George Mason University – Graduate Council
Graduate Course Approval Form
All courses numbered 500 or above must be submitted to the Graduate Council for final approval after approval by the
sponsoring College, School or Institute.
Graduate Council requires submission of this form for a new course or any change to existing courses. For a new course,
please attach a copy of the syllabus and catalog description (with catalog credit format, e.g. 3:2:1). The designated
representative of the College, School or Institute should forward the form along with the syllabus and catalog description, if
required, as an email attachment (in one file) to the secretary of the Graduate Council. A printed copy of the form with
signatures and the attachments should be brought to the Graduate Council meeting. Please complete the Graduate Course
764Coordinator Form if the proposed changes will affect other units.
Note: Colleges, Schools or Institutes are responsible for submitting new or modified catalog descriptions (35 words or
less, using catalog format) to Creative Services by deadlines outlined in the yearly Catalog production calendar.
Please indicate: New____X___
Modify_______
Delete_______
Department/Unit:_______ISE_____________ Course Subject/Number:_______ISA 650_________________
Submitted by:____Edgar H Sibley___________________ Ext:___31669___ Email:_____esibley@gmu.edu_____
Course Title:______ Security Policy ____________________________________________
Effective Term (New/Modified Courses only): __Spring, 2008____ Final Term (deleted courses only):____________
Credit Hours: (Fixed) __3__
(Var.) _____ to ______
Grade Type (check one):
__X__
_____
_____
Regular graduate (A, B, C, etc.)
Satisfactory/No Credit only
Special graduate (A, B, C, etc. + IP)
Repeat Status*(check one): _X_ NR-Not repeatable ____ RD-Repeatable within degree ____ RT-Repeatable within term
*Note: Used only for special topics, independent study, or internships courses
Total Number of Hours Allowed: _______
Schedule Type Code(s): 1._LEC_ LEC=Lecture SEM=Seminar STU=Studio INT=Internship IND=Independent Study
2.____ LAB=Lab RCT=Recitation (second code used only for courses with Lab or Rct component)
Prereq _X_ Coreq ___ (Check one):___ ISA 562 or permission of instructor _________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Note: Modified courses - review prereq or coreq for necessary changes; Deleted courses - review other courses to correct prereqs that list the deleted course.
Description of Modification (for modified courses):____________________________________________________________________
Special Instructions (major/college/class code restrictions, if needed):__________________________________________
Department/Unit Approval Signature:_________________________________________ Date: _____________
College/School Committee Approval Signature:__________________________________ Date:_____________
Graduate Council Approval Date:____________ Provost Office Signature:_________________________________
George Mason University
Graduate Course Coordination Form
Approval from other units:
Please list those units outside of your own who may be affected by this new, modified, or deleted course. Each of these units must
approve this change prior to its being submitted to the Graduate Council for approval.
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Units Signature:
Date:
Graduate Council approval: ______________________________________________ Date: ____________
Graduate Council representative: __________________________________________
Date: ____________
Provost Office representative: ____________________________________________
Date: ____________
COURSE PROPOSAL
BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
PROPOSAL DESIGNATION
New Course Proposal
I. CATALOG DESCRIPTION
A. ISA 650 Security Policy (3:3:0)
B. Prerequisite: ISA 562
The course focuses on security policy and its management for information systems having national and international
connectivity. Issues include legal, international, cultural, and local factors. Students are expected to participate
regularly in presenting material, in discussion of recent security issues, and by writing short papers on major current
issues.
II. JUSTIFICATION
A. Desirability of adding this course:
This course is proposed as part of a change in the MS ISA program and is of interest to and accessible to
students in a variety of specializations that wish to learn policy aspects of secure systems..
B. Relation to other courses:
This course requires material taught in the two basic security courses of the ISA curriculum. It also provides a
basis for mathematical aspects of policy verification discussed in ISA 763.
III. APPROVAL HISTORY
A. Approved by the ISA group _____________
B. Approved by the ISE Department ____________________
C. Approved by the IT&E Graduate Studies Committee on __________
D. Approved by the IT&E Dean on __________
IV. SCHEDULING
A. This course has already been offered (with modifications) as a special topics course three times and
should be offered in the Spring semester 2008 and every academic year thereafter in the Spring semester.
B. The instructor has been and will continue to be Dr. E H Sibley.
V. SAMPLE SYLLABUS
Objectives
To examine the laws, regulations and policies affecting cyber and national security and their interrelationships. These, in turn, require
companies and governmental offices to implement procedures that result in effective security management both nationally and
internationally.
Some typical Material for Downloading from the web
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf
HIPAA
http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp/pl104191.htm
Computer Security: A Summary of Selected Federal Laws, Executive Orders, and Presidential Directives
http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RL32357.pdf
E-Government Act of 2002 (contains FISMA)
http://csrc.nist.gov/policies/HR2458-final.pdf
NSD 42
http://www.cnss.gov/Assets/pdf/CNSSD-502.pdf
US Patriot Act
http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html
Homeland Security Act
http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/hr_5005_enr.pdf
DoD Directive 8500
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/d85001_102402/d85001p.pdf
The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/pcipb/
Common Criteria
http://www.commoncriteriaportal.org/
The IAVA process
http://www.cnss.gov/Assets/pdf/cnssi_4013.pdf
Outline
Introduction: General Policy, Security Policy, and the law
What is Policy? How does it intersect with the Law? How about Treaties?
The Structure of Countries and the Legislative Process
The US and EU as examples and their structural relationships
Non-Security Acts affecting Computer Systems (1)
Copyright, patent, trademark, trade secrets, contracting aspects of IS, & international Web issues
Non-Security Acts affecting Computer Systems (2)
Monopoly Issues and Recent Computing Laws for non-Government Organizations, DoJ and the Computing Industry, Sarbanes Oxley,
HIPAA, etc.
Introduction to Security Laws
Critical Infrastructure protection and SCADA Systems
The Patriot Act and The Homeland Security Act
Problems and inter-relationships. The role of States and major cities
Common Criteria and International Standards
Security Management Policy
The changing Role of the FTC as a policy watchdog in the US, The DoD IAVA process, the role of the OMB in Privacy/Security
Management
Directives 8500 and 8100.2
National and State Infrastructure Aspects
Examples: DC and the DHS, NY State and NY City, and the State of Virginia interaction
The GIG (Global Information Grid) and Security Issues
Cyber Warfare and the UN
The UN Charter and international laws on warfare, etc.
Catalog Description (35 words or less) please use catalog format and attach a copy of the syllabus for new courses:
ISA 650 Security Policy (3:3:0). Prerequisite: ISA 562, or permission of instructor.
The course focuses on security policy and its management for information systems having national and international
connectivity. Issues include legal, international, cultural, and local factors. Students are expected to participate
regularly in presenting material, in discussion of recent security issues, and by writing short papers on major current
issues.