HSEC 690: Cyber Warfare & Terrorism
Spring Semester 2016
Schedule Number 21675
COURSE INFORMATION
Class Days: Wednesdays
Class Times: 7pm – 9:40pm
Class Location: CSL-427
Class Website: http://hsec.sdsu.edu/cyber
Professor: Steven Andrés, Ph.D.
Contact Information:
Office Hours Days: Wednesday
Office Hours Times: by email or appointment
Course Overview
Intensive study in specific areas of homeland security and cybersecurity with regards to nation-state cyberwarfare
and terrorism. This course addresses the challenges involved in information warfare and information security as it
pertains to domestic and international security challenges. This semester's course will focus on state-sponsored as
well as transnational cyber-warfare and touch briefly on industrial espionage.
Homeland Security encompasses a grouping of diverse missions and functions that are performed by a wide variety
of organizations on the local, state, federal and international levels. Cyber Security is a very young and poorly
understood realm within Homeland Security, and there are many definitions for what is and what is not cyber security.
This niche is very rapidly evolving and it is likely that material presented in this semester will no longer be interesting
in future semesters. Given our time allowance within fifteen weeks, what we will cover in this course are few key
examples that best exemplifies the study of cyber security.
The purpose of this class is NOT to train the student in "how to hack computers." True cyber security information
warriors hone their craft over decades in traditional education, chat rooms, conferences, and hacking competitions.
You will not leave this course a better computer hacker than when you started. You will, however, be a more informed
participant of the Internet and can use this new depth of knowledge to pursue opportunities in CNA/CND or IA
(computer network attack, computer network defense, information assurance). You will learn how to discern plausible
cyber security threats from the improbable. And you will learn the current state of what is possible with cyber attack,
attribution, defense, and policy.
Enrollment Information
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Must be graduate student in good standing, or Open University student, per Instructor’s approval
Auditing of course is subject to instructor’s approval
Course Structure and Conduct
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In-class discussion about the readings
Individual weekly written responses to the readings
Online commenting on contemporary news and blog postings
No midterm exam
Final exam consisting of a cybersecurity policy paper
Course Assessment and Grading
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30% In-Class Participation
20% Online Participation
15% Final Exam (Cybersecurity Policy Paper)
35% Weekly written responses to readings
Course Materials
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Personal computer with high-speed Internet access at home
Clifford Stoll, The Cuckoo’s Egg
Mark Bowden, Worm
Kevin Poulsen, Kingpin
Joel Brenner, Glass Houses
Kim Zetter, Countdown to Zero Day
Richard Clarke, Cyber War
Thomas Rid, Cyber War Will Not Take Place
Peter Singer, Cybersecurity and Cyberwar
Course Policies
Course policies are posted at homelandsecurity.sdsu.edu/cyber/requirements
Department policies are posted at homelandsecurity.sdsu.edu/policies
Student Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the course are expected to obtain the following learning outcomes:
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Vision of Homeland Security
SLO 1: Identify, analyze, synthesize information about threats and critical incidents
SLO 2: Demonstrate an ability to appropriately use technological and scientific research to focus on and develop
existing science and technology that can contribute to Homeland Security on a global basis
SLO 3: Articulate strategies for optimization of Homeland Security principles for the benefit of the nation and its
global partners
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Law, Policy, and Privacy
SLO 6: Identify important civil and human rights concerns generated by security needs and explain how to attain
the appropriate balance of security with personal privacy, cybersecurity, and commerce
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Professional Expertise
SLO 7: Demonstrate professional familiarity with US national standards and protocols such as NIMS and ICS
and other US national HSEC standards
SLO 8: Demonstrate knowledge of social media interactions such as with Twitter and Instagram as means of
rapid sharing of information during disasters/events
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International Aspects of Homeland Security
SLO 11: Build professional relationships with HSEC officials and business people while appropriately securing
borders and ports
SLO 12: Identify and delineate ethical issues related to HSEC including such difficult fields as counter human
trafficking
Complex Problem Solving
SLO 13: Interrelate the responses of the HSEC community to disasters of a natural origin such as fires,
earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and epidemics to the safety and wellbeing of the public
SLO 14: Provide accurate and responsible communications with the media to assist in collaboratively responding
to both manmade and natural disasters
SLO 15: Provide new solutions to improve the relationship between travelers, commerce, and international
borders with HSEC