Online Master's in Computer Science Cyber Security Engineering

This course involves both the design and analysis of classic and other useful algorithms which includes the necessary treatment of graph theory and algorithm complexity analysis. Students will design and code many of the algorithms and measure their performance to compare them to one another and to analyze the effect of scale.

This is an advanced (OS) course to present the current progress of modern OS. Internal structure and mechanisms as well as the design principles of multi-processor and multi-core OS are evaluated. Technologies of extending the kernel OS functions to solve technical challenges associated with concurrency, synchronization, virtualization, scheduling, clustering, security, client-server, service-orientation, communication and distribution, etc. are discussed. Students will also conduct an applied research or a case study on extending OS to support various types of computing technologies, such as grid computing, cloud computing, embedded computing, distributed and network computing, and/or any new type of computer system architecture.

Emerging technologies continuously change the way we network. This course analyzes the foundational concepts in computer networking along with the current state of the practice and assesses the changes required by new technologies. The layers of the OSI Reference Model are compared and contrasted with the TCP/IP protocol suite. Network issues, such as addressing and routing, security, and reliability are appraised. Emerging technologies, such as Voice over IP, Multimedia on Demand, Cloud Computing and Virtualization will be evaluated and incorporated into design projects.

This course introduces the overall foundations required for the understanding of, and further study in, information systems security. It reviews the history of security and computer systems security in particular to develop a set of models to guide the approach to realizing computer systems security. An overview of current security technologies is presented. A research project and formal paper are required.

This course explores current database systems and provides a foundation for future study. Techniques for the design and implementation of relational databases are presented and applied using SQL and a DBMS. Other data models such as the object-oriented and object-relational models are examined and compared to the relational model. Database systems using data warehouses and data marts, distributed databases, and web-based databases are discussed.

Systems engineering methods provides a robust focus on functionality, design, creation, operational performance and operating systems that address the needs and requirements of customers. SEM provides an overview of techniques, methodologies, and approaches to system engineering. Topics include SE foundational models and the newest concepts, evaluation methods, and key tools. Focus also includes key stages in SEM such as system processes, eliciting customer requirements, system design, system quality, system integration, and deployment, maintenance, and system disposal.

The Capstone course demonstrates mastery and critical knowledge from the MSCS program. The content, concepts, and knowledge from the MSCS is critically applied by completing an in-depth project focusing on a major technical problem or major issue that impacts the student’s own organization or in a desired area of study. The course gives the student the opportunity to perform a comprehensive analysis and study in a selected area of interest. The student will prepare a formal technical report of the detailed research and application of prior course concepts.

This course covers the theory and techniques that one employs to determine the cause of and sequence of events leading up to a security breach in computer systems. This includes the identification of clues and their locations on the offended system, in the associated local network, and into the Internet itself. Techniques to prevent or mitigate such breaches are explored.

Operating Systems Security provides an in-depth analysis of the security components at the operating system level. The focus is on the development of a security policy and the basic elements that provide identification and authentication, access control and security auditing. In addition to general concepts, both the UNIX/Linux and Windows operating systems are studied. Students participate in hands-on lab assignments to reinforce the material as well as to gain familiarity with a number of available operating system security products and tools (both freeware and commercially available).

Students are provided with a brief overview of the basic elements of networking concepts, topologies, protocols and threats necessary to understand network security issues and make security relevant decisions. An in-depth analysis of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model and layered network security mechanisms needed to provide Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Authorization, Authentication and Non-repudiation within a network environment is included. This course includes a thorough treatment of cryptography and cryptographic services. An implementation plan and formal paper are required.

This course covers a variety of issues relating to the management of information systems security. The topics covered include development of policies, standards and procedures, risk analysis methodologies, contingency planning and disaster recovery. Additional topics covered include legal and ethical issues, incident reporting, security auditing, computer crime, and security awareness and training. Implementation issues, potential conflicts and tradeoffs are also discussed. A project is required.

Attacks on enterprise level systems can be focused on many targets. Some of the targets, such as WEB servers are at the perimeter of the network. Others occur at the applications running on various operating systems. This course examines vulnerabilities caused by both scripting errors or poor scripting techniques on WEB based applications. Further, vulnerabilities created in custom developed applications written in high level programming languages are examined. SQL problems and architecture design flaws in relational database systems that contribute to vulnerabilities are also analyzed. A whole new set of intrusion risks present themselves with the newer emerging media and application environments such as cloud computing, social media venues, and mobile computing. Students will also conduct research into these areas. The need for security driven life cycle development models and security standards for programming and scripting languages are presented.