Cyber Security Center
Thank you for visiting the CSN Cyber Security Center. The Center is designed to educate and inform both students and faculty as well as 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. Contact Us if you have any questions.
Cyber Security Education
Skilled cyber security 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 (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 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
Four-year programs must include all of the topics of a two-year program and add the following topics:
- Databases
- Network Defense
- Networking Technology and Protocols
- Operating Systems Concepts
- Probability and Statistics
- Programming
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.
Academic Opportunities in Cyber Security at CSN
Degrees
The following degrees and certificate are offered by College of Southern Nevada:
- AAS Degree in CIT - Cyber Security – Digital Forensics
- AAS Degree in CIT - Cyber Security – Network Security
- Certificate of Achievement in CIT - Cyber Security – Digital Forensics
For more information about these AAS degrees and the Certificate of Achievement, contact Arthur Salmon, Director, Cyber Security.
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 associated course descriptions in the College Catalog.
Computer Forensics (CF)
- CF 118B Internet Forensics
- CF 117B Computer Forensics
- CF 119B Introduction to Electronic Crime for Law Enforcement
- CF 124B Digital Crime Investigation
- CF 217B Advanced Computer Forensics
- CF 250B Mobile Device Forensics
Computing & Information Systems (CIT)
- CIT 114B IT Essentials (Formerly CIT 110 A+ Hardware)
- CIT 112B Network+
- CIT 118B Network Security Management
- CIT 173 Introduction to Linux
- CIT 174 Linux System Administration
- CIT 211 MCITP/MCTS Windows Workstation OS
- CIT 212 MCITP/MCTS Windows Server OS
- CIT 213 MCITP/MCTS Network Infrastructure
- CIT 217 Security+
- CIT 263B Project Management
- CIT 290 Internship in CIT I
- CIT 291 Internship in CIT II
Cisco (CSCO)
- CSCO 120 CCNA Internetworking Fundamentals
- CSCO 121 CCNA Routing and Switching Essentials
- CSCO 220 CCNA Scaling Networks
- CSCO 221 CCNA WAN Fundamentals
- CSCO 230B Fundamentals of Network Security
Cybersecurity (CSEC) (Beginning Fall 2018)
- CSEC 101B Incident Handling & Response
- CSEC 104B Security Essentials
- CSEC 105B Introduction to Technical Ethics
- CSEC 125B Policy, Legal, & Compliance
- CSEC 131B Operations & Physical Security
- CSEC 225B Governance & Risk Management
- CSEC 226B Compliance
- CSEC 231B Access Control
- CSEC 245B Device Hardening
- CSEC 271B Security Programming & Scripts
- CSEC 281B Ethical Hacking
- CSEC 285B Evaluate Emerging Technologies
- CSEC 286B Network Analytics
- CSEC 287B Security Analysis
- 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 Certifications
Many of the courses that appear on the degree sheets will cover topics that also appear on industry-recognized certifications.
- Degrees and Industry Certifications
- Cisco certifications
- CompTIA certifications
- Microsoft certifications
CSN Cyber Security Faculty and Advisory Council
Faculty
Arthur Salmon, Director, Cyber Security, Contact
Arthur Salmon has a master’s degree in Networking Communication Management focusing on Security from Keller Graduate School of Business. Once his dissertation has been completed and defended, he will earn his doctorate degree in Information Assurance from Colorado Technical University (CTU). He owns and operates a managed service provider (MSP) consulting business that provides network, security, and compliance support to small and medium businesses. He has worked within IT/networking for over 18 years and has diverse technology skills. He currently he oversees the Cyber Security degrees, certificate and related courses at the College of Southern Nevada. Working with industry and other colleges, he has shaped CSN’s offering to meet industry needs. He works with K-12 school systems, other colleges, and industry partners in order to build a pipeline of the next generation of cyber security specialists.
Arthur teaches Computer Forensics, Ethical Hacking, Malware Analysis, Cisco, and VMWare courses.
Lori Scheuerman, Cyber Security Part-time Faculty
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.
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
Margaret Taylor, Chair, CIT Department
Margaret Taylor, a resident of Nevada for 40 years, earned her MBA from UNLV in 1987, a BS-Business Admin-MIS from UNLV in 1985, and an AAS-Data Processing from CCSN in 1983. She has worked in the IT industry for more than 35 years and held positions as a programmer, systems analyst, project manager, software development department manager, and software quality assurance manager. She started teaching at CSN as a member of the part‐time faculty in 1980 and became a member of the full‐time faculty in 2004. She is currently Computing & Information Technology Department Chair.
Of the many professional endeavors Margaret is involved with, she is most passionate about the state of digital literacy in Nevada and cybersecurity education in Nevada.
Jacob Uecker, Cyber Security Part-time Faculty
Jacob Uecker graduated from UNLV in 2005 with a MS in Computer Science where he studied network security. Since that time he has been working consulting, private industry and government contracting on the design and implementation of networks and network security. He earned his CCIE Routing and Switching in 2009 and has been teaching at the College of Southern Nevada since 2010.
Jacob 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:
- Kevin Barker (Advisory Council Chair), Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
- Michael Accardi, COX Communications
- Eric DeBord, Microsoft
- Pete Elton, Via West
- Matt Heffelfinger, Sands Resorts
- Chad Lewis, NSTech
- Dr. Dan Manson, CyberWatch West
- Manuel Martinez, Data Center Virtualization Engineer/Consultant
- Dwaine Polio, KLA Labs West
- Kevin Uren, CSN, Office of Technical Services
Ex Officio Members:
- Arthur Salmon, CSN, CIT Cyber Security Director
- Dale Wallace, CSN, CIT Networking Director
Resources
CSN Library
Students, faculty and staff have access to the following resources relevant to cyber security:
- Safari Books Online (up-to-dated collection of digital books and videos on technology, including cyber security): Explore
- Scholarly Computer Security Journals (includes cyber security): Explore
- Complete list of Computer Science Journals: Explore
- Books and eBooks on Computer Security (includes cyber security): Explore
Clark County Library
Training
- Free and open source learning for cyber security: Cybrary
Career and Job Information in Cyber Security
Career Information
Learn about the information security profession:
- Over 20 profiles of specific information security job titles: resources.infosecinstitute.com/job-titles/
- Degree programs and career paths: www.cyberdegrees.org/
- Domains in Common Body of Knowledge for certification by Certified Information Systems Security Professionals (CISSP): resources.infosecinstitute.com/category/certifications-training/cissp/domains/
Jobs Resources
Cyber Security Topics
Watch Cyber Attacks in Real Time
- Check Point: threatmap.checkpoint.com/ThreatPortal/livemap.html
- FireEye: www.fireeye.com/cyber-map/threat-map.html
- Kaspersky: cybermap.kaspersky.com
- FortiNet: threatmap.fortiguard.com
Faraday Cage at CSN
Press Release: New CSN Lab to Help Train Future Cybersecurity Professionals
Cyber Security Competitions
Open
- Capture The Flag: Cybersecurity Competitions: Capture The Flag
College & University
- National Cyber League: www.nationalcyberleague.org/
- National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition: www.nationalccdc.org/
High School
- CyberPatriot: www.uscyberpatriot.org/
- GenCyber: www.gen-cyber.com/