CMSC-491/691 Cybersecurity Research (INSuRE), Fall 2024
In fall 2024, UMBC will offer the cybersecurity research course CMSC-491/691 Special Topics in Computer Science: Cybersecurity Research (INSuRE). Professor Alan Sherman will teach it Tues/Thurs 10am-11:15am in ILSB 237, plus some remote sessions Friday 1:30-3:30pm as needed for the common sessions across all universities offering INSuRE. Working in a small group of at least two students, each student will carry out a research project, under the guidance of a project mentor from NSA or a national lab.
Each semester, approximately one dozen universities across the US participate in INSuRE. By INSuRE central policy, enrollment will be limited to at most 20 students per university. UMBC offers INSuRE once every two years. The next edition will be in fall 2026.
Each group carries out a standard or custom project. Mentors suggest standard projects, which embody a significant degree of flexibility to permit considerable customization. Any group that wishes to pursue a custom project must submit to me, and have approved, a written proposal by August 1, 2024, prior to the beginning of the course. Each group must have at least two members, and at most five members (three is ideal). Collaborative research is an essential aspect of INSuRE; any student wishing to carry out solo research (group size one) is invited to register for independent study.
Each student must be able to carry out an original research project in cybersecurity. That does not necessarily mean that extensive background in cybersecurity is necessary or sufficient. Each student needs to be motivated and be able to learn what is needed. Each student requires some expertise in some relevant area. There will be a wide variety of suggested standard projects. It is helpful to have a basic CS background (e.g., 411, 421, and 441) and some cybersecurity experience (e.g., 426). But there are no absolute specific prerequisites, except willingness and ability to carry out original research in cybersecurity. It is not necessary that the student has taken all specified courses.
Even though NSA provides mentors, INSuRE is an unclassified course open to all students, including F1 students who are neither US citizens nor permanent residents.
There will be an opportunity for INSuRE groups to apply for possible research support for summer 2025, to continue work on their project. In summer 2023, one of the UMBC groups (on protocol analysis including PhD student Enis Golaszewski) was one of the four or five projects in the nation funded by NSA under INSuRE+C.
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Posted: April 1, 2024, 6:03 PM