CSIS 312 Computer Security & Digital Forensics
Course Description
In a highly connected, data-intensive and cost-focused business enrvironment, the practice of information security is not a business advantage; it is a customer requirement. Viruses, malware, trojans, denial of service attacks, phishing, and even Wiki leaks have become headline news. Failure to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data costs companies millions, if not billions, of dollars in legal settlements, lost business and trade secrets. In this breadth-based course, you will get an overview of information security principles and practices, including models, risk management, access controls, intrusion detection and prevention, cryptography, software vulnerabilities and ethical issues. This class will also provide an overview of digital forensics. Students will learn techniques behind digital forensic investigations and evidence collection and will cover the fundamental steps of the traditional computer forensic methodology. Topcis will include building forensic workstations, collecting evidence, extracting artifacts, identifying unknown files and reassembling evidence from network packet captures and device images Additional course fee required.
Instructor
Dr. WilsonOffice hours: Wood-Mar 224 (see schedule)
Texts
required
- R. Boyle, R. Panko, Corporate Computer Security, 4th Ed. Pearson Education Inc., 2015.
ISBN 13: 978-1-292-06659-2 (PDF)
Textbook (pdf)
Resources
Objectives
The goal of this course is to provide the student the theoretical and foundational knowledge of information security needs, securing today's information systems, information security standards, certification, and laws. The student will also be introduced to digital forensic concepts and methodologies. This class is a mixture of theory and practice... there are both individual and small group assignments and projects during the semester. The course will provide a strong Linux foundation throughout.
Course Organization
The course will consiste of lectures, homework, quizzes, exams, and many in-class activities.
The course will include regular homework and/or programming assignments. Unless otherwise specified, assignments are due before midnight on the due date. There will be no credit given for late assignments (without an excused absence)—turn in as much as you can.
Reading assignments should be completed before the lecture covering the material. Not all reading material will be covered in the lectures, but you will be responsible for the material on homework and exams. Quizzes over the assigned reading may be given at any time.
Collaboration
See the GFU CS/IS/Cyber policies for collaboration and discussion of collaboration and academic integrity. Most students would be surprised at how easy it is to detect collaboration in programming—please do not test us! Remember: you always have willing and legal collaborators in the faculty.
Almost all of life is filled with collaboration (i.e., people working together). Yet in our academic system, we artificially limit collaboration. These limits are designed to force you to learn fundamental principles and build specific skills. It is very artificial, and you'll find that collaboration is a valuable skill in the working world. While some of you may be tempted to collaborate too much, others will collaborate too little. When appropriate, it's a good idea to make use of others—the purpose here is to learn. Be sure to make the most of this opportunity but do it earnestly and with integrity.
Engineering Your Soul
The mission and vision statement of the Computer Science & Information Systems (CSIS) program states that our students are distinctive by "bringing a Christ-centered worldview to our increasingly technological world."
As one step towards the fulfillment of this objective, each semester, the engineering faculty will collectively identify an influential Christian writing to be read and reflected upon by all engineering faculty and students throughout the term. As part of the College of Engineering, CSIS students participate in this effort, known as Engineering Your Soul (EYS). This exercise will be treated as an official component of every engineering course (including CSIS courses) and will be uniquely integrated and assessed at my discretion, typically as a component of the quiz grade.
Students should read the assigned reading each week. Regular meetings will be scheduled throughout the semester that can be attended for chapel elective credit. Students should attend these meetings prepared to discuss the assigned reading, or email a reflection on the assigned reading on or before each meeting date.
It is our hope that students will not view this as one more task to complete, but as a catalyst for continued discussion ultimately leading to a deeper experience of Jesus Christ.
University Resources
If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office as early as possible so that your learning needs can be appropriately met. For more information, go to https://www.georgefox.edu/offices/das/contact/index.html or email directly das@georgefox.edu.
My desire as a professor is for this course to be welcoming to, accessible to, and usable by everyone, including students who are English-language learners, have a variety of learning styles, have disabilities, or are new to online learning systems. Be sure to let me know immediately if you encounter a required element or resource in the course that is not accessible to you. Also, let me know of changes I can make to the course so that it is more welcoming to, accessible to, or usable by students who take this course in the future.
The Academic Resource Center (ARC) on the Newberg campus provides all students with free writing consultation, academic coaching, and learning strategies (e.g., techniques to improve reading, note-taking, study, time management). During the 2021 spring semester, the ARC is offering physically distanced, in-person appointments as well as virtual appointments over Zoom. The ARC, located in the Murdock Learning Resource Center (library), is open from 1:00–9:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 12:00–4:00 p.m. on Friday. To schedule an in-person or virtual appointment, click on the TracCloud icon on Canvas dashboard, go to traccloud.georgefox.edu, call 503-554-2327, email the_arc@georgefox.edu, or stop by the ARC. Visit arc.georgefox.edu for information about ARC Consultants' areas of study, instructions for scheduling an appointment, learning tips, and a list of other tutoring options on campus.
Artificial Intelligence Usage
George Fox University has a university-wide AI policy for students and faculty, here. Students may not assume AI use is permitted for any graded element of the course unless that permission is explicitly granted. In this course, our policy is that AI is a tool that can be utilized if used appropriately.
Our AI rules are this:
- Be Transparent - disclose and cite
- Be Critical - verify accuracy and bias
- Be Compliant - follow GFU and CSIS policies
- Be Selective - use AI as a co-pilot, not an autopilot
Work Product Review (Oral Defense) - I may require an oral defense for any assignment at my discretion. This is a brief meeting where you explain and defend your submitted work. This process mirrors the business world, where professionals routinely present and defend their analyses to supervisors and clients, and ensures your work represents authentic learning. If required, you must schedule and complete your defense within 72 hours of notification to receive a non-failing grade; without the defense, you will receive a zero on the assignment. If the work product is a group submission, all team members must be present at the meeting. Routine scheduling conflicts (work, other classes, social commitments) do not qualify for extensions. Be prepared to summarize your arguments, explain your methodology, defend your conclusions with evidence, and answer questions about your work and your problem solving process. You should be ready to articulate and defend the rationale behind your work.
Health & Safety Protocol
For those who do not know me yet, I have a very medically fragile and immunocompromised wife and daughter that live at home and both are considered extreme high risk for most viruses, especially COVID-19. I have been able to keep them safe since the start of the pandemic, but I do not know for how much longer. I need your help protecting my family.
In my decades here at GFU I have watched 'the wave of ick' cascade across campus every year with coughs, colds and flu. Since we spend much/most of our time in the computer science laboratories and classrooms the following protective guidelines can help us all stop the wave or at least not perpetuate it within our labs/classrooms:
- Workspace & Hand Sanitization: Sanitize your hands as you enter our laboratories and your workspace upon being seated. When class/lab is over, sanitize your workspace and hands again before leaving. As part of sanitizing your workspace, remove any garbage, wipe any condensation from beverages, etc, before you exit. You do not want the biologists to come swab our workspaces and tell you what's there.
- Symptomatic: if you are exhibiting any illness symptoms don't come to class. Contact me to discuss alternatives such as watching a synchronous live feed or getting notes from a friend.
- Dr. Wilson's Office Hours: I will be holding in-person office hours in my office (Wood-Mar 224). Office hours will be on a drop-in basis. Due to the health concerns for my family, please request a Zoom meeting if you have any symptoms of illness.
Grading
The final course grade will be based on:
- 50% Homework
- 35% Exams (2 Quizzes, Midterm, Final)
- 15% Attendance
- note: All group assignments will receive a single group grade until finals week. Based upon your semester participation assessment by both your group members and myself, all your grades from group assignments will then be multiplied by your participation %
Tentative Schedule
Week 1Introduction-Syllabus-Ethics
Wednesday: The Threat Environment - Ch. 1 |
Week 2No Class - MLK Day
Wednesday: The Threat Environment - Ch. 1 cont. |
Week 3VM's Continued
Wednesday: Planning and Policy - Ch. 2 |
Week 4Linux
Wednesday: Cryptography - Ch. 3 |
Week 5Linux
Wednesday: Network Security - ch. 4 |
Week 6Linux
Wednesday: Access Control - Ch. 5 |
Week 7Footprinting Presentations
Wednesday: Firewalls - Ch. 6 |
Week 8Linux
Wednesday: Host Hardening - Ch. 7 |
Week 9Breach Demo
Wednesday: Application Security - Ch. 8 |
Week 10Breach Demo
Wednesday: Data Protection - Ch. 9 |
Week 11
Wednesday: SPRING BREAK |
Week 12NCL Practice Game
Wednesday: Incident and Disaster Response - Ch. 1 |
Week 13Digital Forensics
Wednesday: Incident and Disaster Response - Ch. 1 |
Week 14Digital Forensics
Wednesday: TBD |
Week 15Digital Forensics
Wednesday: TBD |
|
TBD - Final Exam
|
This page was last modified on 2026-01-04 at 12:17:22.
George Fox University · 414 N Meridian St · Newberg, Oregon 97132 · 503-538-8383
Copyright © 2015–2026 George Fox University. All rights reserved.