Assignments

Weekly assignments and projects for CYB-4203/6203

Assignment 1: Intro Questionnaire

Assigned: Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Due: Monday, January 26, 2026, 12:29 PM

Purpose

This questionnaire helps me understand your background, interests, learning preferences, and goals for this course.

Assignment 2: AI Risk and Incident Case Study Analysis

Assigned: Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Due: Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 12:29 PM

Purpose

Analyze a real-world AI incident using risk assessment frameworks. Develop skills in identifying, categorizing, and evaluating AI-related risks through structured case study analysis.

Assignment 3: AI Topic Deep Dive - Core Values Analysis

Assigned: Wednesday, February 5, 2026

Due: Thursday, February 12, 2026, 12:29 PM

Purpose

Conduct a deep-dive analysis of a specific AI/ML topic through the lens of core values such as fairness, transparency, accountability, privacy, and safety.

Assignment 4: Secure Chatbot API Repair

Assigned: Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Due: Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 12:29 PM

Purpose

Identify and repair security vulnerabilities in a chatbot API. Apply secure coding practices to fix authentication, input validation, and data protection issues in a real codebase.

Assignment 5: Biology, Neuroscience, Psychology, and connections to AI/ML Systems, Lifecycle, and Security

Assigned: Thursday, February 26, 2026

Due: Thursday, March 5, 2026, 11:59 PM

Purpose

Select a topic from Presentation 9 and analyze it in depth: what it is, how it relates to biology/neuroscience/psychology and AI, how it fits into the AI/ML system lifecycle, and what security implications it raises. Your topic choice carries forward into Assignment 6 and the Midterm Project.

Assignment 6: Attack Vector and Threat Model Analysis

Assigned: Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Due: Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 11:59 PM

Purpose

Continue from your Assignment 5 topic to analyze attack vectors and apply at least one threat-modeling framework (OWASP Top 10 for LLMs, MITRE ATLAS, CSA MAESTRO, STRIDE-for-AI, etc.) to the AI/ML system or capability you've been studying. This work carries forward into the Midterm Project and the individualized section of the Final Exam.

Midterm Project

Assigned: Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Due: Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 11:59 PM

Purpose

Solo project synthesizing your Assignment 5 and Assignment 6 work into a comprehensive analysis of your chosen AI/ML topic — including attack-vector mapping, threat model, and proposed mitigations. This artifact is one of the two sources for the individualized section of the Final Exam.

Assignment Schedule

All weekly assignments and the Midterm Project have been released and their due dates have passed. The remaining graded work this semester is the Final Exam.

Submission Policy

  • No submission = zero grade
  • Partial submission is better than nothing
  • Extensions at instructor discretion
  • Extensions not granted without at least partial submission by due date (except documented extenuating circumstances)