The objective of this seminar is to expose students to a broad range of current research topics in the area of information and system security.  Example topics will range from fundamental building blocks like cryptography and platform security, through application areas like security issues in cloud computing or social networks to overarching aspects like security usability and economics of security.

The seminar will consist of two parts: in the first period, there will be some introductory lectures by the instructor followed by several guest lectures by experts from the industry.  Each student will be assigned a specific topic and will be given some initial pointers to research literature on that topic.  Students are expected to survey these and other papers on the topic and write a paper that summarizes and critically reviews existing work.  An excellent paper will identify gaps in current research and possibly also proposes new solutions or approaches.  In the second period, students will present their papers to the rest of the class.  Each student will also be required to write conference-style constructive reviews of two other papers assigned to them.

The seminar is intended primarily for students looking for a research topic (both MSc students looking for a thesis topic and PhD students who are in the process of choosing a research area).  Preference will be given to students who have already taken one or more undergraduate level courses in security.

Check the seminar wiki for detailed and current information about the seminar.