Fundamentals of Secure Computer Systems

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The topic of computer security involves the history and techniques of cryptography. The field of cryptography predates written history. Mathematicians working for Caesar, in his drive to conquer the known world, discovered techniques that are still in use today. Brett Tjaden successfully blends motivating examples with contemporary techniques to address the needs of senior-level undergraduate or graduate-level computer science courses on security.

The topics covered in the book are increasingly making front-page news. Viruses have shut down the worldwide networks of major global corporations, such as the Ford Motor Company, in the past decade. Controversy rages over the FBI’s Carnivore project. This project would filter email to identify potential threats to national security and to uncover criminal activity. The technical and conceptual issues that are the underpinnings of these unfolding events are covered.

Technology is moving forward at breakneck speed, yet the literature has failed to address the underlying principles, algorithms, and concepts that are central to the maintenance of secure, everyday computing. The computing field will welcome this book as a thorough and expansive survey. This book includes the details concerning algorithms and protocols. The threats to computers in networked environments or connected to the Internet are listed and analyzed. Daily concerns such as privacy and integrity attacks, traffic analysis, and denial of service are explored.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Classic Cryptography
3. Modern Cryptography: Symmetric-Key Cryptosystems
4. Modern Cryptography: Cryptographic Hash Systems
5. Modern Cryptography: Public-Key Cryptosystems and Digital Signatures
6. Other Security Building Blocks
7. Computer Security
8. Computer Security Threats
9. Network Security
10. Network Security Threats
11. Email and WWW Security
12. Email and WWW Threats
13. Intrusion Detection Systems
14. Electronic Commerce