Semester Year Course Title

Instructor Information

Course Information

Course name and number: Introduction to Cybersecurity

Credit Hours: 3

CRN:  Online section  50517

Course Description: This course focuses on the protection of information systems against cyber threats whether data is in transit, at rest, or in processing. Topics include an overview of cyber threats, measures necessary to detect, assess, and counter such threats, network security basics, symmetric and public key encryption, basic cryptologic analysis, access control, authentication, malware, vulnerability assessment, digital forensics, security policies, privacy, and ethics. This course builds knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) of principles and practices in cybersecurity.

SCHEDULE CHANGE (ADD/DROP with 100% Refund): June 14

Deadline to withdraw with WP: JUNE 25

Required/Recommended Textbooks and Materials

As a reminder, you can purchase your books through the CSU bookstore and can have them shipped directly to you. 

Required Materials

Book cover of Security in Computing textbook

Supplemental Materials

Course Objectives

By the end of this course you should be able to:

  1. Explain and apply the fundamental concepts of  cybersecurity in given incidents or scenarios,
  2. Explain common threats to computer and network systems,
  3. Explain defense mechanisms to countermeasure threats against computer and network systems,
  4. Explain how cryptography is used in securing information and communications,
  5. Discuss the role of human in cybersecurity, 
  6. Explain the significance of an effective security policy in cybersecurity,
  7. Demonstrate basic technical skills in using tools to attack and defend computer systems and networks.

Course Communication

Course Policies

CSU Disability Policy

If you have a documented disability as described by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, you may be eligible to receive accommodations to assist in programmatic and physical accessibility. We recommend that you contact the Center for Accommodation and Access located in Schuster Student Success Center, room 221, 706-507-8755 as soon as possible. The Center for Accommodation and Access can assist you in formulating a reasonable accommodation plan and in providing support. Course requirements will not be waived but accommodations may be able to assist you to meet the requirements. Technical support may also be available to meet your specific need. For more information go to CSU Center for Accommodation and Access.

CougarVIEW (D2L Brightspace) Accessibility Information

From D2L website: "At D2L we believe learning technologies should never limit learning opportunities. Our accessibility program is tightly integrated with our research and development lifecycle to ensure our tools are standards compliant and easy for people to navigate and understand using the assistive technologies and devices that support their needs. At Desire2Learn we use WAI guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0), Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (ATAG 2.0) and Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite (WAI-ARIA) to ensure our designs are consistent with international objectives." For more information go to D2L Accessibility.

Course Attendance Policy

"Attendance" and participation are required. You will be expected to participate in ongoing discussions of the lesson topics and to interact with other students and your instructor regularly. It is expected that you will demonstrate a positive attitude and courtesy toward other participants in the discussion and observe good discussion netiquette. Be sure to read and observe the following procedures:

House Bill 280

For information regarding HB 280 (Campus Carry), please refer to House Bill 280. It is the permit holder's responsibility to know and comply with the law. 

Time Commitment

Taking an online course is not easier or faster. On the contrary, it will take as much time as taking a face-to-face class or more. If you normally go to class 3 hours per week per course, you will need to devote that same amount of time to your online course. In addition to online time, you should spend time studying and working with course materials several hours per week offline. It will be helpful to set aside regular study time when you can work uninterrupted. Offline time could be spent in composing messages to post online, reading, studying, and working homework problems.

The amount of time it will take you to complete the work for the course will depend on many factors, which will vary with each individual. Students can expect to spend anywhere from 8 - 15 hours per week on this course. Consult with the course Calendar and your instructor to be sure you are on schedule, keeping up with the material and submitting assignments and assessments on time.

As a general rule, in this course you will be expected to:

  1. Log in regularly to check messages from your instructor and other students.
  2. Check the Calendar for announcements from your instructor.
  3. Study, read online materials, and do all the assigned tasks for each module.
  4. Complete all course work and assignments in the time allowed.

Assignment Requirements

All assignments should be double-spaced and in 12-point type. Stick to a standard font such as Times New Roman. Correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation are minimum requirements in a college-level course.

You can compose your assignments using MS Word / MS Office or Open Office (free download from openoffice.org). ALL assignments must be saved in the Word equivalent that saves the document with the file extension ending in 'doc' or 'docx'.

Place your name and the number of the assignment at the top of the page. Save the document using your name and the assignment number. For example, if your name were Susan Williams, you would submit assignment 1 as Williams_Susan_1. Save a copy of all submitted work and save the graded work when it is returned to you.

Technical Requirements

Students should be able to:

Hardware requirements

GeorgiaView - D2L Help Center, Brightspace compatibility check

Software requirements

You can always learn more about CougarVIEW, sometimes referred to as D2L Brightspace, by clicking on the "HELP" icon located on the right-hand side of the CougarVIEW top navigation bar.

If you need technical support or need assistance configuring your computer, you can refer to the link located in the "Technical Resources" widget located on your "My Home" and your "Course Home" pages. If you can not solve your problem after reviewing the knowledge base help pages, you can call help center 24-7 and talk to a Help Center agent. The number is 1-855-772-0423.

Academic Honesty

(Acknowledgement is hereby given to USG eCore on whose policy this is based).

All students are expected to recognize and uphold standards of intellectual and academic integrity. As a basic and minimum standard of conduct in academic matters that students be honest and that they submit for credit only the products of their own efforts. Both the ideals of scholarship and the need for fairness require that all dishonest work be rejected as a basis for academic credit. They also require that students refrain from any and all forms of dishonorable or unethical conduct related to their academic work.

In an effort to foster an environment of academic integrity and to prevent academic dishonesty, students are expected to discuss with faculty the expectations regarding course assignments and standards of conduct. In addition, students are encouraged to discuss freely with faculty, academic advisers, and other members of the academic community any questions pertaining to the provisions of this policy.

Definitions and Examples

The examples and definitions given below are intended to clarify the standards by which academic honesty and academically honorable conduct are to be judged.

The following list is merely illustrative, and it is not intended to be exhaustive. Moreover, the definitions and examples suggest conditions under which unacceptable behavior of the indicated types normally occurs. However, there may be unusual cases that fall outside these conditions that also will be judged unacceptable by the academic community.

Plagiarism

(NOTE: Plagiarism detection systems are often used by CSU faculty members.)

Plagiarism is presenting another person's work as one's own. Plagiarism includes any paraphrasing or summarizing of the works of another person without acknowledgment, including the submitting of another student's work as one's own. Plagiarism frequently involves a failure to acknowledge in the text, notes, or footnotes the quotation of the paragraphs, sentences, or even a few phrases written or spoken by someone else.

The submission of research or completed papers or projects by someone else is plagiarism, as is the unacknowledged use of research sources gathered by someone else when that use is specifically forbidden by the instructor. Failure to indicate the extent and nature of one's reliance on other sources is also a form of plagiarism.

Cheating on examinations

Cheating on examinations involves giving or receiving unauthorized help before, during, or after an examination. Examples of unauthorized help include the use of notes, texts, "crib sheets," websites, electronic documents or notes, and computer programs during an examination (unless specifically approved by the instructor), or sharing information with another student during an examination (unless specifically approved by the instructor). Other examples include intentionally allowing another student to view one's own examination and forbidden collaboration before or after an examination.

Unauthorized collaboration

Submission for academic credit of a work product, developed in substantial collaboration with other person or source but represented as one's own effort, is unauthorized. Seeking and providing such assistance is a violation of academic honesty. However, collaborative work specifically authorized or assigned by an instructor is allowed.

Multiple Submissions

It is a violation of academic honesty to submit substantial portions of the same work for credit more than once without the explicit consent of the instructor(s) to whom the material is submitted for additional credit. In cases in which there is a natural development of research or knowledge in a sequence of courses, use of prior work may be desirable, or required. However, the student is responsible for indicating in writing, that the current work submitted for credit is cumulative in nature.

Grading

Students are expected to be fully prepared to discuss the topic(s) each week and complete the assignments each week. Your final grade will be based upon completing the following learning activities and exams.

Graded Learning Activities and Exams Points Percentage
Graded Activities and Exams

Discussion Postings (5 @ 20pts each)

 100 20%

Labs (15 @ 10pts each)

 150 30%
Midterm Exam 100 20%
Final Comprehensive Exam 150 30%
Total Possible 500 100%

Percentage Range Final Grade
Final Grade Calculation
90-100% A
80-89% B
70-79% C
60-69% D
59% and below F