Practical Information Security: A Competency-Based Education Course

This textbook presents a practical introduction to information security using the Competency Based Education (CBE) method of teaching. The content and ancillary assessment methods explicitly measure student progress in the three core categories: Knowledge, Skills, and Experience, giving students a balance between background knowledge, context, and skills they can put to work. Students will learn both the foundations and applications of information systems security; safeguarding from malicious attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities; auditing, testing, and monitoring; risk, response, and recovery; networks and telecommunications security; source code security; information security standards; and compliance laws. The book can be used in introductory courses in security (information, cyber, network or computer security), including classes that don’t specifically use the CBE method, as instructors can adjust methods and ancillaries based on their own preferences. The book content is also aligned with the Cybersecurity Competency Model, proposed by department of homeland security. The author is an active member of The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), which is led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NICE is a partnership between government, academia, and the private sector focused on cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction to Information Security
Chapter 2: The Ontology of Malwares
Chapter 3: Security and Access Controls: Lesson Plans
Chapter 4: Security and Risk Management and Planning: Lesson Plans
Chapter 5: Encryption and Information Protection/Integrity and Concealment Methods: Lesson Plans
Chapter 6: Network Security
Chapter 7: Web and Database Security
Chapter 8: Mobile and Wireless Security: Lesson Plans
Chapter 9: Software Code Security: Lesson Plans
Chapter 10: Disk and Computer Forensics: Lesson Plans
Chapter 11: Network Forensics: Lesson Plans
Chapter 12: Web Forensics-Chapter Competencies
Chapter 13: Mobile Forensics