Cyber Security Center

decorative image of wheel cogs with cybersecurity related words written on them

The Center is designed to educate and inform students, faculty, and the southern Nevada community. Topics range from national standards for course content and academic opportunities at CSN to job training and career path information in this rapidly evolving field.

Please browse the topics below

Skilled cybersecurity professionals are in short supply. The demand is projected to grow by leaps and bounds for the foreseeable future. Colleges and universities are responding to this demand by developing programs to educate and train women and men to fill these vital jobs.

The National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security jointly encourage higher education programs in cybersecurity. In evaluating colleges and universities for designation as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security, they lay down the standards for content and quality in cyber security education. The requirements of this designation are the gold standard for cyber security programs.

Core Knowledge Areas

The following list forms the core subject areas to be included in two-year degree programs in cyber security:

  • Basic Data Analysis
  • Basic Scripting or Introductory Programming
  • Cyber Defense
  • Cyber Threats
  • Fundamental Security Design Principles
  • Information Assurance Fundamentals
  • Intro to Cryptography
  • IT Systems Components
  • Networking Concepts
  • Policy, Legal, Ethics, and Compliance
  • System Administration

Many of these topics are part of any IT-related degree. The others are special areas specific to cyber security, and represent areas for career specialization. Some are highly technical, others are less so. Because cyber security is a relatively new career path in IT, it can be attractive both to people new to IT and to seasoned IT veterans looking new challenges.

Source: www.cyberdegrees.org/listings/top-schools/#NSA_CAE-CD_Requirements

Vision for Two-Year Schools

The following vision statement is adopted by all institutions with the Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security designation and by those that aspire to that designation:

  • Provide programs that commit to excellence in the field of Information Assurance and Cyber Defense (IA/CD) education at community and technical college and government training institutions.
  • Provide innovative, comprehensive, and multidisciplinary education and training in the IA/CD field.
  • Strengthen the cyber security workforce by providing IA/CD education and training through degree and certification programs at community and technical colleges and government training centers.
  • Build an effective education pipeline model with K–12 schools to encourage students at an early age to enter IA/CD fields of study.
  • Provide the Nation with a pipeline of qualified students poised to become the future skilled technical workforce.
  • Continuously improve the quality of IA/CD programs, curriculum, faculty, students, and other institutions.

This vision reflects a commitment to prepare students for careers in high demand, that are dynamic, challenging, and fulfilling. Because cyber threats do hit every segment of society, cyber security professionals can find jobs in any sector of the economy, in any part of the country.

Degrees

The College of Southern Nevada offers the following degrees and certificates:

For more information about these AAS degrees and the Certificate of Achievement, contact Lori Scheuerman, Director of Cyber Security program.

Protect the Future. Start Now.
Associate of Science in Cybersecurity – CSN

Hands-On Training. Real-World Skills.
Build a solid cybersecurity foundation through interactive labs and projects focused on today’s critical technologies.

Industry-Aligned Courses
Master core IT skills aligned with CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+, plus gain experience in:

  • Operating systems & Linux
  • Network configuration & troubleshooting
  • Programming fundamentals
  • Cybersecurity principles & best practices

Seamless Transfer to UNLV
Complete all lower-division courses required for UNLV’s B.S. in Cybersecurity—fully transferable, no lost credits.
Get started at CSN—affordable, applied, and built to launch your cybersecurity education.

Big News! CSN is Now an Official EC-Council Academy!

Take your cybersecurity education to the next level with industry-leading certifications — now available directly through CSN!

As an EC-Council Academy, CSN students can now access world-recognized training and certifications at significantly discounted prices — right from the classroom.

  • Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH)
  • Certified Hacking Forensic Investigator (C|HFI)
  • Certified Incident Handler (E|CIH)
  • Cloud Security Engineer (C|CSE)...and many more!

These certifications are trusted by government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and cybersecurity firms around the globe.

Whether you're just starting out or ready to specialize, CSN now offers cutting-edge cybersecurity pathways that align with your career goals.
 

Courses

The following courses offered in the Computing and Information Technology (CIT) Department are relevant to the field of cyber security and appear on the Cyber Security AAS degrees and/or the Certificate of Achievement. Click or tap on the course prefix below (in parentheses) to see the course descriptions in the College Catalog.

Computing & Information Systems (CIT)

  • CIT 112B - Network+
  • CIT 114B - IT Essentials
  • CIT 129 - Introduction to Programming (formerly  IS 115)
  • CIT 173 - Introduction to Linux
  • CIT 174 - Linux System Administration
  • CIT 211 - Microsoft Operating Systems Management
  • CIT 212 - Microsoft Networking II
  • CIT 213 - Microsoft 365 Security Administration
  • CIT 214 - Microsoft Azure Administration
  • CIT 215 - Microsoft Networking V
  • CIT 217 - Security+
  • CIT 263 - Project Management

Cisco (CSCO)

  • CSCO 120 - Introduction to Networks
  • CSCO 121 - CCNA Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials
  • CSCO 220 - CCNA Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation
  • CSCO 221 - CCNA WAN Fundamentals
  • CSCO 230B - Security Operations Center Fundamentals

Cybersecurity (CSEC)

  • CSEC 101B - Incident Handling & Response
  • CSEC 104B - Security Essentials
  • CSEC 105B - Introduction to Technical Ethics
  • CSEC 110B - Introduction to Digital Forensics (formerly CF 119B)
  • CSEC 112B - Introduction to Applied Windows Forensics (formerly CF 117B)
  • CSEC 113B - Introduction to Linux Forensics
  • CSEC 114B - Introduction to Applied Network Forensics (formerly CF 118B)
  • CSEC 115B - Introduction to Applied Social Media Forensics
  • CSEC 116B - Introduction to Mobile Device Forensics (formerly CF 250B)
  • CSEC 117B - Introduction to Applied Internet Forensics
  • CSEC 118B - Introduction to Video & Photo Forensics
  • CSEC 125B - Policy, Legal, & Compliance
  • CSEC 212B - Intermediate Applied Windows Forensics (formerly CF 217B)
  • CSEC 225B - Governance & Risk Management
  • CSEC 226B - Compliance
  • CSEC 281B - Ethical Hacking
  • CSEC 289B - Malware Analysis
  • CSEC 290B - Security Capstone

Information Systems (IS)

  • IS 100B Core Computing Competency
  • IS 101 Introduction to Information Systems

Opportunities for Industry Certification

Many of the courses on the degree sheets will cover topics that also appear on industry-recognized certifications.

CSN Sisters Institutions Cyber Centers

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

University of Nevada, Reno

Faculty

Lori Scheuerman, Professor, Director of Cyber Security

Lori Scheuerman started her pursuit of IT knowledge simply wanting to know how it worked so she obtained, A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications; then a master’s degree in Management of Information Systems. She worked at an ISP, became the network engineer for a large hospital organization, started her own managed services company, and worked for a company that manages the IT network of a large community college. Lori’s professional certifications now include CCIE in Security, CISSP, CEH/CNDA, and ITILv3.

Lori teaches Computer Forensics courses, Ethical Hacking, and Cisco courses.

Lily Morningstar, Cyber Security Faculty

Professor Lily Morningstar attained a master’s degree in Cybersecurity focusing on Digital Forensics from Utica University, NY. M.S. in Mathematical Modeling and Computer Science, M.Ed. Mathematics and Computer science from Stavropol Federal University, Russia. Ms. Morningstar is a doctoral student at UNLV School of Education, focusing her studies on curriculum and development in Higher Education. She has 20 years of experience in diverse technology, and education.

Professor Morningstar teaches CIT 112 Network+, CIT 173 Introduction to Linux, CIT 217 Security+, CSCO 230B Security Operations Center Fundamentals, CSEC 110B Introduction to Digital Forensics.

Michael Sthultz, Cyber Security Faculty

Michael Sthultz received his undergraduate education at Claremont Men’s College (B.A.) and the University of California , Berkeley (B.S.E.E.). His M.S. in Computer Science was completed at UNLV. He also holds or has held industry certifications in A+, AME, IC3, CCNP, CCAI, CEH, CLS, CLP, CNA, MCSE, and MCT. His industry experience includes systems engineering (IBM), programming, network administration, management, and consulting.

Michael has been a full time faculty member at CSN since 1999. His teaching specialties include the Cisco Networking Academy and Digital Forensics courses. He is the author, technical editor, and reviewer for a number of college textbooks. He also has published a number of technical articles and has a U.S. patent on a digital forensics fraud detection device.

Michael teaches Computer Forensics courses.

Advisory Council for Cyber Security and Networking

The Advisory Council meets each semester. The Council reviews current and proposed curriculum and degree requirements in cyber security and networking. This ensures that CSN graduates have the skills and knowledge needed in the cyber security/networking profession and in the local community.

Members

Rick Aker, University Medical Center (UMC)

Bill Baltas, Fortinet

Debbie Banko, Link Technology

Stephanie Benoit, Kurtz Trace3

Leo Bletnisky, Healthy Technology Solutions

Angela Cosca, Steinberg Diagnostics

Pete Elton, Institutional Cash Distributors

Cheryl Feldmeier, OTS/Synoptek

Kriste Kolasa, Dell Technologies

Joe Leavitt, SuperBook

Aakin Patel, Harry Reid International Airport

Cliff Schaut, HANU

Lori Scheuerman, Clark County Water Reclamation

James Tsang, Digital Experience Services/Synoptek

Ex Officio Members

Karen Ahern, CSN CIT Faculty

Lori Scheuerman, CSN Cyber Security Program Director

Lily Morningstar, CSN Cyber Security Instructor

CSN Cyber  Club Coyotees

Meetings focus on cybersecurity topics and typically include presentations, guest speakers, and hands-on activities.

  • Meetings every Thursday at 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
    • 3200 E Cheyenne Ave., North Las Vegas, Arberry Telecom Building, A2752
  • Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Jj8BwDPD8M
CSN Cyber Club QR code

Faraday Cage at CSN

Press Release: New CSN Lab to Help Train Future Cybersecurity Professionals

Cyber Security Competitions

Open

College & University

High School

Government

Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency

America's Cyber Defense Agency CISA.GOV

National Security Agency/Central Security Service

NSA/CSS NSA.GOV

National Institute  of Standards and Technology

NIST Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity News Resources

Red Canary 2023 Threat Detection Report

The Hacker News | #1 Trusted Cybersecurity News Platform

Bleeping Computer

ThreatPost | The first stop for  security news

Security Weekly Weekly news and updates in InfoSec, shows, and podcasts, news.

Cybersecurity Podcasts

Darknet Diaries Interesting stories from the dark side of the Internet.

CyberWire Daily The daily cybersecurity news and analysis industry leaders depend on. Published each weekday, the program also included interviews with a wide spectrum of experts from industry, academia, and research organizations worldwide.

HackingHumans Join Dave Bittner and Joe Carrigan each week as they look behind the social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines and taking a heavy toll on organizations around the world.

Caveat A weekly conversation on surveillance, digital privacy, cybersecurity law, and policy.

Watch Cyber Attacks in Real-Time

Check Point

Kaspersky

FortiNet

Training

  • Cybrary Free and open source learning for cyber security.

CSN Library

Students, faculty, and staff have access to the following resources relevant to cyber security:

Clark County Library

The public library also has cyber security resources.

Career Information

Learn about the information security profession:

Job Search Resources

Please browse the topics below

Skilled cybersecurity professionals are in short supply. The demand is projected to grow by leaps and bounds for the foreseeable future. Colleges and universities are responding to this demand by developing programs to educate and train women and men to fill these vital jobs.

The National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security jointly encourage higher education programs in cybersecurity. In evaluating colleges and universities for designation as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security, they lay down the standards for content and quality in cyber security education. The requirements of this designation are the gold standard for cyber security programs.

Core Knowledge Areas

The following list forms the core subject areas to be included in two-year degree programs in cyber security:

  • Basic Data Analysis
  • Basic Scripting or Introductory Programming
  • Cyber Defense
  • Cyber Threats
  • Fundamental Security Design Principles
  • Information Assurance Fundamentals
  • Intro to Cryptography
  • IT Systems Components
  • Networking Concepts
  • Policy, Legal, Ethics, and Compliance
  • System Administration

Many of these topics are part of any IT-related degree. The others are special areas specific to cyber security, and represent areas for career specialization. Some are highly technical, others are less so. Because cyber security is a relatively new career path in IT, it can be attractive both to people new to IT and to seasoned IT veterans looking new challenges.

Source: www.cyberdegrees.org/listings/top-schools/#NSA_CAE-CD_Requirements

Vision for Two-Year Schools

The following vision statement is adopted by all institutions with the Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security designation and by those that aspire to that designation:

  • Provide programs that commit to excellence in the field of Information Assurance and Cyber Defense (IA/CD) education at community and technical college and government training institutions.
  • Provide innovative, comprehensive, and multidisciplinary education and training in the IA/CD field.
  • Strengthen the cyber security workforce by providing IA/CD education and training through degree and certification programs at community and technical colleges and government training centers.
  • Build an effective education pipeline model with K–12 schools to encourage students at an early age to enter IA/CD fields of study.
  • Provide the Nation with a pipeline of qualified students poised to become the future skilled technical workforce.
  • Continuously improve the quality of IA/CD programs, curriculum, faculty, students, and other institutions.

This vision reflects a commitment to prepare students for careers in high demand, that are dynamic, challenging, and fulfilling. Because cyber threats do hit every segment of society, cyber security professionals can find jobs in any sector of the economy, in any part of the country.

Degrees

The College of Southern Nevada offers the following degrees and certificates:

For more information about these AAS degrees and the Certificate of Achievement, contact Lori Scheuerman, Director of Cyber Security program.

Protect the Future. Start Now.
Associate of Science in Cybersecurity – CSN

Hands-On Training. Real-World Skills.
Build a solid cybersecurity foundation through interactive labs and projects focused on today’s critical technologies.

Industry-Aligned Courses
Master core IT skills aligned with CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+, plus gain experience in:

  • Operating systems & Linux
  • Network configuration & troubleshooting
  • Programming fundamentals
  • Cybersecurity principles & best practices

Seamless Transfer to UNLV
Complete all lower-division courses required for UNLV’s B.S. in Cybersecurity—fully transferable, no lost credits.
Get started at CSN—affordable, applied, and built to launch your cybersecurity education.

Big News! CSN is Now an Official EC-Council Academy!

Take your cybersecurity education to the next level with industry-leading certifications — now available directly through CSN!

As an EC-Council Academy, CSN students can now access world-recognized training and certifications at significantly discounted prices — right from the classroom.

  • Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH)
  • Certified Hacking Forensic Investigator (C|HFI)
  • Certified Incident Handler (E|CIH)
  • Cloud Security Engineer (C|CSE)...and many more!

These certifications are trusted by government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and cybersecurity firms around the globe.

Whether you're just starting out or ready to specialize, CSN now offers cutting-edge cybersecurity pathways that align with your career goals.
 

Courses

The following courses offered in the Computing and Information Technology (CIT) Department are relevant to the field of cyber security and appear on the Cyber Security AAS degrees and/or the Certificate of Achievement. Click or tap on the course prefix below (in parentheses) to see the course descriptions in the College Catalog.

Computing & Information Systems (CIT)

  • CIT 112B - Network+
  • CIT 114B - IT Essentials
  • CIT 129 - Introduction to Programming (formerly  IS 115)
  • CIT 173 - Introduction to Linux
  • CIT 174 - Linux System Administration
  • CIT 211 - Microsoft Operating Systems Management
  • CIT 212 - Microsoft Networking II
  • CIT 213 - Microsoft 365 Security Administration
  • CIT 214 - Microsoft Azure Administration
  • CIT 215 - Microsoft Networking V
  • CIT 217 - Security+
  • CIT 263 - Project Management

Cisco (CSCO)

  • CSCO 120 - Introduction to Networks
  • CSCO 121 - CCNA Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials
  • CSCO 220 - CCNA Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation
  • CSCO 221 - CCNA WAN Fundamentals
  • CSCO 230B - Security Operations Center Fundamentals

Cybersecurity (CSEC)

  • CSEC 101B - Incident Handling & Response
  • CSEC 104B - Security Essentials
  • CSEC 105B - Introduction to Technical Ethics
  • CSEC 110B - Introduction to Digital Forensics (formerly CF 119B)
  • CSEC 112B - Introduction to Applied Windows Forensics (formerly CF 117B)
  • CSEC 113B - Introduction to Linux Forensics
  • CSEC 114B - Introduction to Applied Network Forensics (formerly CF 118B)
  • CSEC 115B - Introduction to Applied Social Media Forensics
  • CSEC 116B - Introduction to Mobile Device Forensics (formerly CF 250B)
  • CSEC 117B - Introduction to Applied Internet Forensics
  • CSEC 118B - Introduction to Video & Photo Forensics
  • CSEC 125B - Policy, Legal, & Compliance
  • CSEC 212B - Intermediate Applied Windows Forensics (formerly CF 217B)
  • CSEC 225B - Governance & Risk Management
  • CSEC 226B - Compliance
  • CSEC 281B - Ethical Hacking
  • CSEC 289B - Malware Analysis
  • CSEC 290B - Security Capstone

Information Systems (IS)

  • IS 100B Core Computing Competency
  • IS 101 Introduction to Information Systems

Opportunities for Industry Certification

Many of the courses on the degree sheets will cover topics that also appear on industry-recognized certifications.

CSN Sisters Institutions Cyber Centers

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

University of Nevada, Reno

Faculty

Lori Scheuerman, Professor, Director of Cyber Security

Lori Scheuerman started her pursuit of IT knowledge simply wanting to know how it worked so she obtained, A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications; then a master’s degree in Management of Information Systems. She worked at an ISP, became the network engineer for a large hospital organization, started her own managed services company, and worked for a company that manages the IT network of a large community college. Lori’s professional certifications now include CCIE in Security, CISSP, CEH/CNDA, and ITILv3.

Lori teaches Computer Forensics courses, Ethical Hacking, and Cisco courses.

Lily Morningstar, Cyber Security Faculty

Professor Lily Morningstar attained a master’s degree in Cybersecurity focusing on Digital Forensics from Utica University, NY. M.S. in Mathematical Modeling and Computer Science, M.Ed. Mathematics and Computer science from Stavropol Federal University, Russia. Ms. Morningstar is a doctoral student at UNLV School of Education, focusing her studies on curriculum and development in Higher Education. She has 20 years of experience in diverse technology, and education.

Professor Morningstar teaches CIT 112 Network+, CIT 173 Introduction to Linux, CIT 217 Security+, CSCO 230B Security Operations Center Fundamentals, CSEC 110B Introduction to Digital Forensics.

Michael Sthultz, Cyber Security Faculty

Michael Sthultz received his undergraduate education at Claremont Men’s College (B.A.) and the University of California , Berkeley (B.S.E.E.). His M.S. in Computer Science was completed at UNLV. He also holds or has held industry certifications in A+, AME, IC3, CCNP, CCAI, CEH, CLS, CLP, CNA, MCSE, and MCT. His industry experience includes systems engineering (IBM), programming, network administration, management, and consulting.

Michael has been a full time faculty member at CSN since 1999. His teaching specialties include the Cisco Networking Academy and Digital Forensics courses. He is the author, technical editor, and reviewer for a number of college textbooks. He also has published a number of technical articles and has a U.S. patent on a digital forensics fraud detection device.

Michael teaches Computer Forensics courses.

Advisory Council for Cyber Security and Networking

The Advisory Council meets each semester. The Council reviews current and proposed curriculum and degree requirements in cyber security and networking. This ensures that CSN graduates have the skills and knowledge needed in the cyber security/networking profession and in the local community.

Members

Rick Aker, University Medical Center (UMC)

Bill Baltas, Fortinet

Debbie Banko, Link Technology

Stephanie Benoit, Kurtz Trace3

Leo Bletnisky, Healthy Technology Solutions

Angela Cosca, Steinberg Diagnostics

Pete Elton, Institutional Cash Distributors

Cheryl Feldmeier, OTS/Synoptek

Kriste Kolasa, Dell Technologies

Joe Leavitt, SuperBook

Aakin Patel, Harry Reid International Airport

Cliff Schaut, HANU

Lori Scheuerman, Clark County Water Reclamation

James Tsang, Digital Experience Services/Synoptek

Ex Officio Members

Karen Ahern, CSN CIT Faculty

Lori Scheuerman, CSN Cyber Security Program Director

Lily Morningstar, CSN Cyber Security Instructor

CSN Cyber  Club Coyotees

Meetings focus on cybersecurity topics and typically include presentations, guest speakers, and hands-on activities.

  • Meetings every Thursday at 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
    • 3200 E Cheyenne Ave., North Las Vegas, Arberry Telecom Building, A2752
  • Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Jj8BwDPD8M
CSN Cyber Club QR code

Faraday Cage at CSN

Press Release: New CSN Lab to Help Train Future Cybersecurity Professionals

Cyber Security Competitions

Open

College & University

High School

Government

Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency

America's Cyber Defense Agency CISA.GOV

National Security Agency/Central Security Service

NSA/CSS NSA.GOV

National Institute  of Standards and Technology

NIST Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity News Resources

Red Canary 2023 Threat Detection Report

The Hacker News | #1 Trusted Cybersecurity News Platform

Bleeping Computer

ThreatPost | The first stop for  security news

Security Weekly Weekly news and updates in InfoSec, shows, and podcasts, news.

Cybersecurity Podcasts

Darknet Diaries Interesting stories from the dark side of the Internet.

CyberWire Daily The daily cybersecurity news and analysis industry leaders depend on. Published each weekday, the program also included interviews with a wide spectrum of experts from industry, academia, and research organizations worldwide.

HackingHumans Join Dave Bittner and Joe Carrigan each week as they look behind the social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines and taking a heavy toll on organizations around the world.

Caveat A weekly conversation on surveillance, digital privacy, cybersecurity law, and policy.

Watch Cyber Attacks in Real-Time

Check Point

Kaspersky

FortiNet

Training

  • Cybrary Free and open source learning for cyber security.

CSN Library

Students, faculty, and staff have access to the following resources relevant to cyber security:

Clark County Library

The public library also has cyber security resources.

Career Information

Learn about the information security profession:

Job Search Resources

seals

Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE-CD)

Link to the web site of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Contact Us

Karen Ahern
Professor, POC
702.651.4559
Karen.ahern@csn.edu

Lori Scheuerman
Professor,
Director, Cyber Security
702.651.4161
Lori.Scheuerman@csn.edu

CSN Security Resources and Awareness

Thank you for visiting the CSN Cyber Security Center.

Thank you for visiting the CSN Cyber Security Center.

The Center is designed to educate and inform students, faculty, and the southern Nevada community. Topics range from national standards for course content and academic opportunities at CSN to job training and career path information in this rapidly evolving field.