Computer Security Incident Response Specialist

In 2010, the Vermont Attorney General filed an enforcement action against Health Net for violations of the Vermont Security Breach Notification Act as well as the Vermont Consumer Fraud Act; this was the first time in Vermont’s history that an enforcement action had ever been filed under the security breach notification law. The filing was in reference to a May 2009 security breach in which Health Net discovered that an unencrypted hard drive containing the financial and medical information of 1.5 million customers, including 525 Vermont residents, had been stolen.

Health Net began mailing notification letters out to its customers six months after the identified breach, a measure the Vermont Attorney General felt was a violation of the state’s security breach notification law requirement for notification “without unreasonable delay.” The data stored on the hard drive was also unencrypted, which was a violation of Vermont’s Consumer Fraud Act requirement that “minimum standards of data security” be used in commerce, including the encryption of protected health information.

Although there was no reported misuse of the stolen data, the mistake was costly for Health Net. In settlement with the Vermont Attorney General, Health Net paid the State of Vermont $55,000. Yet, because the breach affected consumers in Connecticut and New York as well, Health Net collectively paid those two states more than $500,000 in settlement costs.

What this security incident really did, though, was highlight the fact that cybersecurity is an absolute staple in today’s digital landscape. Vermont has clearly been proactive in enforcing its data breach laws, but the real goal is prevention. For this reason, the demand for talented, master’s-prepared cybersecurity analysts is higher than ever. In fact, in 2014, the Cisco Annual Security Report revealed that while cyber attacks and security breaches increase, globally there is currently a shortage of 1 million cybersecurity professionals with the skills necessary to address modern threats.

Here in the U.S., the cybersecurity workforce is expected to grow by 36.5% through 2022.

Graduate-level cybersecurity programs are designed using a comprehensive approach that focuses on helping graduates develop the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in the cybersecurity workforce. Graduates of these programs will be well-trained in key areas like information security technology, systems assurance, critical analysis, and infrastructure management.

One of the key components of these programs is the inclusion of practical applications, including threat assessment and anomaly detection. At the end of the program, graduates will be proficient in their ability to architect inherently secure systems and defend critical infrastructures, including web and mobile systems.

Online programs are ideal for working professionals who need the flexibility and convenience that traditional, on-site programs lack. Earning a master’s in cybersecurity can be accomplished in about 15 months (about 30 total credits, including 15 core credits and 15 elective credits):

The post-bachelors certificate in cybersecurity is a 15-credit program and requires only half the time of the master’s degree option.

Standard Admissions Requirements for Cybersecurity Master’s Programs

Although admission requirements vary by school, common requirements include:

• Minimum GPA of 3.0 in all undergraduate coursework
• One year of calculus
• One mathematics course in addition to the calculus requirement, such as differential equations, linear algebra, or discrete mathematics
• One C++ programming and/or Java course

The GRE/GMAT requirement varies by academic institution, although many schools waive the submission of GRE/GMAT scores for applicants with a GPA of 3.0 or more in undergraduate studies.

Core Courses and Electives

Core curriculum courses may include:

• Operating System Analysis
• Incident Response and Network Forensics
• Information Assurance Management and Analytics

Elective courses may include:

• Malware Analysis
• Digital Forensics and Encryption
• Critical Infrastructure Protection
• Computer…