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Cyberspace defense class enters high schools

  • Published
  • By Francis L. Crumb
  • Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs
ROME, N.Y. --  Security for students returning this week to a dozen New York State high schools and one community college will be centered in cyberspace.

Technology teachers from several high schools and Mohawk Valley Community College completed a weeklong course late last month at the Griffiss Institute to prepare for teaching a cyber security course, developed by Syracuse University, in their local high schools. The cyber security course is designed as the first in the nation to be offered in high schools as part of the regular class schedule.

Dr. Kamal Jabbour, principal computer engineer in the Air Force Research Laboratory Cyber Operations Branch, developed the course. Dr. Jabbour is the director for the Advanced Course in Engineering (ACE) Cyber Security Boot Camp held each summer in Rome. This 10-week program brings university students from across that nation to Rome for intensive studies in cyber security and for practical, hands-on experience within AFRL.

"We built on the success of the boot camp in developing the high school curriculum, which piloted at Rome Catholic School earlier this year," said Dr. Jabbour. "Our goal is to take the curriculum to high schools across the nation. This course will open students' imaginations to the challenges in cyberspace and excite about the possibilities of a career in cyber security."

Dan Pease, a Syracuse University professor of computer and information science who is on leave at the AFRL Information Directorate, suggested that Dr. Jabbour offer the cyber security course to high school students through the university "Project Advance."

Project Advance offers 29 of Syracuse's introductory college courses in 148 high schools throughout New York, New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts and Michigan. Professor Pease is the faculty liaison for three computer engineering courses offered to high school students through Project Advance and designed the cyber security summer workshop program to train the teachers.

Completion of the workshop qualified the teachers to instruct the same course that Professor Pease will offer on the Syracuse campus. High school students registered in the off-campus sections, who successfully finish the course, receive three Syracuse University credits in computer science and engineering.

Topics to be included in the high school curriculum include: escalating privilege-sniffing, password cracking, preparing for and detecting attacks, and digital forensics. Students will also study the ethical and legal concepts of cyber defense.

High schools participating in this program include Adirondack (Boonville), Cicero-North Syracuse High School, Holland Patent, Mahopac, Port Jervis, Rome Catholic School, Rome Free Academy, Sauquoit Valley, Proctor Senior High (Utica), Washingtonville, Westhill (Syracuse) and Whitesboro.