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course number/title bu283 department recommended text cyberforensics year spring 2011 business/criminal justice britz marjie t 2004 computer forensics and cyber crime an introduction person prentice hall upper saddle river nj credit hours 3 hours days/times m-s online instructor office hours course placement dr michael thompson posted and by appointment freshman/sophomore room number online office ph 785.462.5530 e-mail michael.thompson@colbycc.edu prerequisite rationale this course offers elective credit in business and criminal justice course description cyberforensics is the name for a newly emerging field of study and practice that incorporates many areas of business criminology criminal justice computer science and other topical disciples some of these areas have been called network security intrusion detection incident response infrastructure protection disaster recovery continuity planning software engineering cybersecurity and computer crime investigation it is recognized as an academic field of study by cert nsa and sans that has a practice equivalent in the form of a and/or cissp certified information systems security professional certification it is an area of practice in public law enforcement at the federal and state levels that deals primarily with cybercrime cybervandalism cyberpredators and cyberterrorism in the private sector it deals with critical infrastructure such as business hospitals utilities transportation finance education and other key institutions to provide a definition cyberforensics is the use of procedure-centric approaches to the study of cyber-attack detection and response with the goals of counteracting and conquering hacker attacks by logging malicious activity and gathering court-admissible chains-ofevidence using various forensic tools that reconstruct criminally liable actions at the physical and logical levels ccc student learning outcomes addressed in this course 1 2 3 4 5 effective oral and written communication skills a higher level of critical and creative thinking processes ability to solve problems using a variety of techniques and methods ability to utilize the technology relevant to the learner s discipline an awareness of the diversity of cultures.

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bu283 cyberforensics c2 course outline see attachment course competencies 1 understand computer investigative security issues 2 demonstrate an understanding of best evidence channeling sandboxing and like terms 3 identify important law enforcement software tools by name and associate their features with protocols standards and procedures for investigating computer crime 4 enhance critical thinking and synthesis of ideas by organizing facts and inferences comparing and contrasting illustrating or graphing noting relationships critical thinking decision-making and problem-solving 5 verbal expression of court-acceptable forensic testimony as determined by current legal procedures and standards 6 maintain an enthusiasm for continual learning by being able to express care for exactness documentation patience carefulness and persistence in dealing with complicated lengthy and troublesome cases involving complex laws encrypted codes and less-than-perfect technology to the satisfaction of the instructor as determined by an instructor-designed behavioral rubric course learning objectives after mastering the material in this course the student will be able to be able to identify security breaches in physical and cyber systems be able to discuss major issues concerning computer security and crime be familiar with standard investigative tools necessary to locate and prosecute offenders of computer related crimes be able to model the investigative tasks inherent in a networked system be able to discuss suitable investigative policies for different scenarios apply various access investigative techniques become familiar with the basic tools and techniques used by hackers to attack systems assess network and system vulnerabilities to attacks and learn countermeasures be aware of the importance of ethical conduct method of instruction method of instruction will be by means of online lecture cooperative learning completion of written assignments and usage of resources textbook handouts current events and instructional technology including interactive computer simulations internet and videotaped programs as well as case work will reinforce the understanding of general principles scheduled presentations will employ lecture-discussion sessions in which students will be encouraged to participate in an instructor-guided exchange of ideas and observations pertinent to selected subject areas class work and participation are imperative the instructor may modify course activities and/or the class schedule in the best interest of student learning and will inform the students of any changes method of evaluation evaluation of the student s success will be measured through four 4 graded assignments consisting of practicums and final exam using this range of assessment will give me a fair evaluation of student performance in the course a final letter grade will be given based on the following criteria:

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bu283 cyberforensics c3 partcipation this is a hands-on course it is your task to impress me by playing an active role in class and have thoughtfully read the assignments it is not necessary for you to have the answer to every question asked you will have the opportunity to analyze data relevant to cyber crime that comprise the focus of this course this analysis will not be a summary of what you read but will instead consist of critiques comments observations suggestions or ideas developed while preparing for your assignments and you will help one another and the instructor better understand the issues at this level it should be fun as well as informative to get the most out of this class you need to participate in all aspects of it including internet analyses you are also expected to complete assignments and papers on time and to do your own work these exercises and assignments are intended to develop your critical reading and thinking skills and will also serve as important feedback regarding what you are learning from the readings so that i can adjust our in-class activities to help you understand the material better you will be graded on the critical thinking evident in your responses that indicate you carefully reflected on the assignment practicums a practicum is the name for any sort of short project the instructor may assign which may include written essays library work internet search assignments or participation in mock scenarios student teams are encouraged on these assignments all practicums count equally and are valued at up to 200 points each and counts for ninty percent 90 of the final grade there are three 3 practicums in this course and each are evaluated subjectively but utilize grading rubrics detailed in the instructions below the general evaluation criteria are neatness always typed and application of the reos grading rubric reasoning evidence organization and substance there is also an overall discussion score that is recorded in this category so participation is expected see participation requirements above quality not quantity are the keys to a good participation forum my experience with these forums has been that students sometimes treat them as an obligation where they simply bang something out about that week s topic then move on to the next task in their schedule that is contrary to the aim of a forum which is to stimulate conversation imagine being in a group of people at a party someone you don t know very well comes up to the group blurts out something then moves on the conversation drops dead in its tracks or shifts to a discussion of that odd character that just left neither outcome is very productive each participation assignment should consider what has been said previously and should advance the discussion in some way extra credit option research paper to help you acquaint you with practical applications in our society you may develop a thematic paper based on professional journal reviews this assignment may earn up two hundred and forty 240 points an insightful paper of no less than ten 10 pages with your own analysis comments and questions of what you discovered is required the purpose of this project is to practice writingcommunication skills necessary to succeed in most occupations and to learn more about the process this option requires you to write a formal research paper on some specific aspect of discrimination the project minimum standards are 1 your paper must be typewritten 2 your paper must have a title page identifying the title of your paper the title of this class your name my name and the date.

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bu283 cyberforensics c4 3 you must develop a thesis that you will prove or disprove such as cybercrime in the workplace is it a growing exaggeration you are to state this thesis on a separate piece of paper and place it after your cover sheet be specific do not be ambiguous 4 the body must have page numbers and all margins must be no greater than 1 inch 5 use an english style manual i.e turabian strunk or the chicago manual for proper citation of footnotes 6 the body must be thoughtful neat well organized and must be at least ten 10 pages in length less will not be accepted and does not include the bibliography the body of your research paper will provide evidence to support your thesis not based on your opinion but based on the best factual sources that you can find in the literature 7 use a multitude of footnotes notes at the end of the sentence mla style are not acceptable using lots of notes to draw attention to where you got your material only strengthens a research paper almost every thing you say came from some source 8 lastly have a bibliography pages and i expect at least four 4 or more quality sources 9 the paper must be completed by thursday july 12th 2007 the paper must be handed in on time or it may be downgraded each day the project is late and not actually in my physical possession bonus points you can receive bonus points by attending certain college functions and events these will be announced in class and by giving in-class presentations on appropriate topics you will need to discuss these topics with me first and to schedule when the presentations will be given no more than sixty 60 bonus points will be added to your total points for these activities a total of sixty 60 bonus points may be earned in this class which will be added to the sum of your point totals grading policy and scale there is no grading curve nor are there any expectations as to the number of a s b s c s etc are given in a particular class therefore you are not competing against others in the class this means you will receive whatever grade you earn based upon the quality of your work however excellent or poor that quality is i believe every student is capable of earning a good grade in this course if they are willing to make the necessary commitment of tire and effort i encourage you to be optimistic about your potential grade however at the same time you have realistic expectations given the level of commitment you are willing to devote to the class i make every effort to be a fair and objective grader i will never penalize you because you have a difference of opinion with me as long as you support your opinion with wellreasoned arguments and evidence which you believe supports your opinion letter grades will be assigned as follows abcdf 90 and above 80-89 70-79 60-69 below 60 grade appeal procedure for assignment and exam grades i am perfectly willing to hear an appeal of your grade on any assignments or exam in fact because i try my best to be a fair objective and accurate grader i actually want you to point out to me any concerns you have about the points and grades i have assigned to make the appeal process itself as fair and objective as possible i have the following procedures you need to follow in making a grade appeal 1 your appeal must be in writing and typed this is so that i have an official record of the specifics of your appeal but also partly so that i know your appeal is genuine.

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bu283 cyberforensics c5 2 in your written appeal you must tell me your precise concern about my grading how many additional points you think you deserve and why this is so i know your precise concerns the specific remedy you are seeking and your reasons in support of your appeal if you believe a photocopy of a portion of your class notes or a page reference to one of the course texts supports your appeal then include them in your written appeal 3 you must attach your graded assignment or exam to your appeal so that i can re-evaluate it with your concerns in mind after receiving your written appeal i will give it serious consideration and make a decision as soon as possible i will return the assignment or exam to you with a written typed explanation of my decision in the appeal if you would then like to meet with me personally to discuss my decision i will be happy to do so in order to help you improve your performance in the course further appeals should be made to the division chair and subsequently to the dean of instruction course requirements ead the assigned text prepare daily keep clear chronological notes of the various presentations analyze the information presented participate in class activities in a positive and sincere manner during class and maintain respect for other students most assignments will come from the book and/or internet websites the book must be purchased but the websites are free assignment and deadline policy students are expected to meet all deadlines as designated if you miss a scheduled deadline for any reason you must document the reason for the absence in order to be considered for any makeup opportunity no students will be allowed a makeup opportunity without my prior approval the format of the makeup will be at my discretion and may differ significantly from the in-class assignment if you fail to take the makeup a zero will be recorded there will be no makeup date for in class assignments and work bottom line late assignments are not acceptable test policy students will be prepared to take an examination at the designated time and place with all the necessary items fully prepared for usage and without unauthorized papers books or other materials emergency situations will be handled on an individual basis students should inform the instructor or designated representative as soon as possible regarding the emergency test makeup and retake policy students are expected to take the exam and turn in assignments at the scheduled time if you miss a scheduled deadline for any reason you must document the reason for the absence in order to fall into the grace period no students will be allowed to take a makeup exam or turn in a late assignment without my prior approval all makeup exams and missed assignments must be scheduled within seven 7 days of the deadline the format of the makeup exam will be at my discretion and may differ significantly from the in-class exam if you fail to take the makeup a zero will be recorded there will be no makeup date for the final exam or for in class work students are discouraged from turning assignments in too early the exam retake policy applies to all students in class and distance learning an exam may be retaken once but only if the student makes a grade of `c or less the student must contact me to make special arrangements to retake the exam or quiz you will get the better of the two grades all retake exams will

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bu283 cyberforensics c6 be scheduled for our last class meeting of the semester the format of the retake exam will be at my discretion and may differ significantly from the in-class exam student dishonesty you are strongly encouraged to review the section academic dishonesty found in the college bulletin copying answers from a classmate being unprepared for class without informing the instructor using crib notes plagiarizing signing in another student for class or representing another s work as your own without giving due credit will constitute academic dishonesty and will be dealt with in accordance with colby college s policy and result in a failing grade for the course readings you must be prepared to discuss the assigned reading for each class you are also responsible to learn all reading material assigned whether or not it was covered in class so pace yourself and do not leave your reading until just before a test use whatever learning skill you like but i recommend reading the material at least twice and making notes about key concepts or make an outline you must be able to demonstrate knowledge of the material presented in class and you must read and comprehend the text for example the following does little if anything to demonstrate you actually read or even thought about the material and does not explain the basis for the question or comment 1 2 what does the author mean when she said `x i disagree with the author when she said `z on the other hand the following comments demonstrates the material was thoughtfully reflected upon 1 the author says `x on page 89 but i m not sure i understand that concept because the author also seemed to say `not x on page 94 and then also left out any discussion of concept `y which i think was necessary background in understanding `x what did the author mean when she said `x 2 i disagree with the author when she said `z her evidence on page 72 did not support `z because that evidence could have been explained instead by explanation `q and then the author also used the logical fallacy of `lf when she concluded `z preparedness you are expected to be prepared for every session however i understand there are times when situations dictate otherwise because this course is participatory intensive it is disruptive to the class discussion when you are thrust into the discussion without proper preparation should you be unprepared to participate in the discussions you should indicate by leaving me a note at my lectern prior to class that way i will know you are unprepared and won t call on you during the discussion however should i collect too many notes from the same student it may adversely affect your final grade should you be called upon during class when you are unprepared and you failed to provide me with a note so indicating i will consider it a form of academic dishonesty subject to sanction final grades if you want your final grade sooner than the college will provide it please provide me with a self addressed and stamped envelope at final time and i will mail your grade as soon as it is available in the alternative you may e-mail me a grade request and i can send you a reply.

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bu283 cyberforensics c7 syllabus information disclaimer i reserve the right to change any information contained in this document when necessary with adequate notice given to the student notice shall be given in the classroom during class no other notice is required it is the students responsibility to keep up with any changes modifications adjustments or amendments that are made to this document course feedback policy i actively seek and highly encourage any feedback about this course at any time you wish to offer it i want to try to help you learn the material as best as i can and if i can improve my teaching or the learning environment i really truly sincerely honestly would like you to let me know if you feel uncomfortable telling me in person you can leave me an anonymous feedback letter in an unmarked envelope at my office all i ask is that you try to be polite in offering your criticism and that you try to offer constructive advice on how i can best respond to the feedback in other words tell me your suggested improvements for the course my teaching or anything else about the learning environment e-mail my office hours are posted on my door and at the head of this syllabus however i am also available for questions and consultations by telephone and e-mail i regularly check and answer my e-mail e-mail is the most reliable and efficient way of contacting me if you do not have an e-mail account you should get one it is an important communication tool and it is free if you don t have internet access at home student computer labs are connected to the internet and a web based e-mail account can readily be established equipment students should purchase and take to class or have access to the following items 1 8.5 x 11 legal pad clean edge separation 2 functional ink pens and #2 pencils 3 portfolio management folder 4 textbooks and course materials including assignments/projects 5 purchase and maintain at least two 3.5 computer disks 6 weekly planner-calendar 7 access to a computer equipped with microsoft office word internet access and a web browser such as internet explorer or netscape and an e-mail address accommodations for students with special needs according to the americans with disabilities act it is the responsibility of each student with a disability to notify the college of his/her disability and to request accommodation if a member of the class has a documented earning disability or physical disability and needs special accommodation he/she should contact student support services which is located in the student union bibliography britz marjie t computer forensics and cyber crime an introduction pearson prentice hall 2004 upper saddle river nj speakers handouts videotapes transparencies internet resources journal articles interactive computer simulations and supplemental materials.

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