Faculty
Bill Steel, Assistant Professor of Information Technology (Program
Director)
V.R. Nemani, Associate Professor of Business Administration
Scott E. Battle, Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Victoria Goetz, Assistant Professor of Business Administration [on leave
Fall 2002]
Robert Maguire, Assistant Professor of International Affairs
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Description
The Information Assurance Program offers a Master of Science in
Information Assurance. The Information Assurance Master's degree is a multidisciplinary degree
offering a complete approach to information protection and computer
security. The program has been designed to prepare students for the
increasing numbers of open positions for professionals who are able to
identify and implement overall essential and best practices in
information security. The M.S. in Information Assurance builds upon the
technical Graduate Certificate in Information Security to offer an
interdisciplinary degree dealing with issues in law, society,
government, and industry. The degree leverages Trinity College's
graduate programs in IT, Business, Communication, and International
Affairs.
The Program also offers a Graduate
Certificate in Information Security. Students may apply all of the
coursework from the certificate program to the M.S. in Information
Assurance.
Graduates of both programs are visionary, proactive practitioners of
information security and information assurance, with an understanding of
the complex concepts of information security and the ability to apply
them to practical situations. Graduates of the program will be qualified
to work in the challenging and highly rewarding field of information
security and information assurance.
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Program Prerequisites
Students who do not have a Bachelor's degree in Information Systems or a
related field may be required to complete prerequisite undergraduate
coursework before full admission is granted. The number of courses is
determined by the amount of experience the student has working with
computers. Students who have a background in computers and IT may waive
the prerequisite coursework at the discretion of the Program Director.
Prerequisite Courses
The following prerequisite courses may be required for those wishing to
enter the graduate program in Information Security and Information
Assurance. Additional prerequisites may be recommended by the Program
Director.
IT 223 Theory of Management Information Systems
IT 233 Networks I - Networks & Data Communication
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Degree Requirements
Required Courses (18 credits)
ALL of the following courses:
ISYS 565 Network Security
ISYS 661 Theory & Practice of Information Assurance
ISYS 663 Systems Intrusion, Detection & Response
ISYS 665 Auditing Information Systems
ISYS 667 Data Protection
ISYS 673 Information Security Strategy and Policy
Elective Courses (15 credits)
FIVE courses chosen from the following Information Security courses and
other approved courses from graduate programs in Business, International
Affairs and Communication:
ISYS 633 Advanced Network Architectures
ISYS 675 Legal & Ethical Issues in Information Assurance
ISYS 677 Information Assurance Trends
Capstone Course (3 credits)
ONE capstone course:
ISYS 699 Capstone Project in Information Assurance
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Course Descriptions
ISYS 565 Network Security
Provides the essential concepts and methods for network security. Topics
covered include physical security technologies / access control, data
encryption/decryption, a survey of commercial and free products,
security capable browsers, cryptography, certificates and firewalls.
3 credits
Prerequisite: IT 233 or permission
ISYS 633 Advanced Network Architectures
Examines strategies for the design and implementation of complex and
enterprise class network systems: overviews of network-centric
solutions, architectural frameworks, distributed computing and
connection of heterogeneous networks, production support requirements,
business needs and infrastructure requirements, implementation, system
change, updating and reconfiguration, formal analysis and specifications
and standards and protocols.
3 credits
Prerequisite: IT 233 or equivalent
ISYS 661 Theory & Practice of Information Assurance
Provides a systematic and practical approach to understanding IT
security and information assurance. Information Assurance explains and
defines the theories and processes that will help organizations ensure
trust in information systems and their proprietary information. Topics
include: defining information security and assurance goals, performing
vulnerability and threat analysis, implementing and verifying the
effectiveness of threat control measures, conducting accident and
incident investigations and organizational policies and strategy.
3 credits
Prerequisite: IT 223 or equivalent
ISYS 663 Systems Intrusion, Detection & Response
Covers network security management systems that gather and analyze
information to identify possible security breaches. It includes
intrusions (attacks from outside the organization) and misuse (attacks
from within the organization). Students learn the use of vulnerability
assessment and scanning technologies to determine the security of a
network.
3 credits
Prerequisite: IT 233 or ISYS 661 or equivalent
ISYS 665 Auditing Information Systems
Covers the effective assessment of a company's controls in physical and
logical security. Topics include: establishing security and
accreditation plans and guidelines, establishing responsibilities for
controls, classification levels and access, determining points of risk
and trust requirements, technological measures and safeguards.
3 credits
Prerequisite: IT 661
ISYS 667 Data Protection
Introduces basic concepts of cryptology, public key cryptography,
hardware and software implementations of cryptographies, data integrity
and authentication, protocols for secure mail, www and electronic
payments, security aspects of mobile communications, identification
schemes, Smart cards and PCMCIA cards.
3 credits
Prerequisite: IT 233 or ISYS 661 or equivalent
ISYS 673 Information Security Strategy and Policy
Covers security policies, mandatory and discretionary access control,
separation of duties and least privilege, security objectives,
architectures, models and mechanisms, privacy policy and technologies,
social implications of biometric identification and intellectual
property protection in cyberspace.
3 credits
Prerequisite: ISYS 661
ISYS 675 Legal and Ethical Issues in Information Assurance
This course provides an overview of the legal rights and liabilities
associated with operation and use of computers and information. It
discusses the key statutes, regulations, treaties, and court cases that
establish legal rights and responsibilities as to computer security and
information privacy. The course also helps students to learn how to
reduce their risk of potential legal liability for computer security or
information privacy failures, and how to enforce their security and
privacy rights against other parties.
3 credits
Prerequisite: ISYS 661 or permission
ISYS 677 Information Assurance Trends
Discusses the ways in which markets and social issues change the
requirements of networked information systems. Students will examine how
the need for information assurance has arisen with the rise of the
Internet age. Students will look at a range of current issues, from the
benefits and dangers of corporate IT sourcing to globally implementing
secure network standards.
3 credits
Prerequisite: ISYS 661 or permission
ISYS 699 Capstone Project in Information Assurance
Students conduct a capstone project suited to their individual needs.
The capstone project requires students to draw upon what they have
learned from the Information Assurance program and demonstrate that they
have achieved the program goals and objectives.
3 credits
Prerequisite: Completion of all other coursework and approval of advisor
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