Course Descriptions

Cybersecurity Graduate Courses

CYS 521. Cyber-Crime Investigation and Digital Forensics (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing and Permission of the Instructor
This course will introduce students to digital forensics as used to analyze both corporate security incidents and criminal evidence in computer systems and digital media. Forensic tools and techniques for storage and memory analysis of Windows/Linux, network traffic, mobile devices, and documentation are covered and reinforced with hands-on exercises run in a virtual machine environment. Students will learn how to collect, process, analyze, and report evidence that is legally admissible to support the investigation of cyber-crimes. (Every 2 years)

CYS 522. IoT, Cloud, and Mobile Security (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing and Permission of the Instructor
Students will understand the vulnerabilities associated with the use of cloud computing technologies, internet of things, and mobile devices. Students will learn how to securely provision, operate, and maintain technology to support cloud-based systems, internet of things, and mobile devices. Students will also be introduced to industrial networks and SCADA systems and gain an understanding into the security, reliability, and stability requirements of such systems. (Every 2 years)

CYS 523. Cybersecurity law, Ethics, and Policy (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing and Permission of the Instructor
Students will learn about laws, regulations and ethics that apply to all aspects of information security. Introduce Students to the fundamental concepts of security policy, audit and compliance process in different IT environments. Introduce students to code of practice for security controls and tools to perform audit, assessment, and compliance analysis of security controls. (Every 2 years)

CYS 525. Enterprise Cybersecurity Management (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing and Permission of the Instructor
Students will learn concepts in the design, implementation, and management of an information management system program. Topics covered in this course will include; enterprise and security architectures, risk management frameworks, cybersecurity frameworks, and cybersecurity guidelines. (Every 2 years)

CYS 572. Mobile Computing and Security (3 hours)

Prerequisite: ECE 323 or equivalent
Assessment of vulnerabilities and threat vectors associated with mobile computing devices. Mitigation techniques including security configurations as well as security software. Organizational mobile device security policy requirements. This course is available only to students enrolled in a graduate program and contains activities consistent with a graduate level engineering course. (Every 2 years).

CYS 573. Secure Hardware and Embedded Devices (3 hours)

Prerequisite: ECE 323 or equivalent
Security and trust of hardware and embedded devices, with a particular focus on the emerging security challenges facing the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Principles of trusted computing. Industry standard solutions for securing IoT devices. This course is available only to students enrolled in a graduate program and contains activities consistent with a graduate level cybersecurity course. (Every 2 years).

CYS 601. Information Security and Assurance (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles and concepts of cybersecurity and how they are used to provide system security. Students will understand how threats, risks, policies, and controls impact cybersecurity; analyze common security failures and identify specific design principles that have been violated; understand the interaction between security and system usability and the importance of minimizing the effects of security mechanisms. (Every year)

CYS 602. IT Principles and Applications (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor
This course covers networking and operating systems basics necessary for the understanding of cybersecurity. This course will cover protocols, hardware and software components, tools, and technologies of modern computing environments and their individual functions and security implications. (Every year)

CYS 603. Cybersecurity Experimentation (3 hours)

Prerequisite: CYS 601 and CYS 602
Students will build virtual networks of increasing complexity, and will gain experience using common network security tools to identify, verify, and remedy security vulnerabilities. (Every year)

CYS 621. Cybersecurity Governance and Risk Management (3 hours)

Prerequisite: CYS 601 and CYS 602
This course focuses on the development of a good cybersecurity governance strategy based on cybersecurity risk management and organizational/business goals. This course will cover programs, frameworks, best-practices, and guidelines used in cybersecurity governance and risk management. (Every 2 years)

CYS 622. Cyber Intelligence and Threat Hunting (3 hours)

Prerequisite: CYS 601 and CYS 602
Proactively detect and isolate advance threats through the collection of intelligence from open-source intelligence sources, social media, human intelligence, technical intelligence or intelligence from the deep and dark web. (Every 2 years)

CYS 623. Cybersecurity Program Design and Management (3 hours)

Prerequisite: CYS 601 and CYS 602
Develop cybersecurity programs. Identify security controls, goals, objectives, and metrics required to implement an organization-wide security program. Understand the people, process, and technology requirements for an effective security program. Topics to include supply-chain management, asset management, vulnerability management, configuration management, incident management, and employee onboarding and off boarding. (Every 2 years)

CYS 642. Malware Design, Analysis, and Reverse Engineering (3 hours)

Prerequisite: CYS 601 and CYS 602
Analyze software applications for malicious behavior. Malware behavior and hiding techniques, disassembling and decompiling of malware. Develop malware detection algorithms. (Every 2 years)

CYS 653. Business and IT Service Strategy (3 hours)

Prerequisite: CYS 601 and CYS 602
Understand the impact of cybersecurity in delivering business goals and objectives through IT services. Concepts and strategy to maximize security and minimize service disruptions due to security controls. (Every 2 years)

CYS 654. Virtualization, Automation, and Cybersecurity (3 hours)

Prerequisite: CYS 601 and CYS 602
Virtualization concept, Containers, VMs, virtual network, automation, and orchestration, DevSecOps, microservices, Emerging topics. (Every 2 years)

CYS 664/SSE 664. Software Security (3 hours)

Prerequisite SSE 550 or equivalent
Topics in software security. (Every 2 years)

CYS 672. Introduction to Neural Networks Application in Cybersecurity (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing
Course provides an introduction to concepts in neural networks and provides hands on experience of using neural networks to solve real world problems in a context of a cybersecurity project. Neural Networks, which include Deep Learning, are a part of computational intelligence, which are a rapidly growing area of artificial intelligence. Topics include classification, pattern recognition, regression, data mining, parallel distributed processing, and learning algorithm. Course will introduce real neural networks engines/tools for hands on experience with design, calibration, and implementation of neural networks in a cybersecurity project setting. (Every 2 years)

CYS 674. Introduction to Genetic Algorithms Application in Cybersecurity (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing
Course provides an introduction to concepts in Genetic Algorithms and provides hands on experience using Genetic Algorithms to solve real world cybersecurity problems in a context of a project. Genetic Algorithms are a part of computational intelligence, which is a rapidly growing area of artificial intelligence. This course will emphasize application of Genetic Algorithms engines/tools for hands on experience with design, calibration, and implementation of Genetic Algorithm in a cybersecurity project setting. (Every 2 years)

CYS 676. Introduction to Fuzzy Logic Application in Cybersecurity (3 hours)

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing
Course provides an introduction to concepts in Fuzzy Logic and provides hands on experience using Fuzzy Logics to solve real world cybersecurity problems in a context of a project. Fuzzy Logics are a part of computational intelligence, which is a rapidly growing area of artificial intelligence. This course will emphasize application of Fuzzy Logic widely used for addressing real-world problems related to decision making, control, image processing, etc. Fuzzy Logics can deal with incompleteness and lack of expert knowledge of the data, contrary to other Artificial Intelligence which requires exact knowledge. Course will introduce Fuzzy Logic engines/tools for hands on experience with design, calibration, and implementation of Fuzzy Logic in a programming setting. (Every 2 years)

CYS 683. Secure Software Design (3 hours)

Prerequisite SSE 550 or equivalent
Methodologies, best practices, and architectural techniques that lead to the development of secure software. Establishment of trusted interfaces. Secure software lifecycle design concepts. Architectural risk assessment. (Every 2 years)

CYS 685. Software Analysis and Security Testing (3 hours)

Prerequisite SSE 550 or equivalent
Development of test plans, vulnerability assessments, resolving software problems. Functional security testing, testing techniques. (Every 2 years)

Special Courses: ECE 691, 692, 693, 699

May be taken for variable credit and may be repeated for credit with permission of advisor (Occasionally)

CYS 691, 692, 693. Special Topics in Cybersecurity (1-6 hours)

CYS 698. Professional Seminar (1-6 hours)

CYS 699. Thesis Research (1-6 hours)

A maximum of 6 hours of research may be counted toward the degree. Only grades of satisfactory or unsatisfactory will be assigned.