Cyber: Technical, Operational & Strategic Perspectives

This course provides a structured approach for students without a technical background to understand technical, operational and strategic elements of cyberspace across a variety of technical ecosystems. In the first part of the course we will develop a foundational knowledge of the technical components of cyberspace, the missions they support, and frameworks used to secure technology from malign actors. Through lectures and readings on current events, students will gain an understanding of how vulnerabilities are exploited by threat actors, and the challenges defenders face in assuring an organization's core mission and processes. Throughout the course, students will work in small groups to analyze case studies of cyber breaches to deconstruct and evaluate specific operational impacts of cybersecurity lapses. Students will be equipped with the lexicon, grammar and logic necessary to analyze the full spectrum cyber operations within strategic contexts.