Faculty and Courses

Introduction to Information Security

This course introduces a variety of cyber security topics from a management, policy, and technology framework. Topics covered include; security of user-web interaction; safeguarding the Internet of Things; cyber-warfare; securing virtual, cloud, and mobile environments; and legal and ethical issues of security and privacy.

Randy Trzeciak holds a dual appointment between Heinz College and the CERT Program at the Software Engineering Institute. Randy is the Director of the Master of Science in Information Security Policy and Management program at CMU and instructs the core introductory course in the program. At CERT, Randy is the Technical Manager of the Enterprise Threat and Vulnerability Management Team and the Insider Threat Center

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Introduction to Cyber Intelligence

Cyber intelligence: a phrase often used, but interpreted by government agencies, private companies, and the general public in many different ways. For the purpose of this course, cyber intelligence is the acquisition and analysis of information to identify, track, and predict cyber capabilities, intentions, and activities to offer courses of action that enhance decision making. Students will explore different aspects of the definition to develop an analytic framework capable of discerning the interdependencies of, and external influences on, cyber intelligence, as it relates to an organization’s environment, data gathering, functional analysis, strategic analysis, and decision making. Cyber intelligence will be explored within the context of threat modeling and the cyber kill chain. Students will learn how traditional intelligence practices and emerging technologies influence cyber intelligence, empowering students to assess the likelihood of cyber threat actors executing attacks, the impact attacks have on an organization’s business, and the risk threats pose because of an organization’s known vulnerabilities. 

Thomas P. Scanlon is a Senior Research Scientist and Technical Manager in the CERT Division of the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. He leads the CERT Data Science technical program which incorporates artificial intelligence, machine learning, and statistical analyses to develop solutions for cybersecurity challenges. Scanlon’s research interests include generative AI, large language models (LLMs), cybersecurity, software engineering, threat modeling, human-computer interaction (HCI), and quantum computing. Additionally, Scanlon serves as adjunct faculty in CMU’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy where he teaches courses such as Introduction to Cyber Intelligence and Cybersecurity for Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning as well as advises students on research projects.

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network defenses

This course takes a hands-on approach, introducing students to network defenses to block, mitigate, and detect cyber-attacks. Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and network sniffers are some of the tools students will learn to deploy and configure in a live lab environment. Time will also be spent learning how to analyze data to make conclusions about the network that is being monitored and actively attacked.

Toby Meyer is a Senior Member of the Technical Staff at the Software Engineering Institute and a Team Lead in the CERT Cyber Workforce Development Directorate. He is a cybersecurity professional with extensive industry experience and serves as an adjunct in the Master of Science in Information Security Policy & Management and Master of Science in Information Technology programs at CMU.

What's next? 

Apply now to the IT Lab Summer Cybersecurity Fellowship.