CSE 194 · Cybersecurity History and Culture

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Modules – Cybersecurity History & Culture

Each module spans two weeks. Every week has its own slides and a short homework due the Tuesday before class.

Homework 0 is due on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 (the day before our first class). From there, each Wednesday class has a corresponding homework due on Tuesday. Weeks and dates below help you match slides and assignments to each class meeting.

Module 0 Introduction to Cybersecurity History & Culture Weeks 1–2 · January 14 & 21, 2026

Start here. Module 0 orients you to the course, core ideas in cybersecurity history, and the cultural context around security practices.

Week 1 · January 14, 2026 (Wednesday)

Topic: Course overview, what is a hacker, and the shape of cybersecurity history.

Slides: View Week 1 slides

Assignment: Assignment 0

Due: Tuesday, January 13, 2026 (the day before our first class). Submit on Canvas.

Week 2 · January 21, 2026 (Wednesday)

Topic: Deeper dive into early computing, Alan Turing, Ken Thompson, and the roots of modern systems.

Slides: View Week 2 slides

Assignment: Assignment 1

Due: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 (day before class). Details and submission on Canvas.

Module 1 Phone Phreaking Weeks 3–4 · January 28 & February 4, 2026 Status: Coming soon

The culture and techniques of phone phreaking, from blue boxes to late-era phreakers like Susan Thunder and the bridge into early hacking.

Week 3 · January 28, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Early phreaking culture and the classic & blue box era.

Slides: View Week 3 slides

Assignment: Assignment 2

Due: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 (day before class). See Canvas for full prompt.

Week 4 · February 4, 2026 (Wednesday) No class

No class meeting this week.

Slides: No slides

Assignment: Assignment 3

Module 2 Early Hackers Weeks 5–6 · February 11 & 18, 2026 Status: Coming soon

Early hacker culture: BBSes, IRC, Usenet, Kevin Mitnick, Tsutomu Shimomura, Loyd Blankenship and The Hackers Manifesto, and early policy moments.

Week 5 · February 11, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Bulletin Board Systems and the early online underground.

Slides: View Week 5 slides

Assignment: Assignment 4

Due: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 (day before class).

Week 6 · February 18, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: IRC, Usenet, and early hacking legends like Kevin Mitnick.

Slides: View Week 6 slides

Assignment: Assignment 5 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 (day before class).

Module 3 Hackers and Hacktivists Weeks 7–8 · February 25 & March 4, 2026 Status: Coming soon

From early worms to modern hacktivism: Robert Tappan Morris Jr., Dan Kaminsky, Aaron Swartz, and Phineas Fisher.

Week 7 · February 25, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Early worms and the Morris worm as a turning point.

Slides: Week 7 slides – coming soon

Assignment: Assignment 6 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 (day before class).

Week 8 · March 4, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Hacktivism, Aaron Swartz, and Phineas Fisher.

Slides: Week 8 slides – coming soon

Assignment: Assignment 7 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (day before class).

Module 4 Hacking Collectives Weeks 9–10 · March 18 & 25, 2026 Status: Coming soon

The rise of hacker groups and crews: Phrack, Legion of Doom, Masters of Deception, the Great Hacker War, Cult of the Dead Cow, l0pht, Shellphish, and more.

Week 9 · March 18, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Phrack, Legion of Doom, Masters of Deception, and the Great Hacker War.

Slides: Week 9 slides – coming soon

Assignment: Assignment 8 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 (day before class).

Week 10 · March 25, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Cult of the Dead Cow, l0pht, Shellphish, and modern security research crews.

Slides: Week 10 slides – coming soon

Assignment: Assignment 9 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 (day before class).

Module 5 The Hacker Aesthetic Weeks 11–12 · April 1 & 8, 2026 Status: Coming soon

How hacking is represented in film, TV, and internet culture: Sneakers, Hackers, Mr. Robot, and the language of pwning.

Week 11 · April 1, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Film portrayals of hacking, including Sneakers and Hackers.

Slides: Week 11 slides – coming soon

Assignment: Assignment 10 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 (day before class).

Week 12 · April 8, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Mr. Robot, hacker aesthetics, and pwning culture online.

Slides: Week 12 slides – coming soon

Assignment: Assignment 11 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 (day before class).

Module 6 Hacking the Planet Weeks 13–14 · April 15 & 22, 2026 Status: Coming soon (TBD readings)

Big-picture, world-scale hacking themes. Specific readings and media for this module are still to be determined.

Week 13 · April 15, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Global-scale hacking, infrastructure, and large campaigns.

Slides: Week 13 slides – coming soon

Assignment: Assignment 12 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 (day before class).

Week 14 · April 22, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Future threats, systemic risk, and hacking the planet as a metaphor.

Slides: Week 14 slides – coming soon

Assignment: Assignment 13 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, April 21, 2026 (day before class).

Module 7 The Dark Side Week 15 · April 29, 2026 Status: Coming soon

The darker side of hacking and cybercrime: early viruses, Albert Gonzales, Ross Ulbricht and Silk Road, and organized cybercrime.

Week 15 · April 29, 2026 (Wednesday)

Focus: Large-scale cybercrime, underground markets, and high-profile prosecutions.

Slides: Week 15 slides – coming soon

Assignment: Assignment 14 – coming soon

Due: Tuesday, April 28, 2026 (day before class).