This advanced course studies the nature of software bugs and security vulnerabilities arising in complex application domains and surveys specialized program analysis + automated testing techniques for identifying such issues proactively. The course will take a tour of various domains such as mobile systems, databases, web browsers, distributed and networked systems, autonomous vehicles, and smart contracts.

Syllabus

https://cmu-fantastic-bugs.github.io/#syllabus

Class format

Group discussion and group-led presentations 

Home department

Software and Societal Systems

Background required

The course is open to PhD and Masters students interested in software engineering, program analysis and/or security.

The following courses serve as sufficient prerequisites:

• 18-335/732 Secure Software Systems
• 14-735 Secure Coding
• 17-355/665/819 Program Analysis
• 15-411/611 Compiler Design
• 15-414 Bug Catching
• 15-330/18-330/18-730 Intro to Computer Security
• 14-741/18-631 Intro to Information Security

Learning objectives

• Identify practical challenges of applying well known program analysis techniques to a variety of application domains.
• Formulate and leverage domain-specific assumptions for making program analysis tractable and useful in a specialized setting.
• Build practical tools for improving software quality in real-world systems.

Faculty and instructors who have taught this course in the past

Rohan Padhye