CMPS 502 Syllabus | Last revised: August 2024
CMPS 502: Cyber Security
Syllabus
Program Master of Science in Cyber Security
Prerequisite(S) / Co-Requisites
Semester Fall 2024
Day, Time, Location Thursday 6p - 8:50p, Online Sync
Instructor / Email
[email protected] Office Hours Available through E-mail and during class hours
Credit Hours 3 semester credits hours (45 contact hours)
Course Description
This course introduces students to the field of cyber security. The goal is to educate and train students
to understand general concepts and use the necessary tools to detect and prevent vulnerabilities in
computer networks and systems. Students will be exposed to various cyber security tools used for the
analysis, detection and prevention of threats. They will gain a thorough understanding of current cyber
security technologies and ways of utilizing them to avoid attacks in the cyber world.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the course, students will:
1. Describe general security concepts to computer systems and networks. PLO# 2
2. Use and utilize several tools used in the analysis and incident handling of computer systems. PLO#
3
3. Detect vulnerabilities in computer systems that could be exploited by malicious third parties. PLO#
1
4. Examine the general concepts in using necessary tools to detect and prevent vulnerabilities.
PLO# 3
5. Select various cyber security tools used for analysis and prevention of threats. PLO# 3
Instructional Materials and References
Required Textbook:
• Computer Security Principles and Practice, Fourth Edition, by William Stallings and Lawrie
Brown (ISBN 13: 978-1-292-22061-1, ISBN 10: 1-292-22061-9)
Library References:
BAU collaborates with Barbaros Online Library. It can be accessed at any time by any Internet connected
device (PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone) or from any of the Computer Lab from
8:00am to 9:00pm every day. The Barbaros Online Library provides access to articles from thousands of
periodicals, many of them peer-reviewed journals, and over 350,000 E-Books and over 100 major
periodical and report databases. For research assistance you can contact the BAU Librarian by emailing
[email protected]
In addition, you are encouraged to use online resources and obtain a library/research card at any of
the following institutions:
Library of Congress (loc.gov): >38 million printed materials, FREE for public use, 18 minutes from BAU!
CMPS 502 Syllabus | Last revised: August 2024
Access hundreds of research databases online within the LOC.
DC Public Library (dclibrary.org): 27 locations; residents of VA and MD able to get cards
Montgomery County Public Libraries (montgomerycountymd.gov/library): 24 locations
Prince George’s County Public Libraries (pgcmls.info): 19 locations
Arlington Public Library (library.arlingtonva.us): 8 locations
Finally, you may use libraries at neighboring universities such as George Washington, Howard,
Georgetown, Catholic, and UDC; however, you should note that you are not able to check books out
from these libraries.
Instructional methods
Writing will be integrated into the life of this course. You will receive comments, direction, and support
as you work on strengthening your writing skills. Your writing will be evaluated and returned in a timely
fashion, allowing you to incorporate my comments into your future work. You will be able to draft,
revise, and resubmit a minimum of two papers.”
• basis of grade determination;
• bibliographic and other resources
• other course policies related to integrity of credit
Information Literacy - Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) Requirement
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
“Accreditation has mandated the incorporation of Information Literacy into the college curriculum.
Information Literacy, as defined by the American Library Association, is the set of abilities that enables
individuals to recognize when information is needed and then to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively.
To this end, the library faculty developed guidelines that specify which components of Information
Literacy should be infused into specific curricula by course level.”
Assessment Criteria and Methods of Evaluating Students
!!!No Late Submission, 20% deduction per each late day (a second late will also be counted as a
late submission and, for example, a 24-hour and 1 second late will be counted as 2 late days),
basically please be on-time on all assignments, weekly problems, discussions, mid-term, and Final
Exam!!!
Assignment 20% (4 Assignments, may require Turnitin submission)
Weekly Problems 20%
Discussion 20%
(10 Discussions, post your original and reply at least two responses to your peers)
Mid-term 15% (Turnitin submission required)
Final Exam 25% [One Final Paper; Turn-in Proposal (5%) and Final paper(20%)]
The proposal and Final paper are required to submit via Turnitin.
Information Literacy Requirement
At BAU, all courses require one assignment related to Information Literacy, which will be shown in the
topical outline.
Assignment Submission Guidelines
Each assignment turned in must adhere to APA-7 formatting and include the following on a title page:
▪ Your Name
CMPS 502 Syllabus | Last revised: August 2024
▪ School Name
▪ Course Name and Number
▪ Date
▪ Session Number (see below)
▪ Assignment Reference (e.g. HW1)
▪ Page Numbers on each page
Plagiarism
Academic Integrity is vital to the academic environment at BAU. Evaluation of each student's level of
knowledge, understanding, and ability to synthesize and integrate materials requires tangible assessment
via reports, examinations, and homework. Any willful misrepresentation of the relation between the work
being evaluated and the student's actual state of knowledge is an act of academic dishonesty.
Plagiarism can take several different forms, including the following:
• Using the exact language of someone else without the use of quotation marks and without
giving proper credit to the author.
• Rearranging another's ideas or material and presenting them as though they are one's original
work without giving appropriate acknowledgment.
• Submitting a document written by someone else as one's own work.
All assignments submitted for credit must be your original work. This includes text, ideas, images and
other graphics, and sounds. When you use anything — be it text, ideas, images and other graphics, or
sounds — created by someone else, you must appropriately cite the original source and provide full
reference documentation.
Instructors use plagiarism detection programs, and in case of any attempted plagiarism or use of
generative Ai, students will face the following:
1st Offense: The student will receive a zero (0) on the assignment.
2nd Offense: The student will fail the class.
Both offenses will become part of the student’s official record. Students who continue to use any
software to produce work or plagiarize the work of others may face expulsion from the University for
violating academic integrity expectations.
BAU Grading System
Letter Grade Number Grade GPA Letter Number GPA
Grade Grade
A 93-100 4.0 C+ 77-79 2.3
A- 90-92 3.7 C 73-76 2.0
B+ 87-89 3.3 C- 70-72 1.7
B 83-86 3.0 D+ 67-69 1.3
B- 80-82 2.7 D 60-66 1.0
F 0-59 0.0
Inclement Weather Policy
Students can learn if BAU is closed or opening late due to snow, ice, or other bad weather by checking:
1) the BAU website at www.bau.edu 2) calling BAU at +1 (844) 922-8228; or (3) by checking local news
CMPS 502 Syllabus | Last revised: August 2024
channels.
Student Code of Conduct
Students are expected to embrace the Code of Conduct from their start date at BAU until their
graduation date. The University has put forth the following Code of Conduct to guide students through
their years of academic and personal growth:
▪ Commitment to academic integrity and inquiry: students are honest and strive for academic
excellence, and continually express intellectual curiosity.
▪ Commitment to personal integrity and growth: always behaving according to the moral
principles that you believe in, and willingness to learn from different views and opinions.
▪ Commitment to creating a community based on respect and support for others.
▪ Commitment to inclusion of others and respect for diversity in all its forms: the belief that all
people deserve to be treated equally, listened to, and given equal participation both in and
outside of the classroom, regardless of:
▪ their ideas and opinions, including religious or political beliefs and philosophies;
▪ their personal identity and origin, including their race, ethnicity, ability, gender or sexual
identity, age, social class, immigration status, or nationality; and
▪ their own experiences as human beings, such as their academic and personal experiences,
although they may be different from the experiences of others.
BAU expects students commit to the Code of Conduct, to create a positive education environment for all
community members. Students who do not adhere to the Code of Conduct may face disciplinary actions
(See Academic Catalog)
Attendance Policy
Attendance at BAU is mandatory. There are only three acceptable reasons for absence from class or lab:
(1) serious illness of the student, (2) a family emergency, or, (3) any legal obligation that occurs at the
same time as class. Non-emergency appointments and non-emergency travel do not count as excused
absences. In cases of illness, the student must submit a doctor’s or clinic note explaining the reason for
the absence to the Registrar. The doctor or clinic note excusing the student is subject to verification.
Falsifying medical notes is a breach of integrity. Consistent with the University’s expectations on academic
integrity and student conduct, students who falsify medical notes will fail all classes for which the note is
falsified.
The violation of integrity offense will become part of the student’s official record. Students who continue
to falsify medical notes will face expulsion from the University and notification will be sent to SEVIS (for
international students with an I20) for violating academic integrity expectations. Explanations for excused
absences must be received no later than one week after the last missed class. Students are requested to
e-mail instructors regarding absences prior to the class session to be missed.
Use of Cell Phones & Electronics Policy
All cell phones and electronic devices must be turned off in class. Electronic devices such as computers
and tablets may be used with permission of the instructor.
Additional Information on BAU Policies can be consulted in the Academic Catalog.
CMPS 502 Syllabus | Last revised: August 2024
Weekly Outline
Below is the Weekly Outline.
*Outline is subject to change. Changes will be posted on BAU Hub
Week # Topic Major Activities & Assignments Learning
Objectives
Cybersecurity Overview Weekly Problems, Discussion 01, and 1
1
Read Chapter 01
Cryptographic Tools Weekly Problems, Discussion 02, and 2
2
User Authentication Read Chapter 02 & 03
Access Control Weekly Problems, Assignment 1, and 2
3
Database and Data Center Security Read Chapter 04 & 05
Malicious Software Weekly Problems, Discussion 03, and 3
4
Denial-of-Service Attacks Read Chapter 06 & 07
Intrusion Detection Weekly Problems, Discussion 04, and 3
5 Firewalls and Intrusion Prevention Read Chapter 08 & 09
Systems
Buffer Overflow Weekly Problems, Discussion 05, and 4
6
Software Security Read Chapter 10 & 11
Operating System Security Weekly Problems, Assignment 2, and 4
7
Cloud and IoT Security Read Chapter 12 & 13
8 Midterm Exam
IT Security Management and Risk Weekly Problems, Discussion 06, and 2
Management Read Chapter 14 & 15
9
IT Security Control, Plans, and
Procedures
Physical and Infrastructure Security Weekly Problems, Discussion 07, and 5
10
Human Resources Security Read Chapter 16 & 17
Security Auditing Weekly Problems, Assignment 3, and 5
11
Legal and Ethical Aspects Read Chapter 18 & 19
Symmetric Encryption and Message Weekly Problems, Discussion 08, and 4
Confidentiality Read Chapter 20 & 21
12
Public-Key Cryptography and
Message Authentication
Internet Security Protocols and Weekly Problems, Discussion 09, and 1
13 Standards Read Chapter 22 & 23
Internet Authentication Application
14 Thanksgiving Break (No Class) No Class
Wireless Network Security Weekly Problems, Discussion 10, 1
15
Assignment 4, and Read Chapter 24
16 FINAL EXAM
