Open for
This course is open to students of the Bachelor Program in IT Security, the Master’s program in IT Security / Information Engineering, and the Master’s degree in IT Security / Networks and Systems.

Content

Motivated by the wide success of Bitcoin, recent years have witnessed the surge of a considerable number of blockchains, such as Dogecoin, Ripple, Ethereum, Corda, Fabric, Chain, Solana, and Dfinity, among many others. Blockchains instantiate decentralized platforms and are typically comprised of three main layers: the network layer that manages information exchange, a consensus layer used to reach information agreement, and finally, a smart contract layer that executes decentralized applications (a.k.a. Dapps). By removing the need for trusted third parties, decentralized technologies promise drastic cost reductions and enhanced security compared to their centralized counterparts. They also enable open access and participation and promote transparency. For these reasons, decentralized platforms are rapidly gaining ground as a key technology in a rich set of applications beyond cryptocurrencies, especially in the financial and retail sectors.

In the first half of the course, we give lectures on the basic workings of a decentralized platform, including peer-to-peer gossip protocols, the consensus layer, and smart contracts. Depending on your interests, you can implement one of the three layers and carry out a mini research project in the second part of the course. Finally, the students will present their work.

Since the course offers close guidance, the number of participants is limited to 12.

Language

English

Form of Examination

Practical assignments and presentations throughout the course.