University of Virginia, Department of Computer Science
CS551: Security and Privacy on the Internet, Fall 2000

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Project Ideas

This page lists a few ideas for course projects. You are not limited to projects on this list; any topic that is relevant to this course may be proposed.

Design

Password Reminders
Many web sites provide a means to retrieve a lost password by email. Analyze the security of this approach and explain possible attacks. Propose and implement an alternative scheme.
Reputation Server
Services like eBay depend on tracking a history of individual behavior. Involvement in a number of good transactions enhances ones reputation, and the threat of bad feedback motivates people to behave well. Describe potential attacks on eBay's reputation. Design (and optionally implement) a more secure reputation service.
Static Security Analyzer
Design and build a tool that analyzes source code for a common security vulnerability.
Security User Interface
How can reference monitors present security violations to users in a way they understand? (And not pop-up so many false alarms that users learn to reflexively ignore warnings?)
Word Macro Filter
Protect users from Melissa/ILoveYou type viruses.
Mail Privacy Filter
Anonymous Surveys
Devise and implement a system for conducting anonymous surveys on the Internet.
Protecting Copyrights
Secure Chat Room
Secure Internet Gambling
Analyze the trust issues for a gambling application. Design and implement a scheme for secure gambling on the Internet. Your scheme should be more secure than ASF Software's.
Intellectual Property Protection
Low-Tech Cipher
Design and analyze a cipher that can be encrypted and decrypted using readily available devices. (For inspiration, see Bruce Schneier's Solitaire encryption algorithm.)

Assessment

Conduct a security assessment of an existing or proposed system. Your analysis should include a description of vulnerabilities and potential attacks.

Some interesting choices include:

Survey

Conduct a research survey in an interesting area, such as:

Other Courses

You may also find some ideas for projects from other security course:


CS 655 University of Virginia
Department of Computer Science
CS 551: Security and Privacy on the Internet
David Evans
evans@virginia.edu