Operating Systems Security

Class

Safeguard computer operating systems by demonstrating server support skills and designing and implementing a security system. Identify security threats and monitor network security implementations. Use best practices to configure operating systems to industry security standards. For this course, Weatherford College maintains lab hours open to all students. Each semester, departmental faculty members and tutors post hours in these labs when they are available to assist students.

End of Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

  • Identify network security risks, security design, and monitoring solutions;
  • Identify sources of computer threats, evaluate potential practices, tools, and technologies to protect individual network systems;
  • Establish and sustain an operating system security plan utilizing systems and application security tools;
  • Implement procedures to secure and monitor audit logs and set system administrator alerts;
  • Develop an organizational operating system security plan that provides for periodic reviews of security policies, procedures, authorized users list, and software update patches

 

Lab Fee
$24
Required Textbooks

CompTIA A+ Core 2 Exam: Guide to Operating Systems and Security 10e Jean Andrews, Dark and West Cengage Learning 2019

ISBN-10
9780357108505
Evaluation Standards

Student evaluation will be based on the completion of assignments, quizzes, projects and exams. The requirements will be weighted as follows:

Assignments 35%
Quizzes15%
Project 15%
Exams 35%

Final grades will be calculated by the following scale:

90-100 % A
80- 90 % B
70-80 % C
60-70 % D
below 60% F

Required Materials
  • Reliable Internet Access
  • E-mail
  • Microsoft Word or a text editor like NotePad
  • Flash Drive or cloud storage for file access at school
  • File compression utility that comes with most operating systems
Program Learning Outcomes

Information Technology AAS – Cyber Security Option

This degree gives students substantial knowledge of techniques required for network and information security assurance.

 

  • Students work with desktop programs, client-server applications, virtual platforms and cloud services.
  • Students will detect and report complex security events, create incident detection and analysis tools through programming techniques and procedures, using appropriate languages and software.
  • The primary emphasis of the curriculum is hands-on training in information assurance for network hardware, software and data, including physical security, backup procedures, relevant tools, encryption and incident handling and reporting. Instruction will also include related computer areas that provide the ability to adapt as information systems evolve.
  • Students who successfully complete the program should qualify for employment in business, industry, and government organizations in such positions as Network Security Analyst; Information Security Analyst; Penetration Tester; Security Systems Analyst; Cybersecurity Analyst; Cyber Incident Analyst; and Cyber Security - Incident Responder.

 

Disabilities

ADA Statement:

Any student with a documented disability (e.g. learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) may contact the Office on the Weatherford College Weatherford Campus to request reasonable accommodations. Phone: 817-598-6350 Office Location: Office Number 118 in the Student Services Building, upper floor. Physical Address: Weatherford College 225 College Park Drive Weatherford, TX.

Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is fundamental to the educational mission of Weatherford College, and the College expects its students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials including unauthorized use of Generative AI. Departments may adopt discipline specific guidelines on Generative AI usage approved by the instructional dean. Any student who is demonstrated to have engaged in any of these activities will be subject to immediate disciplinary action in accordance with institutional procedures.
Hope Statement
Any student who faces challenges securing basic resources such as food, clothing, or housing and believes this may affect their performance in their course of study is urged to contact the Director of Student Resources, Dr. Deborah Cregger, for support at (817) 598-6444. Her office is on the first floor of Student Services. If the student prefers, they may contact their instructor, who can reach out on their behalf. Weatherford College also provides the Coyote Pantry. The Pantry maintains boxed and canned foods for students in need. The location of the Coyote Pantry is two blocks west of the Weatherford campus at the Baptist Student Ministry (118 E. Park Ave., Weatherford). Pantry hours are Mon-Thurs. 8:30 am-4:30 pm and Fri. 8.30 am-12:00 pm (817-599-6586).
Student Intellectual Property Rights

A student shall retain all rights to work created as part of instruction or using College District technology resources.

SCANS

The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) identified competencies in the area of Resources, Interpersonal, Information, Systems, and Technology; and foundation skills in the areas of Basic Skills and Personal Qualities.

WORKPLACE COMPETENCIES -- Effective workers can productively use:

 

  • Resources -- They know how to allocate (C1) time
  • Information -- They can (C5) acquire and evaluate data, and (C8) use computers to process information.
  • Interpersonal Skills -- They can work on (C9) teams and (C14) work well with people from culturally diverse backgrounds.
  • Systems -- They (C16) they can monitor and correct performance; and (17) they can design or improve systems.
  • Technology -- They can (C18) select equipment and tools, (C19) apply technology to specific tasks, and (C20) maintain and troubleshoot equipment.

 

FOUNDATION SKILLS -- Competent workers in the high-performance workplace need:

 

  • Basic Skills -- (F1) reading, (F3) arithmetic, (F5) listening
  • Thinking Skills -- (F9) to solve problems, (F10) to visualize, (F11) the ability to learn, and (F12) to reason.
  • Personal Qualities -- (F13) individual responsibility, (F14) self-esteem, (F15) sociability, (F16) self-management, and (F17) integrity

 

Contact Hours
96
SCH Hours
3
Work Hours
0
Revised
Spring 2024