[ISN] Cyber security an emphasis at OCCC

[InfoSec News]

http://www.okc.cc.ok.us/pioneer/Archives/March_27_2006/News8.html

By Matthew Caban
Staff Writer
March 27, 2006

The battle against cyberterrorism is being fought around the globe -
and on OCCC campus.

As a part of President George W. Bush's plan to combat cyber terrorism 
a National Security Agency grant was used to find two national faculty 
development centers in June 2002 to train computer science 
instructors, said Al Heitkamper, Cyber Security Program director.

One of the development centers is located at the University of Tulsa.

A $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation in September 
2004 helped further fund the program.

Heitkamper and another OCCC professor, Brett Weber, studied at TU as 
part of the program. Both received master's degrees in computer 
science with an emphasis in cyber security.

Weber said the cyber security field changes every month due to new 
threats or viruses.

"There are hundreds ofnew viruses introduced each month and security 
professionals fight them."

The training allowed Weber and Heitkamper to start OCCC's cyber 
security program last fall.

Weber said, currently, there are 75 cyber security majors at OCCC.

"Enrollment is up and the program is growing," he said.

This semester marks the first time both professors are teaching cyber 
security classes full time.

Weber said five classes are currently being offered in the cyber 
security field.

The classes are principles of information security, security 
e-commerce, enterprise security management, network security and cyber 
forensics.

"The classes should be taken in order as they build upon each other," 
he said.

The cyber security field includes network security and threat 
assessment, he said.

"The field is growing and constantly changing," Weber said.

Heitkamper said OCCC is part of the Computer Security Education 
Consortium.

The CSEC also includes Tulsa Community College, Rose State College, 
Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee and the Oklahoma Career Tech 
system.

Heitkamper said CSEC's goals are to train the workforce (including 
students), train professors and meet the needs of the industry.

Weber said OCCC's program also should alert the public about the need 
for security awareness.

"People need to be aware of what they should secure and how to do it."