INTLPOL 268: Hack Lab
Hack Lab: Introduction to Cybersecurity
A hands-on introduction to the technologies, techniques, and responsibilities at the foundation of modern cybersecurity practice.
Announcements
The Fall 2026 course site is under construction. The schedule is based on Fall 2025 and remains subject to change.
First class
Friday, September 25, 2026
Fridays, 1:30–3:20 PM
MIP Policy Studio (Encina Hall basement)
Course format
Each Friday combines a technical lecture with a guided, hands-on security lab.
Course console
Lab instructions and assigned lab systems are delivered through the authenticated course console.
What you will learn
Hack Lab builds practical intuition for how networked systems fail and how security professionals investigate those failures. The course moves from networking and web security into attacks on AI systems, memory-corruption exploits, AI-assisted reverse engineering, and cryptography.
No computer science background is required. Students need a Windows, macOS, or Linux laptop and must work only within the explicitly authorized systems and scope provided for each lab.
Instructional team
Alex Stamos
Lecturer in International Policy and Computer Science
Office hours: To be announced for Fall 2026
Course assistants
To be announced.