The Master of Security Science (MSS) is part of a nested suite of programs, which includes an EC-Council certification, Post Graduate Diploma and a Master's degree with different entry points depending upon previous academic studies. The program is intended both for new graduates and for experienced graduates who wish to update their skills or change their area of specialization. It is concerned with the design, management and implementation of network security in corporations and public networks, or service provision to public and private networks.
The focus of the course is to provide students with a wide understanding of Security Science. The course is sufficiently detailed to give an excellent background for a professional career in industrial or commercial organizations, and the required background in security science to enable the student to undertake further study leading to the specializations needed for a research career. The MSS course is suitable for students with a wide range of previous security experience.
Aims & Objectives
The aim of this course is to provide excellent career opportunities by offering a high level coverage of security principles and an appreciation of the emerging issues and technologies in network security. The aims are to:
- give an understanding of the theoretical basis of security science, and its importance in system administration.
- give an understanding of the underlying principles of system security and secure applications which run on them.
- give a foundation in professional security standards of security analysis, design, implementation, testing and documentation in security system.
- give experience in both security working and individual working.
- give an appreciation of the security professional, ethical and legal obligations.
- give an appreciation of the current state and future directions of technological advances in security science.
- Career Opportunities
- Industry certified skills are highly valued, and there is a need for professionals with a solid understanding of security skills.
Entry Requirements
The MSS program is intended for both new and experienced graduates who wish to update their skills or change their area of specialization. The MSS program is also suitable for students with a wide range of previous security experience.
To enroll in the MSS program, you will be expected to have earned a Bachelor’s degree. Those with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology are likely to have a more solid background for the MSS program. Applicants who possess a Bachelor’s degree in another field will have their qualification and suitability evaluated by the Admissions Committee. Applicants with at least 2 years of experience in the IT industry will be given preference.
Duration
The MSS program must be completed within a minimum of twelve (12) months and a maximum of thirty six (36) months.
Award
The Master of Security Science degree will be awarded by EC-Council University.
Job Opportunities
Industry certified skills are highly valued, and there is a need for professional with a solid understanding of security skills. Some of the potential job titles which MSS graduates should strive for include*:
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Network Manager
- Network Specialist
- IT Security Specialist
- Computer Operations Network Manager
- Network / Computer Systems Administrator
- Network System / Data Communication Analyst
- IT Security Consultant
* No promise of employment is provided by EC-Council Asia Pacific
Core Requirements (4 required for graduation)
- ECU521 - Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures (3 credits)
- ECU522 - Investigating Network Intrusions and Computer Forensics (3 credits)
- ECU526 - Managing Secure Network Systems (3 credits)
- ECU529 - Security Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment (3 credits)
Course Electives (6 electives required for graduation)
- ECU527 - Cyber Law (3 credits)
- ECU532 - Project Management in IT Security (3 credits)
- ECU531 - Secure Programming (3 credits)
- ECU523 - Disaster Recovery (3 credits)
- ECU524 - Principles of E-Business Security (3 credits)
- ECU525 - Securing Wireless Networks (3 credits)
- ECU528 - Linux Networking and Security (3 credits)
- ECU530 - Conducting Penetration and Security Test (3 credits)
Required Graduation Projects
- ECU533 - Project Research and Development (6 credits)
- ECU534 - Project Presentation (6 credits)
Total credits required for the MSS program is 42 Semester Hours
Program Details
ECU 521 Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures (3 credits)
This course focuses on how perimeter defenses work; how intruders escalate privileges, and methods of securing systems. Additional topics include intrusion detection, policy creation, social engineering, DoS Attacks, buffer overflows, and virus creation.
ECU 522 Investigating Network Intrusions and Computer Forensics (3 credits)
This course focuses on cyber-attack prevention, planning, detection, and incident response with the goals of counteracting cyber crime, cyber terrorism, and cyber predators, and making them accountable. Additional topics include fundamentals of computer forensics, forensic duplication and analysis, network surveillance, intrusion detection and response, incident response, anonymity, computer security policies and guidelines, and case studies.
ECU 523 Disaster Recovery (3 credits)
This course focuses on disaster recovery principles including assessment of risks to an enterprise, development of disaster recovery policies and procedures, the roles and relationships of various members of an organization, preparation of a disaster recovery plan, testing and rehearsal of the plan, implementation of the plan, and recovering from a disaster. Additional emphasis is placed on identifying vulnerabilities and taking appropriate countermeasures to prevent information failure risks.
ECU 524 Principles of E-Business Security (3 credits)
This course focuses on exploring security technique fundamentals involved in minimizing E-Business security risks. Topics include securing Web clients, secure server configuration, CGI scripting, active content security issues, remote authoring, firewalls, digital certificates, administration, and legal issues and appropriate responses when security has been breached.
ECU 525 Securing Wireless Networks (3 credits)
This course focuses on the various methods of securing wireless networks including authentication, authorization, and encryption. Topics include radio frequency communications, infrared, Bluetooth, low-speed wireless local area networks, high-speed WLANs and WLAN Security, digital cellular telephone, fixed wireless, and wireless communications in business.
ECU 526 Managing Secure Network Systems (3 credits)
This course focuses on evaluating network and Internet security issues, designing, implementing successful security policies and firewall strategies, exposing system and network vulnerabilities, and defending against them. Topics include network protocols, network attacks, intrusion detection systems, packet filtering and proxy servers, Bastion host and honey pots, hardening routers, hardening security, E-Mail security, virtual private networks and creating fault tolerance.
ECU 527 Cyber Law (3 credits)
This course focuses on the legal issues affected by on-line criminal conduct and electronic evidence and the legal ramifications of neglecting trademarks, copyrights, patents, and digital rights. Topics include laws, regulations, and international standards; privacy laws governing law enforcement investigations in cyberspace; implications of cyber crimes upon the traditional notions of sovereignty; and current events that affect cyber laws.
ECU 528 Linux Networking and Security (3 credits)
This course focuses on configuring a secure Linux network using command line and graphical utilities. Emphasis is placed on file sharing technologies such as the Network File System, NetWare’s NCP file sharing, and File Transfer Protocol. Additional topics include making data secure, user security, file security, and network intrusion detection. Students will be required to take on the role of problem solvers and apply the concepts presented to situations that might occur in a work environment.
ECU 529 Security Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment (3 credits)
This course focuses on testing methods and techniques to effectively identify and mitigate risks to the security of a company’s infrastructure. Topics include penetration testing methodologies, test planning and scheduling, information gathering, password cracking penetration testing and security analysis, social engineering penetration testing and security analysis, internal and external penetration testing and security analysis, router penetration testing and security analysis, and reporting and documentation.
ECU 530 Conducting Penetration and Security Tests (3 credits)
This course focuses on the mastery of the international standard for penetration testing. Topics include customers and legal agreements, penetration testing planning and scheduling, information gathering, external and internal network penetration testing, router penetration testing, firewalls penetration testing, intrusion detection system penetration testing, wireless networks penetration testing; password cracking penetration testing, social engineering penetration testing, PDA and cell phone penetration testing, and penetration testing report and documentation writing. Prerequisites: ECU 529 and ECU 521.
ECU 531 Secure Programming (3 credits)
This course provides the essential and fundamental skills for secure programming. The most prevalent reason behind buggy code and vulnerabilities being exploited by hackers and malicious code is the lack of adoption of secure coding practices. This program will ensure that students are exposed to the inherent security drawbacks in various programming languages or architectures. They will be exposed to exercise secure programming practices to overcome these inherent drawbacks in order to pre-empt bugs from the code.
ECU 532 Project Management in IT Security (3 credits)
This course looks at project management from a security planning perspective—specifically IT Project Management. Students will learn how to use IT framework to develop an effective IT security project plan. This will help reinforce IT project management skills while providing the student with a roadmap for implementing IT security in an organization.
ECU 533 Project Research and Development (6 credits)
This course is designed to teach students how to apply research methods in their master’s thesis. Students will be required to select a research problem, develop a thesis proposal, and write the first three chapters of their thesis after the topic has been approved by an appropriate faculty thesis committee.
ECU 534 Project Presentation (6 credits)
This course is a continuation of the project research described in ECU 533. Students will be required to finalize their thesis project and defend the complete report in a thesis final oral examination.
