Computer-based information processing is a foundation of contemporary society. As such, the protection of digital information, and the protection of systems that process this information has become a strategic priority for both the public and private sectors. This course provides an overview of information assurance and security concepts, practices, and trends. Topics include computing and networking infrastructures, risk, threats and vulnerabilities, legal and industry requirements for protecting information, access control models, encryption, critical national infrastructure, industrial espionage, enterprise backup, recovery, and business continuity, personal system security, and current trends and futures.

This course will introduce many fundamental cybersecurity concepts. The course will teach students to think about information systems using an adversarial mindset, evaluate risk to information systems, and introduce controls that can be implemented to reduce risk. Topics will include authentication systems, data security and encryption, risk management and security regulatory frameworks, networking and system security, application security, organizational and human security considerations, and societal implications of cybersecurity issues. These topics will be discussed at an introductory level with a focus on applied learning through hands-on virtual lab exercises.

Students will gain experience and a better understanding of the application of technologies discussed in classes by working in the field of computing security. Students will be evaluated by their employer. If a transfer student, they must have completed one term in residence at RIT and be carrying a full academic load.

This course teaches the student the essential technologies needed by NSSA majors, focused on PC and mainframe hardware topics. They include how those platforms operate, how they are configured, and the operation of their major internal components. Also covered are the basic operating system interactions with those platforms, physical security of assets, and computing-centric mathematical concepts.