Cybersecurity (CYS)
CYS 167. Introduction to Cybersecurity. 3 Credit Hours.
This course introduces cybersecurity and the NIST Framework from three different perspectives: technology, societal dynamics in cybercrime, and policy and law. Cybersecurity principles including confidentiality, integrity and availability as well as assurance, authenticity and anonymity are demonstrated via examples from each perspective. Students gain awareness of the broad scope of cybersecurity through readings, discussions, and hands-on exercises.
Cross-listed Courses: RMI 167
CYS 203. Communicating Connections. 1 Credit Hour.
This practicum will allow participants to learn and apply professional communication practices in order to explore and develop connections to professional industry experts. Students will prepare a plan for accessing discovered industry-related contacts, develop and practice interview techniques, create questions for informational interviews, reach out to potential contacts, and ultimately, pursue vocational goals by connecting with industry experts. Participants will practice for and execute phone, email, and written communication to establish professional, industry-related connections in order to complete informational interviews. From the resulting interviews, students will reflect, explore, prepare and pursue determined vocational goals. Throughout the six classes, industry experts will be invited as guests to offer professional acumen and insights for students pursuing opportunities to further connect to potential careers. Pass/fail only. Open to all majors.
Cross-listed Courses: CMM 203, PSF 203, ENI 203, CSC 203, BUS 203
CYS 263. Introduction to Cybersecurity Risk and Protection Strategies. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on cyber risks faced by individuals and organizations, and protection mechanisms to mitigate these risks. Examples are used to demonstrate risks posed by data at rest, data in use, and data in transit. This course will cover statistical models of risk, different risk assessment strategies (including the NIST 800 series) and methods of protecting information systems and data from unauthorized access and use. The strengths and limitation of protection mechanisms will be discussed, and will include access control, encryption, credentialing, operational policies and procedures, and risk mitigation policies (e.g., password update policy, least privilege). Students will get hands on experience on risk assessment and protection mechanisms.
CYS 269. Introduction to Detection, Response, & Recovery Strategies. 3 Credit Hours.
This course covers detection mechanisms that focus on identifying abnormal versus normal behaviors, and response and recovery actions based on a detected cybersecurity incident. The strengths and limitations of detection mechanisms will be discussed, and will include detecting abnormal behavior, performing continuous monitoring, and analyzing data from multiple sources. response and recovery planning and implementation of these plans will be discussed. Students will get hands-on experience on protection mechanisms, and response and recovery planning.
CYS 330. Network Fundamentals. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on network fundamentals, providing essential terminology, current network technologies, network addressing, common ports and protocols, and future trends. In addition, the course covers routing, switching, and wireless networking. Along the way, students will understand the challenges businesses and organizations face in setting up their networks and the technologies required to implement networking solutions. Students will get hands on experience in networking and learn how to implement a network.
CYS 331. Network Security. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on network security, providing essential terminology, current threats, methods of protection, and future trends. In addition, the course covers firewalls, virtual private networking fundamentals, and best practices. This course also explores wireless network and mobile device security. Along the way, students will understand the challenges businesses and organizations face in protecting their networks and the data that resides within. Students will get hands-on experience in networking and learn different protection mechanisms.
Prerequisite: CYS 330.
CYS 337. Scripting for Cybersecurity. 3 Credit Hours.
Students will learn to implement scripts to automate cybersecurity functions of protection and detection using python and linux shell. Detection related applications include system administration tasks, firewall maintenance, scanning log files, malware development and detection. Protection related applications include encryption, signatures, hash functions, access control mechanisms, authentication, and database account management statements (e.g., grant, revoke).
CYS 347. System and Software Security. 3 Credit Hours.
This course gives an introduction to secure administration of operating systems and software. Common vulnerabilities, their associated attacks and current defenses in systems and software are discussed. Students are introduced to penetration testing and other means of detecting vulnerabilities. Students also learn system administration skills for managing configurations (hardware and software), accounts, access control, firewalls, ports, patches and virtual machines and to create simple scripts. Both Linux/Unix and Windows operating systems are discussed.
CYS 361. Cybersecurity for Future Presidents. 3 Credit Hours.
Future Presidents will need to understand the science, technology, and human considerations behind cyber security well enough to make informed decisions when provided advice and options for action. By adopting the perspective of training future Presidents, this course aims to help all students (whether or not they later seek leadership positions in government or industry) to understand cyber security, privacy, and intellectual property issues from technical and social perspectives. It assumes a basic familiarity with computers including use of modern desktop, mobile, and web-based platforms. It is designed for students who have an interest in thinking critically about how technology and cyber security may affect individuals, group, and organizations in 20-30 years. Government by the people depends on a citizenry that understands the issues their leaders must address. This course will provide students the tools to understand and evaluate the actions of future leaders in the area of cyber security.
Fulfills Core Requirement(s): Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS).
CYS 390. Cybersecurity Independent Study. 1-9 Credit Hours.
A student who wishes to pursue an independent study project for academic credit must submit, prior to registration, a proposed plan of study that includes the topic to be studied and goal to be achieved, the methodology to be followed, schedule of supervision, end product, evaluation procedure and number of credits sought. The proposal must be approved by the supervising faculty member, the department chair and the academic dean. It will be kept on file in the academic dean's office.
CYS 421. Ethical Hacking. 3 Credit Hours.
This course focuses on ethical hacking. It will provide a deeper understanding of how malicious actors think by studying real world case studies and performing hands-on activities. Tools commonly used by hackers will be discussed, with students learning methods on how to defend against these types of attacks.
Prerequisites: CYS 337 or permission of the instructor.
CYS 431. Security Architecture. 3 Credit Hours.
This course will give students the ability to apply the concepts and technologies learned in the cybersecurity program. Students are able to apply best practices to build and maintain a defensible security architecture. Students will setup and apply security best practices on a network of their own design. The class will also provide hands-on opportunities for students to test their designs by providing a capture-the-flag like exercise.
CYS 490. Cybersecurity Internship. 3 Credit Hours.
Students have the opportunity to participate in an internship experience closely related to cybersecurity. The student intern will meet regularly with their internship supervisor and will report as required to the faculty member assigned to supervise the internship. An evaluation of the experience by the internship supervisor will also be required. Students are expected to complete 130 hours of approved experience to earn credits for this course and must get approval of the Cybersecurity internship director prior to registration. Pass/fail grades only.
CYS 499. Honors Project in Cybersecurity. 3 Credit Hours.
This course must be completed by those cybersecurity majors seeking to qualify for a Departmental Honors degree in cybersecurity. The student conducts an independent study honors project under the guidance of at least one faculty member in the program. Prior to registration for this course, a student must submit a proposal and have it approved by the department chair. A student may propose a research project culminating in a research paper or a hands-on project culminating in artifacts which describe the results of the project.
Prerequisite: Senior Standing.