CYBER 470, Systems Security II

Note: This course code has changed from CIT 470 to CYBER 470. You may occasionally see references to the old course code or title.

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Course Description

The purpose of this lab-based course is to teach students techniques for securing the entire network architecture, both internally and externally. Students will learn how to configure and use firewalls, intrusion detection, and prevention systems. In addition, students will learn how to harden operating systems and secure remote access.

Course Outcomes

1. Students will design, implement, and configure perimeter and network security.
2. Students will configure redundancy and monitoring of network resources.
3. Students will design, configure, set up, and secure remote multi-factor access to a network.
4. Students will design and configure IDS/IPS/HIDS.
5. Students will configure and manage proxy servers.
6. Students will configure security information and event management (SIEM).
7. Students will be able to perform a basic penetration test.

Grades

Refer to M0: Semester Project Overview and Requirements.

Project and Peer Review Grades

There are eleven assigned team project milestones and three peer-evaluation checkpoints which must be completed. For each assignment, you will submit a document, usually in the form of a long illustrated memorandum. Team assignment projects are evaluated as follows:

If you receive a "fail" score for a team milestone or a peer evaluation, you are encouraged to fix any issues and resubmit your memo as many times as necessary to achieve a "pass" score. Your team must receive a "pass" score on every team project milestone and you must "pass" every peer evaluation in order to receive a passing grade (C) in the course.

Above-and-Beyond Project Grades

Students that aspire to earn a higher grade may also complete additional projects that "go above and beyond" the team project requirements. Like team project milestones, above-and-beyond projects are also evaluated pass/fail. Each above-and-beyond project that earns a "pass" score improves your final grade.

Course Grades

Your team milestone, peer evaluation, and above-and-beyond project scores determine your final grade as follows:

NOTE: This grading rubric is partially inspired by actual auditing tools in the information security industry, which use pass/fail criteria to measure compliance with security requirements. Examples include credit card companies' PCI-DSS assessments and the Security Technical Implementation Guides for United States military contractors.

Earning Your Grade:

• Each student should invest about six to eight hours of time per week in coursework. Please work with your teammates to make a schedule or "time budget" for this course, and then make an alternate "plan-b" schedule that you can use when life's unexpected events interfere with your original planned schedule.
• Each student should do their best to complete and submit "deliverables" (assignments, project reports, and so on) on time. Unless otherwise noted, deliverables are due before midnight (mountain time) on the due date.
• Details and requirements for each deliverable are found as a part of each module in I-Learn.
• The last assignment submitted before the deadline is the assignment that is graded. If you need to make a correction after submitting an assignment, you may submit an additional version before the assignment deadline.
• If you need to resubmit another attempt after the due date because your assignment received a "fail" score, that's also acceptable, but do your best to catch up and not fall further behind in the coursework.
• As this is a "senior level" upper division course, you are expected to produce high-quality written documents that demonstrate your professionalism and leadership. Reports that convey "it's the thought that counts, and here's proof I thought about it" are insufficient. Your target audience should be your fellow security professionals, who will learn and grow from what you have written.

Course Materials

This course will require individual self-motivation on the part of each student, and team motivation on the part of each team. Standards for labs and projects in the course are outlined here: Projects' Requirements.

Technology

Go to "Software/Hardware Requirements for CIT Courses" to see the department's hardware and software requirements. For the best hands-on learning experience, each student should have access to a reliable laptop computer that they bring to each class session with the following:

• Sufficient user or administrator privileges to install new software on that computer.
• A 64-bit processor capable of hyper-threading.
• Sufficient RAM to comfortably operate virtual machines on the laptop: 16GB recommended, 8GB minimum (if you have enough patience and pain tolerance).
• Sufficient battery power to use the computer throughout each class session for in-class activities.

Students unable to meet this technology requirement should contact the instructor during the first week of the semester to propose and discuss suitable alternatives for hands-on technology options.

Course Standards

This course will require individual self-motivation on the part of each student and team motivation on the part of each team. Standards for labs and projects in the course are outlined here: M0: Semester Project Overview and Requirements.

University Policies

• Honor Code
  • Academic Honesty 
  • Dress and Grooming
  • Electronic Devices in the Classroom
• Student Support
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Students with Disabilities