Education to Protect and Defend Information Systems

Written by Marty Kauchak

Information technology (IT) enables the U.S. Department of Defense to operate on a 24-hour-day, seven-day-a-week basis without pause. IT provides for the smooth processing of a servicemember at sick call, the accurate tracking of globally-dispersed supply parts, unfettered battlefield communications, and the timely completion of myriad other tasks.

A critical component of IT is information assurance (IA). This measure protects and defends information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, confidentiality and other attributes.

DoD military, civilians and contractors have increasing opportunities to complete advanced education programs leading to IA degrees and certificates. These programs are evolving to provide both residential and online learning opportunities—especially critical to attracting service men and women with ever-increasing personnel tempos.

BEYOND BASIC SKILLS

The DoD workforce member who participates in advanced IA education programs will, at a minimum, have completed basic-level, on-the-job IA education.

To help ensure the success of the department’s IA capability, all authorized users of DoD information systems receive orientation as a their office’s network. The DoD must then complete annual refresher education. When aspiring IA workforce members seek to increase their competency beyond the basic level, they should be aware that IA programs are accredited, much in the same manner as universities and colleges from national or regional associations.

CAEIAE DESIGNATION

The student enrolling in an IA program Center of Academic Information Assurance Education (CAEIAE) label carried by some university programs. The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security jointly sponsor the CAEIAE initiative.

“The goal of the program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education in information assurance, and producing a growing number of professionals with IA expertise in various disciplines,” stated the NSA website.

CAEIAE institutions are located throughout the country—many within driving distance of major DoD installations.

Designation as a CAEIAE is valid for five academic years and is open to nationally or regionally accredited four-year colleges and universities for their undergraduate and graduate programs.

Several candidate and authorized CAEIAE institutions, and their programs, described below, are representative of those available to DoD learners.

PROGRAM SNAPSHOTS

For its part, Regis University offers a graduate certificate in IA which is comprised of a selection of courses from the Master of Science in computer information technology program.

“Regis and its IA program have earned the Committee on National Security Systems certification,” noted Dan Likarish, a faculty member. The university just received CAEIAE certification.

Iowa State University (ISU) has over two dozen faculty members from six academic departments working together in the Information Assurance Center to explore challenges of securing information in software and other application areas.

The university’s Information Systems Security Laboratory is a charter CAEIAE.

ISU offers a master’s and certificate program in information assurance.

The University of Dallas (UD) Graduate School of Management grants the Master of Business Administration with a concentration in IA, the Master of Management Program in IA, the M.S. in IA and a graduate certificate program in IA. UD has the CAEIAE designation.

The institution is also an educational partner with National Defense University (NDU).

“Military students may commence IA studies at NDU and then complete a graduate degree at the University of Dallas,” pointed out Mihir Mistry, director of technology programs. “The University of Dallas accepts NDU’s Chief Information Officer course program credits under this educational partnership,” added Mistry.

Norwich University (NU) a CAEIAE, offers an M.S. in IA. “Classes are 100 percent online. A student must attend a one-week residency on the Norwich campus in June following the completion of course work,” explained Dr. Michel Kabay, associate professor of IA.

The NU Website provides one insight on the investment of time required to complete a graduate degree in IA. The homepage notes its degree can be earned in 18-to-27 months, depending on when the program is started.

The University of Texas at San Antonio’s College of Business IA program offers an M.B.A. with a concentration in IA and an M.S. in information technology with a concentration in IA.

The university and its program are CAEIAE designated.

The University of Alabama (Huntsville) (UAH), with its nearby, major Army presence, has launched a graduate-level certificate program in IA. The certificate includes 17 semester hours of work in six courses. Earned credits may be applied toward the master’s degree in management information systems at this university.

UAH’s program courses are taught at night to best accommodate the adult learner.

Inside the Washington, D.C., Beltway, George Mason University offers an M.S. in information security and assurance. Program courses at this CAEIAE are scheduled late afternoon or early evening.

The s-College Park’s Office of Professional Studies provides a 12-credit, graduate-level multidisciplinary certificate in IA. Upcoming program courses will be conducted in the evening at this CAEIAE.

The aspiring student will find there are opportunities to complete IA courses at parent institutions and often through their distance learning (DL)-facilitated instruction.

DL OPTIONS

The IA education community has been proactive in embracing DL strategies for its learning audience. This forward-leaning perspective was best articulated by Regis University’s Likarish.

“Stepping into classrooms is so old school,” he asserted. “We have been teaching online for seven years. Our students are exposed to a variety of teaching modalities including our virtual labs. There, online students from the comfort of their homes can participate in the latest in IA lab work using best-of-breed technology via the Internet without sophisticated home computers,” added Likarish.

Iowa State University’s IA students can also earn a certificate without ever stepping foot on campus, said Doug Jacobson, Director, ISU Information Assurance Center. All certificate courses can be applied to an M.S. degree.

Prospective students for the ISU master’s degree can complete all courses through DL-formatted instruction. The degree’s residency requirement involves completing a creative component project and presenting the project on campus. Those selecting the thesis option must present their thesis results on the Ames campus.

All phases of the University of Dallas’s IA graduate certificate and degree programs, and courses, may be completed online or in residence, or using any combination of the two instructional strategies.

“Regardless of method, students have the same professors and use the same course content. The online capability is especially important to military students who are often transferred from one location to another,” opined Mistry.

INCREASING ENROLLMENTS

Student interest in IA programs has corresponded to the increased national emphasis on this discipline, not only in the military, but in banking, health administration and other fields. Representative of this trend, registration in Regis University’s M.S. in computer information technology 672 course (Managing a Secure Enterprise) increased from 17 students in 2004 to 50 enrollees in 2006. Likewise, enrollment expanded from 12 to 44 students in the same period for the 670 course (Information Enterprise Assurance).

Current enrollment numbers in IA graduate certificate and degree programs at other institutions are: 300 at Norwich University, 200 at University of Dallas and 136 at Iowa State University. NU’s data suggest that like its other school of graduate studies programs, about 50 percent, or 150 students for IA studies, are members of the active or Reserve components, or former military. Some of the increasing numbers of IA students participate in their programs with the assistance of the DoD Information Assurance (IA) Scholarship Program.

SCHOLARSHIPS

IA students pursuing undergraduates and graduate (both master’s and doctoral) degrees, or a graduate certificate, may be able to receive a DoD IA Scholarship.

There is one significant caveat attached to receiving a scholarship—the awardee has an obligation to work for DoD as a civilian employee, or to complete a service obligation with the active or Reserve components after completing a course of studies. A description of the program, a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions section and other useful information is available at http://www.defenselink.mil/nii/iasp/.

STUDENT INSIGHTS

Accreditation, flexible delivery methods and the rigor of IA programs are topics on the minds of several current and former students.

The Graduate Studies in Management Program at the University of Dallas “offers a high level of education that makes the grade with National Security Agency for being an excellent IA program” volunteered Jeffrey Rogers, information assurance manager, U.S. Naval Hospital, Rota, Spain. “Combine this with a flexible delivery method and an M.B.A. and I have everything I wanted for an advanced degree,” he added.

Graduate IA degrees and certificate programs are challenging in terms of course content and time required to successfully complete coursework. But finishing a program also provides rewards.

“If security professionals are looking for a program that challenges them both professionally and personally, then Norwich University’s M.S. in IA degree is the program for them,” stated Shawn King, a 2006 MSIA recipient. “The MSIA program is not for the weak of heart or those people who are not ready to accept a challenge. The MSIA program requires a considerable amount of time and efforts each week, from the weekly discussions, readings and case studies to the two quizzes and term paper due each seminar,” added King.

King also “formed lifelong connections and friendships that the residency at Norwich solidified” in addition to earning his degree.

ON THE HORIZON

“Auditing and compliance is huge so we will be adding modules to the courses to accommodate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Sarbanes-Oxley legislation, and the latest National Institute of Standards and Technology standards,” revealed Regis University’s Likarish.

Risk management and mitigation are topics that are also being added to the Regis curriculum. Instruction will begin during 2007 for a new course in computer forensics.

Iowa State is planning a capstone course which will allow the students to design a secure environment (from policy to implementation) and then defend their implementation against other students. The learning audience would then assess its defenses and propose fixes to any detected gaps and shortfalls. “Once this course is offered it will be another way to obtain the M.S. by using this course to replace the creative component. The presentations could be done remotely and students would not have to come to campus,” said ISU’s Jacobson.

The course is expected to be offered not later than January 2008.

The University of Dallas will offer new courses later in 2007 in IA Law and Regulation, and IA Policy and Procedures.

Norwich University’s fifth seminar in the six-seminar sequence required to earn a master’s degree is elective-focused. “Upcoming Seminar 5 electives include Information Conflict, Computer Security Incident Response Team Management, Security Auditing and Business Continuity Planning,” said Norwich’s Kabay. ♦

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