Fall 2023
I 320 Topics in Informatics: Applied Cybersecurity Foundations
DESCRIPTION
The Applied Cybersecurity Community Clinic is a two-semester sequence that first equips students with the technical and business skills of an entry-level cybersecurity analyst (semester 1) and then partners them in (supervised) teams with a small local business, municipal government, nonprofit to render pro bono cybersecurity services (semester 2). During the first semester, students will learn key cybersecurity defense concepts and skills, such as vulnerability assessment, network configuration and security, access controls, authorization techniques, responding to a cyberattack, business planning, and penetration testing. Students will also learn how to form an effective cybersecurity operations team and communicate with organization and business leaders and employees about essential cybersecurity controls and functions. By the conclusion of this course, students will be prepared to work within their assigned teams to assess, design, and render a cybersecurity improvement project plan for their client organization next semester.
COURSE NOTES
The Applied Cybersecurity Community Clinic is a new two-semester sequence that first equips students with the technical and business skills of an entry-level cybersecurity analyst (semester 1) and then partners them in (supervised) teams with a small local business or nonprofit to render pro bono cybersecurity services (semester 2). In the first semester course, "Applied Cybersecurity Foundations," students will learn key cybersecurity defense concepts and skills, such as vulnerability assessment, network configuration and security, access controls, authorization techniques, responding to a cyberattack, penetration testing. Students will also understand how to form an effective cybersecurity team and communicate with organization and business leaders and employees about cybersecurity controls and functions. Learning objectives: • Learn how to assess, prioritize, and mitigate cyber risks to small organizations through case studies and simulated exercises on access and authorization controls, vulnerability scanning, network configuration and monitoring, penetration testing, and cyber incident response • Understand how to communicate risks and mitigations with organization and business leaders with no prior cybersecurity knowledge or experience • Prepare to provide supervised, hands-on cybersecurity services on a day-to-day basis to a small business or nonprofit in the Austin, Texas area during the second semester clinic course The course is taught and supervised by Professor Francesca Lockhart of the Strauss Center for International Security and Law. Further information about this clinic and application process can be found at StraussCenter.org.
RESTRICTIONS
Participation is limited to a small number of exceptional undergraduate students from any college or school. Strong candidates will be able to commit to two semesters of coursework and possess proven teamwork skills, an interest in learning and applying the technical aspects of cybersecurity, and a commitment to improving cyber resilience in Austin. No prior cybersecurity knowledge or experience required. See https://www.strausscenter.org/cybersecurity/apply-here-cyber-clinic for more information on applying to the Applied Cybersecurity Community Clinic.