatting of the draft report should match that of a final report. (See below for what a final report should look like.) The draft may include placeholders for new results, but should have as complete as possible, including related work.
7. 03/16/2024 at TBD: Final Project Presentations
   All group members should participate in the presentation. Presentations should be TBD minutes long with a few minutes for questions. You will be asked to attend three presentations other than your own.
8. 03/18/2024 at 11:30pm: Final Project Reports Due
   Each group will submit a short (at most 12 page) written report. Please submit the report as a PDF file. Your report should be in single- or double-column format, single-spaced, with 12pt font and at least 1 inch margins. Your report look like and contain content similar to a paper submission (i.e., written for peer-review, not informally).
   Separately, each group member should also submit a short (up to 1 page) summary of their contributions to the project.