Syllabus for CYB-221

FIREWALLS AND PERIMETER SECURITY

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Firewall and Perimeter Security studies the design and implementation of network perimeter security. Topics covered include threat vectors and vulnerability assessment, encapsulation at open system interconnection (OSI), firewall rule bases, web application and database firewalls, firewall assessment, border routers, intrusion detection and prevention, securing the operating systems and services, baseline audits, forensics, logging, encryption, authentication, wireless, network access control, and security tools.

COURSE TOPICS

Network Security
Firewall Technology and Management
VPN
Content Filtering
Detecting System Intrusions
Preventing System Intrusions
Internet Security
Intranet Security
LAN Security
Wireless Security
RFID Security

COURSE OBJECTIVES

After completing this course, you should be able to:

CO1 Explain how stateful firewalls, proxy firewalls, security policies, and routers are used to implement network security.

CO2 Describe the role of virtual private networks (VPNs).

CO3 Examine how intrusion detection system (IDS) and intrusion prevention system (IPS) can be used for network defense.

CO4 Appraise host hardening methods and security perimeter designs.

CO5 Utilize subnets and security zones to secure a network.

CO6 Implement wireless network security.

CO7 Analyze network security logs to identify potential threats.

CO8 Interpret post-quantum computing cryptographic methods.

CO9 Explain RFID security issues and its relationship to InfoSec.

CO10 Examine methods to test a software program’s security.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. To purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.

Required Textbook

Vacca, J. (Ed.). (2014). Network and system security (2nd ed.). Waltham, MA: Elsevier.

ISBN: 978-0124166899

COURSE STRUCTURE

Firewall and Perimeter Security is a three-credit, online course consisting of nine modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.

Module 1: Understanding Firewall and Perimeter Security Baseline Principles
Course objectives covered in this module: CO1, CO10
Module 2: Securing the Network, Firewall Design, Technologies Involved with Firewalls, and Perimeter Security Maintenance
Course objectives covered in this module: CO1, CO9
Module 3: VPNs: Configuring, Building, Testing, and Maintenance
Course objectives covered in this module: CO2, CO8
Module 4: IDS/IPS for Network Defense
Course objectives covered in this module: CO3
Module 5: Configuring, Implementing, and Appraising Hardening Methods and Security Perimeter Designs
Course objectives covered in this module: CO4
Module 6: Using Subnets and Security Zones to Secure the Network
Course objectives covered in this module: CO5

Module 7: Wireless Network Security
Course objectives covered in this module: CO6

Module 8: Threats to the Enterprise (Inside and Outside) and Analysis via Network Security Logs
Course objectives covered in this module: CO7

Module 9: Present and Post-Quantum Computing Encryption
Course objectives covered in this module: CO8

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums, complete written assignments, take a proctored final examination, and complete a final project. See below for details.

Consult the Course Calendar for due dates.

Promoting Originality

One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in this document.

Discussion Forums

You will be required to participate in five graded online discussion assignments. There is also one ungraded but required introductions forum in Module 1.

Discussion forums are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. The purpose of the discussion forums is to help make the connection between the course concepts and the goals of the course. In discussion posts, you express your opinions and thoughts, provide support and evidence for the position(s) you take on a subject, and have the opportunity to ask questions and expand on insights provided by your classmates. Active participation is vital to your overall success in this course.

Located within the Evaluation Rubrics section of the course website is the online discussion forum rubric used to aid in the grading of all online discussion assignments.

Written Assignments

You are required to complete seven written assignments. The written assignments are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules.

Final Examination

You are required to take one proctored online final examination. The exam requires that you use the University's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the Examinations and Proctors section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course website) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester.

Online exams are administered through the course website. Consult the Course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.

Final Examination

Note: For a list of key concepts that may appear on your exam, refer to the study guide available in the Examinations section of the course website.

The final is a closed-book, proctored online exam. It is two hours long and covers all material assigned in Modules 1 to 9 of the course. The final examination consists of multiple-choice and essay questions.

Statement about Cheating

You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:

Looking up any answer or part of an answer in an unauthorized textbook or on the Internet, or using any other source to find the answer.
Copying and pasting or in any way copying responses or parts of responses from any other source into your online test. This includes but is not limited to copying and pasting from other documents or spreadsheets, whether written by yourself or anyone else.
Plagiarizing answers.
Asking anyone else to assist you by whatever means available while you take the exam.
Copying any part of the exam to share with other students.
Telling your mentor that you need another attempt at the exam because your connection to the Internet was interrupted when that is not true.

If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.

Final Project

For the final project, you are required to identify and research a publicized security breach that occurred within the last five years. You will research, analyze, and report on what aspects of perimeter and other security went wrong, what industry accepted protocols were not followed, and the short and long term impact on the company and the industry as a whole. For details of Final Project, please refer to the Final Project area of the course website.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Online discussions (5)—15 percent
Written assignments (7)—35 percent
Final project—25 percent

Selected breach for final project—5 percent
Final project paper—20 percent

Final examination (proctored)—25 percent

All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:

A	=	93–100	C+	=	78–79
A–	=	90–92	C	=	73–77
B+	=	88–89	C–	=	70–72
B	=	83–87	D	=	60–69
B–	=	80–82	F	=	Below 60

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings).

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.
Take time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State University.
Arrange to take your examination(s) by following the instructions in this Syllabus and the Online Student Handbook.

Familiarize yourself with the learning management systems environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.
If you are not familiar with web-based learning be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:

To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the Course Calendar. The Course Calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations.
Check Announcements regularly for new course information.

ACADEMIC POLICIES

To ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University, familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies including those related to academic integrity, course late submissions, course extensions, and grading policies.

For more, see: