Course Descriptions

CYFI Course Descriptions

• CYFI 305 FUNDAMENTALS OF CYBERSECURITY (3)

  Provides a basic understanding of cybersecurity and its relationship with networks and operating systems. Students will be able to recognize threats to an organization and to infrastructure. Examines the frameworks, roles, and competencies involved with information security. The fundamentals of cybersecurity that will be examined include network and security concepts, attacker techniques, data security, system and applications security. Lab Fees: $65.

• CYFI 308 CYBER CRIME (3)

  This course examines both the traditional and contemporary forms of cybercrime, including hacking, insider threat, cyberbullying, hacktivism, and cyberterrorism. In addition, this course will apply a variety of sociological, psychological, and criminological theories to explore the cause and motivation of offenders that has led to the significant rise in cybercrimes.

• CYFI 310 CYBER CRIME AND THE LAW (3)

  Learn concepts and techniques related to data analytics and analysis techniques to discover forensic evidence. The course teaches students to apply basic statistical, machine learning, and artificial intelligence tools to describe, visualize, and analyze forensic data collected from computing devices. The class focuses on detecting anomalies on collected forensic log files.

• CYFI 315 OPERATING SYSTEM FORENSICS (3)

  Explores the roles of an operating system, its basic functions, and the services provided by the operating system. Learn the forensic analysis of the three major operating systems (Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux) in the real world. Topics include disk acquisition and analysis, file system forensic, memory acquisition and analysis, timeline investigation, as well as tracking and analyzing operating system configuration settings. $65 course fee.

• CYFI 330 MOBILE FORENSICS (3)

  Provides a framework for learning the latest developments in wireless and mobile communications; the characteristics and operations of wireless network technologies. Examines wireless network principles, protocols, and applications and provides basic knowledge necessary to complete a logical acquisition of digital evidence from mobile devices. Demonstrates the use of wireless networks and mobile forensics investigative techniques and tools. Explains mobile forensics procedures and principles, related legal issues, mobile platform internals, bypassing passcode, rooting, logical and physical acquisition, data recovery and analysis. Some of the topics covered will include hand-on extraction using iOS, Blackberry and Android platforms. Lab Fees: $65.

• CYFI 345 NETWORK FORENSICS (3)

  Explores the methodology and procedures associated with analyzing and mitigating threats in a network environment; identification of potential risks, inappropriate software activity, and security breaches. Examines the topologies, protocols, and applications required to conduct forensic analysis in networks. Other topics include an overview of the various types of VPNs and the utility of firewalls and limitations of firewalls. Explains network forensic principles, legal considerations, digital evidence controls, and documentation of forensic procedures. Laboratory exercises will reinforce practical applications of course instruction. Lab Fees: $65.

• CYFI 360 ADVANCED PYTHON FOR FORENSICS (3)

  Provides advanced elements of regular expressions in Python; explores the python working with databases, files, Unicode and text encoding, and object-oriented coding in Python as it relates to forensics. Examines how to test and debug Python codes. Describes Python language and constructs used to write script and complex programs using Python's OOP model. Python software will be used to perform diagnostics and investigations, and ways to visualize data. The course will teach students to use the Python libraries as an investigative tool. Lab Fees: $65.

• CYFI 375 FUNDAMENTALS OF CRYPTOGRAPHY (3)

  Introduces the historical and modern cryptography to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of data and communication. Study how cryptographic algorithms and protocols work and how to use them. Topics include symmetric cryptography, asymmetric cryptography, hash functions, as well as various attacks to cryptographic algorithms and protocols. Explores decryption techniques as applied to businesses and to government. Steganography is a process by which information is hidden within other media. Also presents the processes of hiding or encrypting data to inhibit a forensic analysis and of the detection and counter-resolution of hidden information. Lab Fees: $65.

• CYFI 390 ETHICAL HACKING (3)

  Learn how to apply knowledge of engineering to security evaluations, design and conduct security assessment experiments as well as analyze and interpret the resulting data. Learn various practice techniques for penetration testing and provide various methods of discovering ways of exploiting vulnerabilities to gain access to a system. Understand professional and ethical responsibility. Recognize the need for life-long learning in the quickly changing cybersecurity environment. Lab Fees: $65. Prerequisites: FSCS 305, FSCS 310, and FSCS 360.

• CYFI 415 FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONS (3)

  Examines the theory, best practices, and methodologies to conduct computer forensics investigations; it includes ethical issues, evidence collection and preservation, data presentation, and chain-of evidence procedures. Explore current tools and technologies used to analyze, acquire, and organize digital evidence. Case studies are used to illustrate successful and sometimes less successful investigations. An introduction to LAN investigation as well as PC and Mac Forensics will be included. Lab Fees: $65. Prerequisites: FSCS Fundamentals of Cyber Security, FSCS 310 Cyber Crime and the Law.

• CYFI 445 FORENSIC DATA ANALYSIS (3)

  Learn concepts and techniques related to data analytics and analysis techniques to discover forensic evidence. Applying basic statistical, machine learning, and artificial intelligence tools to describe, visualize, and analyze forensic data collected from computing devices. Focus on detecting anomalies on collected forensic log files. Lab Fees: $65. Prerequisites: CYFI 305, 315, 345, 360, and 415

• CYFI 485 MONEY LAUNDERING (3)

  An essential element of financial crimes is the ability to move assets in ways that resist detection. Explores frequently used techniques, reviews national and international laws and practices to prevent money laundering, and describes best practices to minimize the ability to use money laundering as part of financial crimes. Prerequisite: None.

• CYFI 490 FORENSIC INCIDENT RESPONSE - CAPSTONE (3)

  Examines the methods, procedures, and policies necessary for a collaborative incident response team. Allows opportunity to review, analyze, and integrate what has been learned in each of the prerequisites courses. Students will learn how incident response teams organize, identify, and gather evidence using a number of real-world scenario cases related to various aspects of cyber forensics to complete a capstone project that demonstrate mastery of the culmination of the cyber forensics degree program. Laboratory fee required. Prerequisites: FSCS 305, 310, 315, 330, 345, 360, 375, and 390.

• CYFI 496 INTERNSHIP IN CYBER FORENSICS (3)

  Provides a field experience to students in cyber forensics entities. This requirement is completed at the end of the program. Prerequisites: CYFI 305, 310, 315, 330, 345, 360, and 375. Eligible for continuing studies grade.

• CYFI 600 LEGAL ISSUES IN HIGH TECHNOLOGY CRIME (3)

  Examines the general regulatory and statutory computer-related law, ethics, and policies associated with high technology crimes. Areas of major focus include legal issues facing the private, corporate, and governmental sectors, relative to the application of traditional search and seizure, chain of custody, and ethical considerations. Problem oriented course that focuses on criminal and civil issues in the law, including the interpretation and application of the holdings in various landmark cases, and the analyses of statutes to different criminal/civil fact patterns. Prerequisites - None

• CYFI 605 INFORMATION RETRIEVAL : PAPER AND ELECTRONIC (3)

  Explore the fundamentals of data, information, computing technology, and information retrieval. Focuses on the understanding of computer hardware components, operating systems, and networks, as well as how raw data is associated with software and hardware. Lab fee required.

• CYFI 610 IDENTIFYING ORGANIZATIONAL LIABILITIES AND CRIME (3)

  Examines the historical development and theory of potential liabilities, risks, and responsibilities of private, corporate, and governmental entities relative to cybercrime within various sectors of law, with focus on applicable search protocols, physical security issues, due diligence, environmental, regulatory, and statutory concerns and requirements.

• CYFI 620 FORENSIC INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUE I (3)

  Examines forensic investigative techniques as it relates to civil and criminal procedure. Explains technical skills in data collection, data acquisition, hard drive imaging, reconstruction of past events, collection and preservation of electronic evidence and consideration if search and seizure violates any constitutional rights. Analyzes storage media structures and content. Intended as an introduction to CYFI 720. Prerequisite: CYFI 605. Lab fee required.

• CYFI 625 INFORMATION SYSTEMS, THREATS, ATTACKS, AND DEFENSE STRATEGIES (3)

  Examines information systems and the threats from malicious activities that attempt to collect data from or control, disrupt, deny, or destroy information within a system and through external networks. Explores origins of such attacks and effective responses to various threat actors as part of pen testing and related processes. Explores auditing methodologies and quality assurance, control, and management requirements necessary for information systems, Introduces disaster recovery and business impact analysis as part of the required business policy and recovery processes. Lab fee required. Prerequisite: CYFI 605.

• CYFI 630 INTRODUCTION TO CRYPTOGRAPHY (3)

  Provides a detailed synopsis to historical and modern cryptography. Examines fundamentals of cryptographic algorithms and protocols, including encryption, decryption, hashing, message authentication, digital signature, and key agreement protocols. Analyzes the differences between symmetric and asymmetric encryption. Prerequisite: CYFI 605. Lab fee required.

• CYFI 700 MOBILE FORENSICS (3)

  Addresses both scientific methodologies and practical skills to extract digital evidence in a legal context. Examines mobile forensics investigation techniques on various phases of the mobile forensics process for both Android and iOS-based devices. Provides a hands-on approach to mobile forensics using industry and government-recognized guidelines and software, i.e., Encase and FTK. Lab fee required. Prerequisite: CYFI 620

• CYFI 720 FORENSIC INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES II (3)

  A continuation of CYFI 620 that examines fundamental principles and hands-on practice of forensic investigations. Examines the use of networking techniques and tools for retrieval, recovery, authentication, and analysis of electronic data from file systems and memory. Explores practical approaches and investigation methods to retrieve evidence from network traffic, software application, source code, and compiled code. Prerequisite: CYFI 620. Lab fee required.

• CYFI 725 COMPUTER AND DIGITAL FORENSICS (3)

  Examines fundamental principles and hands-on practice of computer and digital forensics. Examines the use of computer forensic theories, techniques, and tools for retrieval, recovery, authentication, and analysis of electronic data from file systems and memory with extensive use of command lines of Windows and Linux-based systems. Reconstructs computer usages that are associated with cybercrimes. Lab fee required. Prerequisite: CYFI 620

• CYFI 750 CAPSTONE COURSE (3)

  Integrates and applies knowledge, theories, principles, skills and practical applications learned in Master of Science in Forensic Science - Cyber Investigations courses to actual cybercrime case scenarios. Lab fee required. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all core courses in the program and permission of program director.