Cyber Threats and Cybersecurity

Catalog description

Cyberspace has become a pervasive presence in modern society, and a healthy functioning cyberspace is essential to our economy and to national security. Along with benefits, however, there exist threats and malicious actors who seek to exploit cyberspace vulnerabilities. This course will study the nature of cyber threats, including computer and digital crimes, information warfare and cyber terrorism, and related threats to personal, organizational, economic and national security. Students will gain an understanding of the variety and nature of cyber threats including digital espionage, computer break-ins, computer hacking, viruses, communications eavesdropping, forgery, disruption to information flow, electronic bombs and the growing presence of terrorist organizations on the Internet, and how the Internet is used to further terrorist activities. The course will also cover countermeasures to cyber threats; cybersecurity investigations, evidence gathering, and legal challenges; and current and national policies for securing cyberspace and the impact of cybersecurity on privacy and civil liberties.