[ISN] UK's first computer hacking degree launched

[InfoSec News]

http://software.silicon.com/security/0,39024655,39159714,00.htm

By Andy McCue
19 June 2006

A degree course in computer hacking has been launched by a Scottish
university in response to industry demand for IT security experts.

The University of Abertay in Dundee will run the BSc (Hons)  
undergraduate course in Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures from the
start of the next academic year in October.

Around 30 places are available on the course, which the university
says will provide a graduate with knowledge of how illegal computer
attacks can be performed and how they can be stopped.

The university prospectus said: "In the same way that police
detectives need to know how thieves can steal, computer systems
administrators need to know what hackers can do."

The university said it has launched the degree course in response to
demand from industry for people with the skills to test the security
of corporate IT networks.

A university spokesman said: "There are an increasing number of
compliance regulations and insurance policies that insist businesses
carry out security checks on their networks."

The university also stressed it will be vetting students "very
carefully" in accordance with Home Office guidelines and that they
will be monitored closely throughout the course.

The spokesman said: "We are not going to give them the full set of
tools on day one."

Although many existing undergraduate computing degrees cover elements
of this new course, Abertay claims to be the first UK university to
offer a dedicated degree course in hacking.

There are also ethical hacking courses and qualifications offered by
private sector IT training organisations such as the Training Camp,
which launched a course two years ago.