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Security and Fault-tolerance in Distributed Systems
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:29:32
Abstract
Methods for building dependable and secure distributed systems. Focus on fault-tolerant, distributed and cryptographic protocols; group communication, reliable broadcast, distributed cryptosystems, Byzantine agreement, resilient services, and secure storage systems.
Objective
According to Lamport, a distributed system is one where the crash of a computer that you've never heard of stops you from getting any work done. This course presents methods for building dependable and secure distributed systems. The emphasis is on fault-tolerant and distributed cryptographic protocols. Topics include group communication, failure detectors, reliable broadcast protocols, distributed cryptography, threshold cryptosystems, Byzantine agreement, quorum systems, and replication. Applications to cluster computing, Internet services, and storage systems will be presented. The course presents principles and fundamental methods, and shows how they are applied to real-world systems.
Content
Tentative List of Topics 1. Introduction 2. Dependability Concepts 3. Quorums 4. Registers and Shared Memory 5. Consensus and Broadcast 6. View-synchronous Group Communication 7. Distributed Cryptography 8. Byzantine Agreement 9. Service Replication 10. Data Storage
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- DS , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- session examination
- Mode
- oral 15 minutes
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture | Security and Fault-tolerance in Distributed Systems |
|
2 h weekly |
| exercise | Security and Fault-tolerance in Distributed Systems |
|
1 h weekly |