Securing Computer Systems

1.5 Credits · Level: Graduate

This course aims to be a non-technical discussion that explores the forces that have prevented the widespread use of secure computer systems. Traditional economic theories suggest that poor computer security should be a self-correcting problem, with various actors in a free market vying to introduce new products that are progressively safer, cheaper, and easier to use. Certainly products have become more capable while simultaneously becoming less expensive, but every day we learn of devastating new attacks and compromises on computer systems. We know how to write secure code – when was the last time you heard of an airplane falling out of the sky because of a computer hack – and we know how to create secure computer systems. Why aren’t secure systems more widely available, and when they are available, why aren’t they used? The course will examine the forces that tip the scales away from safety to convenience, and explore what can be done to address the problem.