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 2-3 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 adversarial phenomenon. For example, in the past, researchers have conducted measurement studies of spyware, botnets, worms, and web tracking.
• Human Factors. Analyze the usability or other human computer interaction issues of something related to computer security and privacy. Or improve the usability of a system, and then evaluate your improvement.

You are welcome to choose a course project related to your current research, or something entirely different. If you are stumped and need ideas, please reach out to the course instructor.

Project Timeline and Deadlines

There will be multiple project checkpoints and opportunities for feedback throughout the quarter.

1. October 16, 11:30pm: Project Groups Due.
   You may work in groups of 2-3 people. You may use the class discussion board to connect with potential group members. In rare cases it maybe possible to work a group of size 1; please contact me if you wish to explore this option. Please submit your project groups to me via email.
2. October 23, 11:30pm: 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.
3. Week of ~October 20/27: 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.
4. November 10, during class: Project Checkpoint Presentations.
   Each group will give a 5-10 minute presentation during class, presenting their project goals and progress to the class, receiving feedback, and providing feedback to other groups.
5. November 10, 11:30pm: 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.
6. November 12, 8am and during class: Peer Project Workshopping.
   We will spend this class period workshopping projects, e.g., pilot testing surveys or providing feedback on other material, between project groups. Before class (by 9:45am), please upload (as specified in instruction email) a paragraph describing what you would like feedback on, including any links or files needed. This component of the project cannot be late.
7. December 4, 11:30pm: 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.
8. December 16, 4:30-6:20pm (Official Final Exam time): Final Project Presentations
   All group members should participate in the presentation. Presentations should be 13 minutes long with a few minutes for questions.
9. December 18: 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.
   Separately, each group member should also submit a short (up to 1 page) summary of their contributions to the project.

Project Idea Starters

Other graduate security courses:
UCSD (2019, 2020)
UT Austin (2020)