index.md

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---

{% set help_forum = siteinfo.help_forum %}
{% set forum_url  = siteinfo.forum_url %}
{% set help3007   = help_forum | extLink(forum_url) | safe %}
{% set outline_url  = siteinfo.unit_outline_url %}

## Welcome to {{ siteinfo.unitcode }}   {{ siteinfo.unitname }}

Welcome to the website for {{ siteinfo.unitcode }}
in **{{ siteinfo.year }}**{ class="hi-pri" }. Unit material (lecture
slides, lab worksheets, and assessment details)
for this unit will be **published on these pages, and not on
the LMS**{ class="hi-pri" }; but refer to the {{ siteinfo.lms }}
for recorded lectures and the unit outline.

**Do not** rely on the [Unit Outline]({{outline_url}}) for exact
assessment due dates: dates for assessments are listed on this site on the
unit [**Schedule**](/schedule){ class="hi-pri" }
(as well as on the [**Assessments page**](/assessment){ class="hi-pri" }),
and any changes will be published here, as well as being announced
on the unit [**discussion forum**]({{forum_url}}){ target="_blank" }.

{#

_x

#}

## On this page:

- [Unit overview](#unit-overview)
- [Unit coordinator](#unit-coordinator)
- [Weekly activities](#weekly-activities)
- [Assumed knowledge](#assumed-knowledge)
- [Policies and expectations](#expectations)

## Quick links

::: { class="quicklinks-table-ctr" }

```{list-table}
- - - Want to know [**what we'll be doing**](#weekly-activities){ class="hi-pri" } and
      [**when**](/schedule){ class="hi-pri" }?
  - <i class="fa fa-arrow-circle-right"></i>
  - See below for quick details of the [**weekly
    activities**](#weekly-activities){ class="hi-pri" } for the unit,
    and see the [**Schedule**](/schedule){ class="hi-pri" } for a guide
    to what will be covered in what week. (There's also a link to the
    schedule at the top of every page.)
- - - Want to know [**if the lectures are recorded**](/faq#are-lecturers-recorded){ class="hi-pri" }?
  - <i class="fa fa-arrow-circle-right"></i>
  - See the list of [**Frequently Asked Questions**](/faq#are-lecturers-recorded){ class="hi-pri" }.
- - - Want to know [**what the assessments are**](/assessment){ class="hi-pri" }, and
      [**when they are due**](/assessment){class="hi-pri"}?
  - <i class="fa fa-arrow-circle-right"></i>
  - See the [**Assessments page**](/assessment){ class="hi-pri" }.
- - - Want to know [**what topics are examinable**](/faq#examinable-material){ class="hi-pri" }?
  - <i class="fa fa-arrow-circle-right"></i>
  - See the "[**Examinable topics**](/faq#examinable-material){ class="hi-pri" }"
    section of the [**Frequently Asked Questions page**](/faq){ class="hi-pri" }.
- - - Looking for [**lecture slides**](/resources/#lectures){ class="hi-pri" }
      or [**lab exercise sheets**](/resources/#labworkshops)?
  - <i class="fa fa-arrow-circle-right"></i>
  - You can find them on the [**Resources page**](/resources){ class="hi-pri" }.
    (There's also a link to it at the top of every page.)
- - - Want to [ask a question]{ class="hi-pri" } about the unit?
  - <i class="fa fa-arrow-circle-right"></i>
  - Check the [**Frequently Asked Questions list**](/faq), and if your question
    isn't answered there, make a post on the [**discussion forum**]({{forum_url}}){ target="_blank" }
    for the unit, [**{{help_forum}}**]({{forum_url}}){ class="hi-pri" target="_blank" } --
    that way, all students can benefit from answers to your questions. \
    (Or, if it's not a topic suitable for the forum, feel free to [email me](#unit-coordinator) instead.)
- - - Want to know what you should
      [already know](#assumed-knowledge){ class="hi-pri" }
      before taking this unit?
  - <i class="fa fa-arrow-circle-right"></i>
  - See the [**assumed knowledge**](#assumed-knowledge){ class="hi-pri" }
    for students taking this unit, below, and note that a
    prerequisite for this unit is the completion of 12 points of
    programming units.
```

:::

<!--
x**
-->


[help]: https://secure.csse.uwa.edu.au/run/help{{ siteinfo.citscode }}

------

## Unit overview


This unit covers computer security topics including:

- memory safety
- input validation and and inter-process communication
- race conditions and file operations
- cryptography best practices; and
- development best practices.


-------

## Unit Coordinator { #unit-coordinator }

[**{{ coordinator.name }}**][coordinator-dir]{ target="_blank" }

::: { class="inline-table-ctr" }

```{list-table}
- - **Office**
  - <address>{{ coordinator.room }}</address>
- - **Email**
  - <address>{% email_el_spannized coordinator.email %}</address>
- - **Availability**
  - I work half-time at UWA, and am normally only on campus on Tuesdays,
    Thursdays, and Wednesday afternoon.
- - **Consultation**
  - <!--!<address>!-->Email {% email_el_spannized coordinator.email %} for an appointment,
    or visit my office between 4--5pm Wednesday. Students are also
    welcome to speak to me after the lectures. At busy times of semester,
    I may need one or two business days' notice to schedule an appointment.
    <!--!</address>!-->
```

{#
    **Changes due to Covid restrictions, March 2022**: While we're under restrictions due to Covid and most
    students are off campus, I suggest emailing me anytime up until
    Wednesday morning to make an appointment for an online meeting between 4
    and 5pm Wednesday afternoon.
    (Or, if between 4 and 5pm Wednesday doesn't suit, we can arrange some other
    time.)
#}


:::

[coordinator-dir]: {{ coordinator.directory }}


------

## Weekly activities

*(Note that there are no labs in week 1, beginning {{ siteinfo.semesterStartDate | dateWithDay }};
labs don't start until week 2)*{ class="hi-pri" }

**Lecture** { #lecture }

:   There is one two-hour lecture each week
    (starting in week ***one***{ class="hi-pri" }), at
    {{ siteinfo.lecture_time }} in {{ siteinfo.lecture_venue }}.

    I strongly recommend you attend lectures in person -- they
    provide the best forum for asking questions
    about the unit content and clarifying your understanding.
    Lectures are recorded, so if you cannot attend, you can also watch the recorded lecture
    ([accessible via](/faq/#accessing-lecture-recordings)
    the UWA Blackboard {{ siteinfo.lms }}).

    Lecture slides are published [here](/resources/#lectures) on this website.

**Labs**  { #labs }

:   You should attend one lab each week, starting in week
    ***two***{ class="hi-pri" }.\
    However, as long as there is room available for you, you are welcome to attend other
    sessions as well.

    One of the lab facilitators will be available
    to assist you with the lab material and answer questions.
    (See ["Who'll be helping in labs?"](#facilitators).)

    Please make use of the lab facilitators! One of the best ways to
    gauge how well you understand a topic, or to find out if you are
    "on the right track" for a project, is to discuss them with the lab
    facilitators.

    **Laptop requirement**{ class="hi-pri" }: This unit requires software
    that isn't permitted to be installed on UWA servers, so you will
    need to use **your own laptop**{ class="hi-pri" } when attending
    labs, and have an [Ubuntu Linux C development environment][c-env]
    available on them. This will be discussed in more detail in the
    first lab.

    Windows, Mac OS or Linux laptops are all acceptable.
    Financial assistance is available from the University
    to students who are unable to purchase a laptop due to financial
    hardship -- see the [FAQ](/faq/#laptops) for more details.

    Lab worksheets are published [here](/resources/#labs) on this website.

**Moodle exercises** { #moodle-exercises }

:   Periodically, I'll post (unassessed) exercises on the school's
    {{ siteinfo.moodle }}{{blank}} server. You can complete these in your own time, and
    they will help you improve your understanding of secure coding concepts.
    (All assessments will be completed using the Moodle server, too.) More
    information about these will be available in the first lab.

[c-env]: /faq/#cits3007-sde

You can always get full details of lecture and lab times and venues by
visiting UWA's **[Timetable site][cits3007-timetable]{ target="_blank" }**{ class="hi-pri" }.
(If the information for {{ siteinfo.unitcode }} is not visible, then enter "{{ siteinfo.unitcode }}" in the
box labelled "Unit search", and then click "Show timetable".)

(Note, however, that in addition to all the labs that *are* running,
the Timetable site may also show some lab sessions which are not yet
running, due to insufficient demand -- check with the Unit Coordinator
if you want to be sure whether a session is running.)

[cits3007-timetable]: https://timetable.applications.uwa.edu.au/?selectunits={{ siteinfo.unitcode }}


### Lecture recordings

**The lectures are recorded**{ class="hi-pri" } --
see the list of [**Frequently Asked
Questions**](/faq#are-lecturers-recorded){ class="hi-pri" }.

But please note that recordings do
sometimes fail -- so if you *can* attend the lecture in-person
{# or online #}, it's recommended.

### Time required

Note that materials presented during class sessions
**<span>*do not*</span> define the whole unit**{ class="hi-pri" }.
A six-point unit is deemed to be equivalent to one quarter of a
full-time workload, so you would be expected to commit 10--12 hours
per week to the unit, averaged over the entire semester.
Outside of the contact hours (4 hours per week) for the unit, the
remainder of your time should be spent reading the recommended reading,
attempting exercises and working on assignment tasks.

### Preparing for lectures

The [**schedule**](/schedule){ class="hi-pri" }
contains the list of **recommended readings**{ class="hi-pri" } for each
topic. To gain maximum benefit from the lectures, I
recommend you review these *before* attending class.


### Who'll be helping in labs { #facilitators }

Our facilitators for labs are:

- Carl Alvares
- Nicodemus Ong
- Santiago Rentería


{% set facilitators = ['carl', 'nicodemus', 'santiago'] %}

<div style="display: flex; justify-content: space-evenly;">
{% for facilitator in facilitators %}
<figure>
<img src="{{ '/images/' + facilitator + '.jpg' | url }}" alt="{{facilitator}}" width=120px height=120px style="border-radius: 30%;">
<figcaption style="text-align: center;" >{{ facilitator | initialCap }}</figcaption>
</figure>
{% endfor %}
</div>

-----

## Assumed knowledge { #assumed-knowledge }

{#
ugh - multi-para list elements give gross inserted <p>
els with bad indents. TODO: fix this.

In the mean time, we use span.br instead of para breaks.
#}

**Prerequisites**

:   Completion of 12 points of programming-based units is a prerequisite
    for enrolling in CITS3007 -- it's assumed that you are
    familiar with programming in at least one of Python, C or Java from these
    prerequisites. Please let the Unit Coordinator
    know as soon as possible if this is not the case.

**Advisable prior knowledge**

:   <div class="loose-list spacey" >

    - This unit assumes a working knowledge of C programming, and programming
      assignments will
      use the C11 standard.<span class="br"></span>
      It's therefore
      advisable (although not required) to complete
      [CITS2002 Systems Programming][cits2002] –
      which introduces the C programming language –
      before enrolling in CITS3007.<span class="br"></span>
      On average, students who had completed CITS2002 before
      attempting CITS3007 did better last year than students who had not --
      see [**"Do I need to have completed CITS2002 before enrolling in CITS3007?"**](/faq#advisable-study){ class="hi-pri" }
      on the FAQ page.
    - Aspects of C programming will be reviewed
      in CITS3007, but at a brisk pace (1 review lecture).
      See [C programming resources](/resources/#c-programming){ class="hi-pri" } on the
      Resources page for more details.
    - The unit assumes you
      can navigate a Unix-like system using the command line, and are familiar
      with the basics of operating system implementation.
      See [the Linux command line](/resources/#the-linux-command-line){ class="hi-pri" }
      and [operating systems](/resources/#operating-systems){ class="hi-pri" } on the
      Resources page for more details.
    </div>

[cits2002]: https://teaching.csse.uwa.edu.au/units/CITS2002/


-----


{#

## Feedback survey

We want to ensure everyone enrolled in the unit is able to access
lectures, lab/workshops, and a suitable Java development environment in which to
complete exercises and assignments. We also want to find out what you're
finding useful (or not) about the unit.

So there is a survey for CITS2003/CITS4407 students available on the MS
Teams page for the unit -- you can also reach it by clicking
[**here**][survey-link]{ target="_blank" class="hi-pri" }. If you can
assist us by completing the survey before the end of **week 4**{:
class="hi-pri" :} (i.e., 5 pm Friday, 19 March) that would be greatly
appreciated.

[survey-link]: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/entity/81fef3a6-72aa-4648-a763-de824aeafb7d/_djb2_msteams_prefix_225387803?context=%7B%22subEntityId%22%3Anull%2C%22channelId%22%3A%2219%3A9a6540f366aa438c8fe185aadb8cb33a%40thread.tacv2%22%7D&groupId=8c2d8b6e-4af0-457b-8094-32e95c4d6107&tenantId=05894af0-cb28-46d8-8716-74cdb46e2226

#}

## Expectations


It is expected that you will act professionally at all times, both face to face and
via electronic media.
Please see the [UWA Code of Conduct][code-of-conduct], which is founded on
the [UWA Code of Ethics][code-of-ethics].

It is also expected that you act ethically in your studies.
You will have completed the [Academic Conduct Essentials][acad-essentials]
unit, which explains what is appropriate and inappropriate academic
conduct.

[code-of-conduct]: https://www.hr.uwa.edu.au/policies/policies/conduct/code/conduct
[code-of-ethics]: https://www.hr.uwa.edu.au/policies/policies/conduct/code/ethics
[acad-essentials]: https://www.uwa.edu.au/library/find-resources/ace

It is expected that you regularly (at least twice a week) check
the [**discussion forum**]({{forum_url}}){ target="_blank" }
for the unit
([**{{help_forum}}**]({{forum_url}}){ class="hi-pri" target="_blank" })
for announcements. {#
  x**
#}
(You can also [set up an email subscription][subscription] to the discussion forum
as follows -- see the [FAQ page][subscription] for details.)

[subscription]: /faq/#forum-subscriptions

It is expected that you keep [reliable backups][backups] of your work,
as computer and/or IT failures are [not grounds][no-it-failures] for special
consideration.

[backups]: /faq/#backups
[no-it-failures]: https://www.uwa.edu.au/students/My-course/Exams-assessments-and-results/Special-consideration#:~:text=computer%20and%2For%20IT%20failure


## Policies

Before undertaking this unit,
students are strongly encouraged to read the university policies that apply
to this unit:

- UWA's [Policy on Assessment][assessment-policy]{ target="_blank" }
- UWA's [charter of student rights and responsibilities][charter]{ target="_blank" }
- UWA's [Policy on Academic Integrity][academic-conduct]{ target="_blank" }


[charter]: https://www.uwa.edu.au/policy/-/media/Project/UWA/UWA/Policy-Library/Policy/Student-Administration/Student-Right-and-Responsibilities/Student-Rights-and-Responsibilities.doc
[assessment-policy]: https://www.uwa.edu.au/policy/home#f04e905d-06fd-4c3b-944e-c8cc1c5bd829=null&policy-search_q=assessment&policy-search_e=0
[academic-conduct]: https://www.uwa.edu.au/policy#faq-c3b2aea7-22c7-4991-81b5-4bf2698aa83e


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  vim: tw=72
-->