Program Overview

Human-Centered Security Program

The Human-Centered Security (HCS) lecture focuses on designing and developing secure, privacy-preserving systems that account for how users interact with technology. Technology alone cannot solve all security challenges. While it is possible to create technically robust security mechanisms, many security issues persist because systems often lack usability. This disconnect leads to users often (intentionally or unintentionally) bypassing or undermining security mechanisms. Therefore, human factors play a central role in IT security, and this course aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to address these issues.

Program Details

• Lecture and Exercise: 2 SWS Vorlesung, 2 SWS ‹bung
• ECTS credits: 6
• Language: English
• Module: Vertiefende Themen: WP 1, WP 7, WP 19, WP 26 (MA MI PStO 2022); WP 1, WP 4 (MA MCI PStO 2022); WP 13 (MA INF PStO 2022); WP 23, WP 27, WP 28 (BA MI PStO 2022)
• Capacity: max. 100

Course Overview

The lecture, alongside practical exercises, will provide students with a comprehensive overview of key challenges in the field of human-centered security. Students will examine various security mechanisms, mental models of users, and techniques for threat modelling. Topics such as authentication, password management, and Social Engineering will be explored in depth. The course also addresses emerging user-centred threats posed by new, pervasive technologies, such as Mixed Reality, and Smart Homes, which introduce unique security risks due to their novel interaction patterns.

Schedule

• Lecture: Tuesday, 14:00-16:00, Edmund-Rumpler-Str. 13, Room B117
• Exercise:
  • Tuesday, 16:00-18:00, Edmund-Rumpler-Str. 13, Room B117
  • Wednesday, 14:00-16:00, Edmund-Rumpler-Str. 13, Room B185

Exam

A examination covering the contents of the lecture and the exercise.

Teaching Staff

• Professor: Prof. Dr. Florian Alt
• Lecturer: Dr. Viktorija Paneva
• Exercise Leader: Oliver Hein