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Advanced Research Topics in IT Security

Winter Semester 2026/2027

   
Title:
Advanced Research Topics in IT Security
German Title:
Fortgeschrittene Forschungsthemen der IT-Sicherheit
Type:
Lecture with semester project
Token / Number / Module number:
ARTIS / - / 75263
Semester hours / Credits:
4 SCH / 6 CP
Lecturer:
Prof. Dr. Frank Kargl, additional instructors from the institute, additional instructors from GUC
Tutor:
Lukas Pietzschmann, Nataša Trkulja-Surudžić, Jonas Weßner
General schedule:
Details on exact lecturing dates will be provided in the Moodle calendar. The lecture will run twice per week (Mondays and Thursdays), but only until approx. mid-December.
Lecture:
Mondays, 09.15 - 10.45, Room O27/341; Start: 13.10.2025 Thursdays, 09.15 - 10.45 , Room O27/341
Learning platform:
The course is conducted using the Moodle learning platform. Please register here.
Grade bonus:
Exam dates:
Oral exam on individual appointment.

Description and general information

Integration of module into courses of studies:
Informatik, M.Sc., FSPO 2021 Technische und Systemnahe Informatik, 
Informatik, M.Sc., FSPO 2021 IT-Sicherheit, 
Medieninformatik, M.Sc., FSPO 2021 Technische und Systemnahe Informatik, 
Medieninformatik, M.Sc., FSPO 2021 IT-Sicherheit, 
Software Engineering, M.Sc., FSPO 2021 Technische und Systemnahe Informatik, 
Software Engineering, M.Sc., FSPO 2021 IT-Sicherheit, 
Künstliche Intelligenz, M.Sc., FSPO 2021 Technische und Systemnahe Informatik, 
Informatik, M.Sc., FSPO 2022 Technische Informatik, 
Medieninformatik, M.Sc., FSPO 2022 Technische Informatik, 
Software Engineering, M.Sc., FSPO 2022 Technische Informatik
Modes of learning and teaching:
Advanced Research Topics in IT Security (Lecture) (2 SWS), 
Advanced Research Topics in IT-Security (Project) (2 SWS)
Module authority:
Prof. Dr. Frank Kargl
Lecturer:
Prof. Dr. Frank Kargl, additional instructors from the institute, additional instructors from GUC
Language:
english
Turn / Duration:
every winter term / 1
Requirements (contentual):
Solid foundation in IT security, e.g., by attending the lecture 'Security in IT-Systems' or similar.
Requirements (formal):
None
Basis for:
Projects and Master theses.
Learning objectives:
Students will learn about recent research work in the area of IT security presented at top conferences and in high-class journals. Besides deepening the knowledge in IT security, the course also aims to strengthen students' skills to work with and understand original research publications and to have informed discussions about it.

As this course is taught in collaboration with researchers from German University Cairo and students have to do a semester project in a team with students from Ulm and Cairo, the course is also strengthening the competency to work in international and online teams.
Content:
Each week we will select one or two new papers from recent research conferences or journals. The lecture will present the fundamental knowledge that student's need to read and understand the presented papers until the following week. In this following week, the lecture will start with a 45 minute discussion of these papers, followed by a lecture to prepare the next week's papers.

Topics may include, for example:
- Physical Layer Security
- Security of Machine Learning
- Usable Security and Privacy
- Trusted Execution Environments

Topics will be updated on a yearly basis as the research field develops and will be based on recent publications at top conferences and in journals.

Students will also have work on a project assignment where they have to provide a deeper investigation and discussion of a selected topic. This semester project will be worked on in a shared team with students from Ulm and GUC.

Topics can change every semester depending on recent research trends.
Literature:
Literature will be provided as references to research papers available to students in digital libraries.
Grading procedure:
Estimation of effort:
Presence Lecture: 28 h
Paper study: 56 h
Work on semester project: 70 h
Exam preparation: 25 h
Exam: 1 h

Total: 180h
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