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11/1/2005
Contact: K.E. Schwab -- 724-738-2199;
e-mail: karl.schwab@sru.edu
‘COMPUTER SAFETY BEGINS AT HOME’ SUBJECT ON NEW
COURSE AT SRU
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. –
Using the premise “computer safety begins a home,”
Slippery Rock University’s computer science department will
offer students a new course beginning spring semester designed to
teach home computer users how to protect their piece of
cyberspace.
“This is an area of study
that has long been needed, especially in light of new viruses and
computer identity theft,” explains Dr. David Valentine,
department chair, saying that while the course, formally called
“Computer Security,” or “CPSC-301,” is not
for computer science majors, it is designed for those who use
computers and need to protect not only their personal or office
system but the overall computer environment.” Valentine
points out SRU computer science majors learn about such protection
as part of their standard course studies.
“The National Strategy to
Secure Cyberspace, issued by the federal Department of Homeland
Security, calls for everyone to do their part, and that means
learning about virus protection, how networks work, how those with
wireless systems at home or in their offices, can protect their
systems from abuse,” Valentine explains.
As part of explaining the
three-credit course, the associate professor of computer science,
notes many who devise computer viruses incorporate plans that
allows the initial use of the Internet to secretly seek unprotected
computer systems. “Once such systems are found, they infect
it, but the actual damage may not take place until literally
thousands of computers have been infected,” he says. He
points to one popular Zombie-like virus that remains in a holding
pattern on computers around the world until a specific time and
date, then activates sending millions of service requests to a
specific Web site, overloading the system and causing major system
shutdowns.
“We really are looking at
this as a new ‘How to’ course. It will not require huge
amounts of computer understanding. It is not a programming or
computer language course, but a course designed to teach computer
users about computer security and self protection on the Internet.
We believe it is among the first of its kind in a college
setting.” Course content will cover such topics as computer
viruses or worms, identity theft through computers, firewalls,
set-up and protection of wireless systems and related
areas.
Valentine points out the course
will meet requirements related to the Science Technology and Math
enrichment area in SRU’s liberal studies requirements and can
meet the upper division course requirement.
The department chair says
plans to expand the course as a workshop for small businesses and
related groups is also under discussion.
PN,
PgN, WPN, PR
ComputerCourse.kes.doc
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