Spring 2026
Information Technology Security
Information Technology Security (ITSY 1342 2A1) CREDIT 3 Semester Credit Hours (2 hours lecture, 4 hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: Completed the Online Orientation and answered Yes to 7+ questions on the Online Learner Self- Evaluation: https://www.lit.edu/online-learning/online-orientation. COURSE DESCRIPTION Instruction in security for network computer hardware, software, virtualization, and data, including physical security; backup procedures; relevant tools; encryption; and protection from viruses. Topics may adapt to changes in industry practices. This course is time-bound, structured, and completed online. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: • Apply National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines and other best practices. • Develop backup/recovery procedures to provide for data security. • Use desktop /device operating system features to implement security. • Identify computer and network threats and vulnerabilities and methods to prevent their effects • Use tools to enhance network security • Use encryption techniques to protect network local and distributed systems data. INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Susan Joiner Email: sljoiner@lit.edu Office Phone: 409-247-5326 Office Location: TA 4 Room 103A Office Hours: MWF 7:30-10:00am; MW 12:00-1:00pm TR 7:30-8:00am; 1:30- 2:00pm REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS Ciampa, M. D. (2022). CompTIA Security+: Guide to Network Security Fundamentals (7th ed.). Cengage. ISBN: 9780357424377 PARTICIPATION POLICY This is a fully online class. You are expected to log into BlackBoard 3 to 4 times a week to check for updates and announcements. DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified drop date as listed on the Academic Calendar. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. Last Day to Drop with Refund 02/04/2026 Last Day to Pay Tuition to Avoid Drop 02/16/2026 Last Day to Drop without Academic Penalty 02/20/2026 Last Day to Drop with Academic Penalty 04/13/2026 STUDENT EXPECTED TIME REQUIREMENT For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit-hour class, students should prepare to allocate approximately six to nine hours per week outside of class in a 16- week session OR approximately twelve to eighteen hours in an 8-week session. Online/Hybrid students should expect to spend at least as much time in this course as in the traditional, face- to-face class. COURSE CALENDAR (Subject to change) DATE TOPIC READINGS ASSIGNMENTS (Due on this Date) Week 1 1/18-1/25 Introduction Discussion Board /Syllabus Syllabus CompTIA Security+ Knowledge Check, Respondus LockDown Quiz, Introduce Yourself Discussion Board 1/28/2026 Week 2 1/25- 2/1 Introduction to Security Module 1 Pages 3-32 Two Rights & A Wrong (1-1,2,3) Sim. Lab 1.1, 1.2 Module 1 Quiz 2/2/2026 Week 3 2/1-2/8 Threat Management & Cybersecurity Resources Module 2 Pages 33-62 Two Rights & A Wrong (2-1,2,3) Live VM Lab 2.1 Sim. Lab 2.1 Module 2 Quiz 2/9/2026 Week 4 2/8-2/15 Threats & Attacks on Endpoints Module 3 Pages 63-94 Two Rights & A Wrong (3-1,2,3) Live VM Lab 3.3 Sim. Lab 3.1 Module 3 Quiz 2/16/2026 Week 5 2/15-2/22 Endpoint & Application Development Security Module 4 Pages 95-126 Two Rights & A Wrong (4-1,2,3) Sim. Lab 4.1, 4.2 Module 4 Quiz Test 1 (Ch. 1-4) 2/23/2026 Week 6 2/22- 3/1 Mobile, Embedded, & Specialized Device Security Module 5 Pages 127- 154 Two Rights & A Wrong (5-1,2) Sim. Lab 5.1, 5.2 Module 5 Quiz 3/2/2026 Week 7 3/1-3/8 Basic Cryptography Module 6 Pages 157- 190 Two Rights & A Wrong (6-1,2,3,4) Live VM Lab 6.1, 6.2 Module 6 Quiz 3/9/2026 Spring Break 3/8-3/15 Spring Break Spring Break Spring Break Week 8 3/15-3/22 Public Key Infrastructure & Cryptographic Protocols Module 7 Pages 191- 222 Two Rights & A Wrong (7-1,2,3,4) Live VM Lab 7.1, 7.2 Module 7 Quiz 3/23/2026 Week 9 3/22-3/29 Networking Threats, Assessments, & Defenses Module 8 Page 223-254 Two Rights & A Wrong (8-1,2,3) Live VM Lab 8.1, 8.2 Module 8 Quiz Test 2 (Ch. 5-8) 3/30/2026 Week 10 3/29- 4/5 Network Security Appliances & Technologies Module 9 Pages 255- 284 Two Rights & A Wrong (9-1,2) Live VM Lab 9.1, 9.2 Module 9 Quiz 4/6/2026 Week 11 4/5-4/12 Cloud and Virtualization Security Module 10 Pages 285- 316 Two Rights & A Wrong (10-1,2,3) Live VM Lab 10.1, 10.2 Module 10 Quiz 4/13/2026 Week 12 4/12- 4/19 Wireless Network Security/Authentica tion Module 11-12 Pages 317- 388 Two Rights & A Wrong (11-1,2,3), Live VM Lab 11.1, 11.2 Module 11 Quiz Two Rights & A Wrong (12-1,2) Live VM Lab 12.1, 12.2 Module 12 Quiz 4/20/2026 Week 13 4/19-4/26 Incident Preparation, Response, & Investigation Module 13 Pages 389- 422 Two Rights & A Wrong (13-1,2,3) Live VM Lab 13.2, 13.3 Module 13 Quiz Test 3 (Ch. 9-12) 4/27/2026 Week 14 4/26-5/3 Cybersecurity Resilience Module 14 Pages 423- 452 Two Rights & A Wrong (14-1,2) Live VM Lab 14.1, 14.2 Module 14 Quiz 5/4/2026 Week 15 5/3- 5/10 Risk Management & Data Privacy Module 15 Pages 453-452 Two Rights & A Wrong (15-1,2) Live VM Lab 15.1, 15.2 Module 15 Quiz Test 4 (Ch. 13-15) 5/6/2026 Week 16 5/10-5/13 Final Exam Blackboard FINAL EXAM 5/11/2026 COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: • Assignments 10% • Labs 25% • Quizzes 10% • Tests 25% • Final Exam 30% GRADE SCALE 90-100 A 80-89 B 75-79 C 70-74 D 0-69 F LIT does not use +/- grading scales You must make a C or better for all required program classes. You must make a D or better for all general education classes. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY Students found to be committing academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, or collusion) may receive disciplinary action. Students need to familiarize themselves with the institution’s Academic Dishonesty Policy available in the Student Catalog & Handbook accessible on the LIT website. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS For the latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc., review the Minimum Computer and Equipment Requirements on the LIT Online Experience page. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand, and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses. STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION EAGLE LEARNING ESSENTIALS Eagle Learning Essentials (ELE) https://lit.edu/student-success/eagle-learning-essentials is an affordable textbook rental program through the Barnes and Noble Bookstore. Through this program, students can receive required textbooks, lab manuals, access codes and electronic books conveniently before the first day of class. The ELE bundle will provide the needed learning materials at $14 per credit hour (added to your student account), saving students up to 35-50% on the cost of course materials. The cost can be paid by financial aid or by the student. If a student enrolls in a payment plan, this charge will be included in the payment plan calculations. Supplies are not included in this program and will need to be purchased separately. LIT students are automatically enrolled in the program at the time of registration and will begin receiving emails about selecting their preferred delivery method. Certification Requirement Cyber Security and Networking majors are required to earn certification in one of the following areas prior to graduation. Students are responsible for scheduling and paying for the certification through the LIT Testing Center. • A+ Certification • Network+ Certification • Security+ Certification • Linux+ Certification • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Course Policies 1. Email is the preferred method of communication (sljoiner@lit.edu). I cannot respond to Blackboard Messages, I can see them, but I have no way to respond. I will respond within 48 hours except for weekends and holidays. 2. You must email from your LIT student email account when contacting the instructor and include the course number (ITSY 1342) and section number (section 2A1). 3. Please allow 24 hours during the week and 48 hours on the weekend for a response. 4. All assignment due dates are indicated in the Blackboard course for this class and the course calendar above. Any work submitted after the assigned due date will receive a 10-point deduction the first 2 days and 15 points after 2 days. There is a one-week limit for late work, after one week it will be a 0. 5. Tests are assigned a due date and must be completed by that date to receive full credit. Tests will be open for 5 days total, 3 days for full credit and 2 days for 15-points off. There will be no makeup tests. 6. All tests will require lockdown browser. Please see “Test Browser” in the introduction section of the Blackboard course. 7. All written assignments should be submitted in APA format. Refer to the “APA Format Assistance” section in the introduction section of the Blackboard course. 8. All assignments must be submitted via Blackboard unless specified by your instructor. Assignments submitted through any other method will receive a “0”. 9. Grades for assignments may be accessed through My Grades in Blackboard. Each assignment shows your grade and any grading comments made on your assignment. 10. All assignments must be turned in before the final exam. Nothing will be graded after the final exam.