IS432 Computer Viruses and Other Malicious Code
Summer 2008
Instructor:Dina Gorin Glazer
Office:ITE Room 410
Phone:410-455-3275
E-mail:
Class site: and
Office hours: by appointment
Course Objective:Through a review of the current literature, a survey of state-of-the-art software tools and an examination of actual microcomputer- based viruses, the course is intended to prepare students for the eventuality of having to protect their machines and data against the increasingly common threat of viruses.
Course Requirements: Students are responsible for all assigned readings and for all material and information presented during the class.Information about the class will be posted on the course Blackboard site/course website. Check the site often! Attendance in all sessions is mandatory. The student is responsible for obtaining material, which may have been distributed on class days when he/she was absent. Make-up tests will only be given in cases of emergency and your excuse must be documented.
Grading: There will be three quizzes covering the material presented in class and assigned readings. The last exam is cumulative.
Quiz 2 / 15%
Quiz 3 / 15%
Quiz 4 / 15%
Exam / 40%
Grades for the exams and assignments, as well as final grades will be posted on the class Blackboard site (blackboard.umbc.edu).
IS instructors are expected to have evaluative instruments that result in a reasonable distribution of letter grades and comply with IS Grading Policy. With respect to final letter grades, the University's Undergraduate Catalogue states that:
"A, indicates superior achievement
B, good performance
C, adequate performance
D, minimal performance
F, failure"
There is specifically no mention of any numerical scores associated with these letter grades. Consequently, there are no pre-defined numerical demarcations that determine final letter grades; these can be defined only at the end of the semester after all numerical grades have been earned. At that point, numerical demarcations for final letter grades can be defined such that final letter grades in this course conform to the University¹s officially published definitions of the respective letter grades. In accordance with the published University grading policy, it is important to understand that final letter grades reflect academic achievement and not effort. While mistakes in the arithmetic computation of grades and grade recording errors will always be corrected, it is important to understand that in all other situations, final letter grades are not negotiable and challenges to final letter grades are not entertained. In order to PASS the class, you must get a grade equivalent of "C" or better.
Academic Dishonesty: Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on exam; failure in course; and/or expulsion from the University. For more information refer to the "Academic Dishonesty" policy in the University Undergraduate Catalog.
Course Schedule (subject to change)
Click on each day or topic to get to Notes for the class.
Date / Topic5/27 / Introduction to Malicious Code (Malware)
5/29 / Computer Viruses
6/3 / Quiz 1; Viruses, cont'd
6/5 / Macro Viruses
6/10 / Quiz 2;Worms
6/12 / Worms, cont’d
6/17 / Quiz 3;Malicious Mobile Code
6/19 / Malicious Mobile Code
6/24 / Quiz 4;Trojan Horses/Backdoors;
6/26 / Trojan Horses/Backdoors; Review
7/1 / Exam