Visualization Tools for Teaching Computer Security

Using animated visualization tools has been an important teaching approach in computer science education. We have developed three visualization and animation tools that demonstrate various information security concepts and actively engage learners. The information security concepts illustrated include: packet sniffer and related computer network concepts, the Kerberos authentication architecture, and wireless network attacks. These tools are implemented using Macromedia Flash MX Professional Edition. The animations can run from a Web page as Flash Applets or as standalone applications. These visualization tools are intended to be used in undergraduate level computer network and security courses. They can be used as classroom instructor demos, student exercises, or Web-based student learning resources. These tools have been used in various computer network and information security courses at North Carolina A&T State University, and have received positive feedback from the students.

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