Cybersecurity

View Cybersecurity A.A.S: 356A (G)
View Advanced Network Security Certificate: 252 (G)
View Cisco Certified Network Associate + Secuirty Preparation Certificate: 253 (G)   

Cybersecurity A.A.S.:356A (G)

Revised: Effective Semester- Summer 2011

This A.A.S. degree prepares students for entry-level career in Cybersecurity. The program emphasizes computer security and information assurance concepts augmented with current industry standard techniques. Topics cover threats and vulnerabilities, prevention at the technical (hardware and software) and human levels, detection, responses, and management aspects of security.

The program prepares entry-level computer technicians with information security expertise and also offers students a transfer option to four-year institutions. The proposed program of study is designed to address the needs for increasing the number of trained workers qualified to work in information security in the homeland security industry. The program is expected to meet National Security Telecommunications and Systems Security Instruction (NSTISSI) 4011 and 4013 standards. It will also help prepare students to sit for a variety of industry certifications, including the Computing Technology Industry Association's (CompTIA)A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications; Cisco's Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification, and the Security Certified Network Professional certification.

Program Outcomes for the Cybersecurity A.A.S. Degree

Upon completion of this program a student will be able to:

• Apply software patches to operating systems and applications.
• Assess a computer system’s security vulnerabilities using appropriate resources.
• Use standard software tools to detect attempted security breaches of computer systems.
• Implement computer network security defenses.
• Assess their professional responsibility in the areas of individual privacy, intellectual property rights, and ethics and codes of conduct.
• Sit for the following certification exams:  CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Administrator) certificate, CompTIA Network+ certificate, CompTIA Security+ certificate, Security Certified Network Professional (SCNP

   

   

• Refer to course description pages to identify courses with prerequisites.
  Courses in italics meet General Education requirements.

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Advanced Network Security Certificate: 252 (G)

New: Effective Semester-  Fall 2012

This career curriculum prepares student for entry-level careers in cybersecurity. Intended for those already employed in computing or who have a computing background, the certificate emphasizes computer security and information assurance concepts augmented with current industry standard techniques. Topics cover threats and vulnerabilities, prevention at the technical (hardware and software) and human levels, detection, response, and management aspects of security. This program of study is built upon the National Security Telecommunications and Systems Security Instruction (NSTISSI) 4011 and 4013. Each course in this certificate prepares the students in part to sit for the respective professional certifications. Range of occupations applicable to this certificate are: Network Analyst, Network Administrator, IT Manager, Internet Security Specialist, IT Compliant Specialist.

Program Outcomes for the Cybersecurity Certificate

Upon completion of this program a student will be able to:

• Describe security threats, integrity, confidentiality and availability in security information.
• Describe security ramifications, technology weaknesses, configuration weaknesses, policy weaknesses and human errors.
• Describe authentication, understand password issues, Kerberos assumptions, challenge handshake authentication protocol, security tokens and biometrics.
• Define common Internet components, and identify techniques used in web hacking, attacks and malicious code, IP fragmentation attacks, spoofing, man in the middle and TCP session hijacking.
• Investigate advanced concepts and procedures related to the transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP).
• Secure version of internet protocol (IP) and internet protocol security (IPSec).
• Describe Web security, SSL and TLS, HTTPS vulnerabilities, JavaScript, activex and buffer overflows.
• Secure workstations and servers running current Windows OS software and test the effectiveness of various security measures.
  
• Investigate measures that can help ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster, such as contingency planning and power and backup issues.
• Identify the basic components of a layered structure for network defense architecture, describe access control objectives and auditing concepts.
  
• Analyze network operations risks; conduct network penetration tests; implement network countermeasures.
  

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Cisco Certified Network Associate + Security Preparation Certificate: 253 (G)

New: Effective Semester-  Fall 2012

This career curriculum prepares students for entry-level positions in cybersecurity. Intended for those already employed in computing or who have a computing background, the certificate  prepares the student to install, operate, and troubleshoot medium-sized router and switched networks including implementation and verification of connections to remote sites in a WAN. It includes basic introduction to wireless networking concepts and hands-on performance-based skills. The certificate instructs the student in basic and intermediate cybersecurity skills such as how to develop a security infrastructure, recognize vulnerabilities to networks, and mitigate security threats. This cybersecurity curriculum emphasizes core security technologies and the installation, troubleshooting and monitoring of network devices to maintain integrity, confidentiality and availability of data and devices. It provides the foundation for students to sit for the following industry-recognized certifications: Network+, Security+, CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), and the Cisco CCNA Security certification.

Program Outcomes for the Cybersecurity Certificate

Upon completion of this program a student will be able to:

• Describe common network devices; the OSI model; common network protocols; features of LANs and WANs; types of network topologies; bandwidth.
• Describe characteristics of Ethernet networks; client/server networks; function of network devices; router serial ports; characteristics of WAN technologies.
  
• Describe basics of Ethernet technologies; framing process; MAC; CSMA/CD; types of duplex; 10/100/1000/10000BPS Ethernet technologies.
• Describe commands used to name a router, how administrators set passwords on a router, the use of the show commands, the command and steps required to configure a serial interface, the command and steps required to configure an Ethernet interface, how an administrator executes changes to a router, how an administrator saves changes to a router, the command and steps required to configure an interface description, the command and steps required to configure a log-in banner, the command and steps required to configure host tables, the purpose of backup documentation, and  the steps for password recovery on a router.
• Describe the basic principles of routing, the difference between routed and routing protocols, what interior and exterior protocols are used for in routing, the difference between static versus dynamic routes, how static routes are configured, how default routes are configured, some methods for troubleshooting static route configurations, why dynamic routing protocols are necessary, distance vector routing, link-state routing, and how different routing protocols are used in context.
• Describe classless interdomain routing (CIDR); calculate subnets with variable-length subnet masking (VLSM); describe route aggregation with VLSM and Routing Information Protocol version 2 (RIPv2); configure, verify and troubleshoot RIPv2, EIGRP, and OSPF.
• Describe microsegmentation, how a switch learns addresses, and switch forwarding; describe switches and collision domains and switches and broadcast domains; configure LAN switches; verify LAN switch configuration; and manage LAN switches.
• Describe the goals of redundant topologies; define Spanning Tree Protocol (STP); describe the stages of spanning-tree port states and election of designated ports; describe the stages of selecting a root bridge; describe Path cost; set STP timers; explain how STP helps convergence; and describe Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP).
• Explain what VLANs are; cite reasons to create VLANs and describe the benefits of VLANs; name and describe the methods of VLAN implementation; create, verify, and delete VLAN configurations; describe basic VLAN troubleshooting methods.
• Explain the differences between LANs and WANs; identify the devices used in a WAN; list WAN standards; describe WAN encapsulation; classify the various WAN link options; differentiate between packet-switched and circuit-switched WAN technologies; describe the steps in WAN design.
• Identify and describe the basic components that define Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) communication; define and describe the use of link control protocol (LCP) and Network Control Protocol (NCP) frames in PPP; describe the process for configuring and verifying PPP; describe and explain PPP authentication; define and describe the use of password authentication; define and describe the use of Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP).
• Describe Frame Relay services, standards, and components; describe Local Management Interface (LMI) features; describe the use of Frame Relay subinterfaces; configure, verify, and troubleshoot basic Frame Relay.
• Describe industry security terminology and acronyms, basic security vulnerabilities, and design and manage a security policy.
• Design and implement trust and identity technology at layer 2 and 3 of the OSI Model.
• Configure, monitor, and maintain advanced router firewall installation.
• Implement Secure Network Design.
  

Refer to course description pages to identify courses with prerequisites.
Courses in italics meet General Education requirements.