CPS 155: Introduction to
Cyber Security
CPS 155
Introduction to Cyber Security
(3 credits)
Class Size: 10-25
Faculty: Ehat Ercanli, Associate Professor, Syracuse
University
Administrative Contact: Tavish Van Skoik, Assistant Director,
Project Advance
* CPS 155 is NOT accepting applications
for training at this time
Course Catalog Description
Introductory concepts of: network organization and operation
security. Differentiate among physical, organizational and
personal security. Introduce mechanisms and history of
software, hardware and OS security. Significant hands-on
laboratory component with demonstrations and projects.
Course Overview
CPS 155 is a course that presents fundamental concepts of
security, network organization, and operation.
It will introduce mechanisms and the history of software,
hardware, and OS security. Students will differentiate between
physical, organizational, and personal security. Introduction
to Cybersecurity consists of two lectures per week based on
reference text and course notes. In addition, two hands-on
labs will be conducted each week based on the Lab Manual for
the course. Students will receive one homework assignment and
one quiz each week. The homework assignment will be due the
first class of the following week. There are no prerequisites
for this course.
Weeks 1-3: How Does a Network Work? How Does Your Computer
System Work (Hardware and OS)? Binary, hex, and information
representation (ASCIIÉ); Serial Communication and modems;
Network fundamentals (Chapter 9, p. 195); Wireless and instant
messaging (Chapter 12, p. 287)
Weeks 4-6: What is Security? General security concepts
(Chapter 2, p. 19); Operational and organizational security
(Chapter 3, p. 43); Role of people in security (Chapter 4, p.
63); Computer ethics; The impact of physical security on
network security (Chapter 8, p. 181); Infrastructural security
(Chapter 10, p. 215)
Weeks 7-9: How Do We Detect and Respond to Attacks on the
Network? Disaster recovery, business continuity, and
organizational policies (Chapter 19, p. 483); Risk management
(Chapter 20, p. 511); Change management (Chapter 21, p. 533);
Privilege management (Chapter 22, p. 549); Computer forensics
(Chapter 23, p. 569); Security and law (Chapter 24, p. 587)
Weeks 10-11: How is the Network Vulnerable, and What Are the
Threats? Attacks and malware (Chapter 15, p. 395); E-mail
attacks (Chapter 16, p. 423); Web-based attacks (Chapter 17,
p. 439)
Weeks 12-13: How Do We Prevent Harm to the Network?
Cryptography (Chapter 5, p. 77); Public key infrastructure
(Chapter 6, p. 107); Intrusion detection systems (Chapter 13,
p. 309); Security baselines (Chapter 14, p. 337); Software
development (Chapter 18, p. 469)
Pre- / Co-requisites
Be able to use a computer
o Activate applications
o Utilize the internet
o Send and receive email
o Have a basic literacy in computer operation
Three years of high school mathematics
o Basic Algebra
o Introduction to logic
o Problem-solving skills utilizing unknowns
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to understand
how a network functions, monitor a network’s functions and
performance, control a network’s configuration, determine what
security is and how it relates to a network, detect and
respond to an attack on a network, determine if a network is
vulnerable to an attack, identify the threats to a network,
prevent harm to a network, and analyze the impact of the
protection.
Laboratory
N/A
Required Materials
Principles of Computer Security, Comp TIA Security+ and
Beyond, 4th Edition; Conklin, White,
Cothren, Williams, Davis & Schou
ISBN: 9780071835978 (McGraw-Hill, Marjie Sullivan:
315-488-4167 or 800-338-3987)
Computer Security Lab Manual, 4th Edition; Nestler, Conklin,
White & Hirsch
ISBN: 9780071836555 (McGraw-Hill, Marjie Sullivan:
315-488-4167 or 800-338-3987)
Instructor Recommendations
N/A
