CS499 Special Topics in Computer Science II
CS499 Special Topics in Computer Science II
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Computer Sciences and Engineering
Amal Mersni
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course introduces the concept of ethical hacking, also known as penetration testing (pentesting). The objective of the course is to teach students the fundamentals of hacking and pentesting methodologies, as well as to familiarize them with various tools and techniques. The course is designed to be as hands-on as possible, and students will have access to a real corporate network that will serve as a practice environment. The course covers all the necessary topics and technologies for a beginner pentester, starting from the network reconnaissance phase, lateral movement, secret extraction, and web application attacks to the compromise of an Active Directory and cloud pen-testing (AWS).
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
-
Digital materials
Additional Literature
TBATeaching Methods
This course employs various teaching and learning methods, such as Lectures with presentations, in-class examples, and discussions for engaged learning
Active hand-on sessions for engaged learning and continuous feedback on progress
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the course: Overview of Penetration Testing and ethical Hacking | Slides and online resources |
| 2 | Setting up to the lab, first network information gathering and reconnaissance techniques | Slides and online resources |
| 3 | Vulnerability exploitation (knows RCE), reverse-shell and privilege escalation | Slides and online resources |
| 4 | Pivoting (linux), windows secrets extraction, lateral movement, and password reuse | Slides and online resources |
| 5 | Vulnerability exploitation moderate, secrets extraction alternatives, introduction to C2 implant (Command and Control) and windows pivoting | Slides and online resources |
| 6 | Active directory introduction, information gathering and reconnaissance techniques | Slides and online resources |
| 7 | Active directory basic attacks | Slides and online resources |
| 8 | Password spraying techniques | |
| 9 | Midterm Exam | Slides and online resources |
| 10 | Web Application Penetration Testing | Slides and online resources |
| 11 | Active directory advanced attacks | Slides and online resources |
| 12 | Malware development techniques to bypass Antivirus/EDR | Slides and online resources |
| 13 | Cloud pentesting introduction (AWS) | Slides and online resources |
| 14 | Cloud pentesting basic attack (AWS) | Slides and online resources |
| 15 | Review | Slides and online resources |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS499.1 | Course | - | - | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Midterm exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2
Hands-on labs
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Home study
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Midterm exam study
16 hours ⏳ (2 week × 8 h)
Final exam study
21 hours ⏳ (3 week × 7 h)
Hand-on labs
26 hours ⏳ (13 week × 2 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [CS499] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| CS499 | Special Topics in Computer Science II | 3 | 0 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Amal Mersni | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Tuesday: 14:00-16:00 Thursday: 9:00-11:00 , 13:00-14:00 (Internship consultations , internship application forms) |
|||||||
| amersni@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | - | Assistant E-mail | ||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course introduces the concept of ethical hacking, also known as penetration testing (pentesting). The objective of the course is to teach students the fundamentals of hacking and pentesting methodologies, as well as to familiarize them with various tools and techniques. The course is designed to be as hands-on as possible, and students will have access to a real corporate network that will serve as a practice environment. The course covers all the necessary topics and technologies for a beginner pentester, starting from the network reconnaissance phase, lateral movement, secret extraction, and web application attacks to the compromise of an Active Directory and cloud pen-testing (AWS). |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Digital materials | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | This course employs various teaching and learning methods, such as Lectures with presentations, in-class examples, and discussions for engaged learning. Active hand-on sessions for engaged learning and continuous feedback on progress. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction to the course: Overview of Penetration Testing and ethical Hacking | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Setting up to the lab, first network information gathering and reconnaissance techniques | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Vulnerability exploitation (knows RCE), reverse-shell and privilege escalation | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Pivoting (linux), windows secrets extraction, lateral movement, and password reuse | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Vulnerability exploitation moderate, secrets extraction alternatives, introduction to C2 implant (Command and Control) and windows pivoting | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Active directory introduction, information gathering and reconnaissance techniques | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Active directory basic attacks | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Password spraying techniques | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Midterm Exam | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Web Application Penetration Testing | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Active directory advanced attacks | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Malware development techniques to bypass Antivirus/EDR | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Cloud pentesting introduction (AWS) | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Cloud pentesting basic attack (AWS) | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Review | Slides and online resources | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2 | Not Allowed | |
| Hands-on labs | 10 | 30 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 3 | 14 | 42 | Home study | 3 | 15 | 45 | |||
| Midterm exam study | 8 | 2 | 16 | Final exam study | 7 | 3 | 21 | |||
| Hand-on labs | 2 | 13 | 26 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||