The objective of the program is to provide students with an up-to-date survey of developments in computer security. Students learn about the problems that confront security designers and security administrators that include defining the threats to computer and network systems, evaluating the relative risks of these threats, developing cost-effective, user-friendly countermeasures.
At the end of this program, students should be able to:
➢ Understand the history and requirements of information assurance.
➢ Examine the nature and evolution of attacks using a specified scenario.
➢ Explain the nature and evolution of the attackers.
➢ Describe how IT components and personnel can function as vulnerabilities, threats, or defense mechanisms.
➢ Understand the mindset necessary for security.
➢ Explain the relationship between threats, vulnerabilities, counter measures, attacks, compromises and remediation.
➢ Understand the current situation in terms of threats, vulnerabilities and attacks.
➢ Perform vulnerability assessments.
➢ Install patches, analyze results, define and understand forensics.
➢ Describe a situation where a forensic investigation would be necessary.
➢ Understand why the use of the cloud makes computer forensics more challenging.
➢ Understand cryptography and its support for security.
➢ Give examples of symmetric and asymmetric key encryption.
➢ Describe methods for data integrity.
➢ Discuss mechanisms and protocols for authentication.
➢ Discuss different trust models.
➢ Understand different mechanisms for data recovery.
➢ Use replication of hardware and/or software for fault tolerance.
➢ Study usage of logs and audits to assess information loss.
➢ Describe mechanisms for disaster recovery.
➢ Identify and analyze user needs in terms of information assurance.
➢ Analyze the selection, evaluation, and administration of computer-based tools and systems for information assurance.
➢ Perform vulnerability and risk assessments.
➢ Be familiar with different security resources and references.
➢ Apply learned skills in a real work environment during Coop.