Criminal Justice, Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Concentration, B.A.

Program Description:

The technological revolution that computers have provided society is unsurpassed in the annals of human history. In spite of the advancements made to date the limits appear endless and the contributions bright for even greater future progress. The exponential growth and achievements have not been devoid of a darker side though. While this technological advance has greatly fueled human growth, innovation and advancement in most other industries, and unprecedented improvements in productivity and mass communication, it has also been accompanied by an equally disturbing side, the ominous threats of cybercrime and information piracy. One cannot view reports in the media on a frequent basis concerning some new cyber attack that has created losses of trade secrets, resulted in economic disaster, smeared professional and personal reputations, as well as threatened the security and viability of many of our nation’s greatest institutions. There seems to be no system or industry that is completely safe from hacker incursion or malicious and destructive software.

Criminal justice professionals are charged with the responsibility for investigation, arrest, and successful prosecution of the various state and federal laws codified to sanction such acts. More importantly, criminal justice professionals must also inculcate methods to prevent and protect personal, governmental, and business related information from these types of attacks. As these investigations are highly technical and complex they require specialized training for the personnel who undertake this type of work. Core knowledge areas for this concentration include the development of a foundational understanding of the issues and challenges of cybercrime, the concomitant legal requirements for investigation and prosecution of these offenses, digital forensics, and the development, implementation, and enforcement of organizational policies all targeted to mitigate the effects of cyber attacks. 

Learning Objectives:

• Develop a broad understanding of theories, concepts, and practices used in cybersecurity and information assurance processes used in the criminal justice field

• Develop a broad understanding of theories, concepts, and practices used in the legal issues required of these types of investigations in the criminal justice field

• Develop a broad understanding of theories, concepts, and practices used in the information system digital forensics investigation processes used in the criminal justice field

• Develop a broad understanding of theories, concepts, and practices used in information systems policy and procedural processes used in the criminal justice field

• Develop a broad understanding of theories, concepts, and practices used in the integration of these various concepts through the law enforcement subsystem

Careers:

There is a vast array of careers in the cybersecurity and information assurance field from direct line services through support and administrative roles. A projection by Criminal Justice Degree Schools (2016) lists the following positions that exist in the field:

• Security Analyst

• Security Engineer

• Security Architect

• Security Administrator

• Security Consultant

• Security Director

• Vulnerability Assessor

• Ethical Hacker (Penetration Tester)

• Source Code Auditor

• Computer Security Incident Responder