CS 659Privacy, Cryptography, Network and Data Security
- Units
- 0.50
- Level
- Graduate
- Faculty
- Mathematics
- Subject
- Computer Science
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 1 lecture section. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Introduction to privacy and security using cryptography and related techniques in networks, distributed systems, and data science. The course examines how data and metadata can be protected at rest, in transit, and during computation. For at-rest protection, specific topics include the basics of cryptography and relevant ethics/policy concepts. For in-transit protection, specific topics include network defenses, authentication and secure and anonymous communication protocols. For during-computation protection, specific topics include data inference, differential privacy, homomorphic encryption, multi-party computations, and related protocols. Knowledge of distributed systems and computer networks equivalent to that obtained from CS 454 and CS 456 is assumed.
Prerequisites
None listed.
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 8439 | 3 / 5 | TTh 08:30–09:50 |
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 7441 | 0 / 10 | MW 10:00–11:20 |
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Graduate Calendar, Fall 2026The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them
Calendar versions
Graduate Calendar
- Fall 2025
- Winter 2026
- Spring 2026
- Fall 2026 (shown here)
- Winter 2024 and earlier in the calendar archives