Ethical Hacking Graduate Certificate

Program Description

The certificate for Information Assurance provides students with practical hands-on security assessment skills related to computer networks, web applications, wireless systems, and related technologies. Given the growing importance of security in every industry nationwide, the ability to assess and secure technology systems is more important than ever.

Program Eligibility

The ideal candidates for this certificate program are existing IT professionals that are looking for security content to augment their job responsibilities. Students with technology-based undergraduate degrees in Computer Science (or related) are a strong fit for this certificate program.

Program Admission

1. A non-refundable application fee of $35, drawn on a U.S. bank, must accompany the form. The check should be made payable to Dakota State University. If the application fee is not included, the application will not be processed. The application fee cannot be waived or deferred and is non-refundable.
2. Baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education with full regional accreditation for that degree.
3. Official transcripts should be mailed directly to the Graduate Office in a sealed envelope. The registrar's signature and the school seal must be across the sealed flap. Neither photocopies nor transcripts marked "student copy" are acceptable. If you have received your degree from a South Dakota Regental institution, you will not need to submit an official transcript from that university.
4. Completed Graduate Certificate Application.

Program Delivery

All courses are delivered via distance thereby appealing to professionals regardless of location. Distance classes use a combination of both live and/or encoded streaming videos of classes, interactive course web boards, course web sites, and e-mail. All courses are web-enhanced. 

Program Requirements and Coursework

The Ethical Hacking certificate is a 9 credit hour graduate certificate. A graduate certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of the program.

• INFA 534 Ethical Hacking 3 cr. hrs.
• INFA 713 Managing Security Risks 3 cr. hrs.
• INFA 725 Advanced Network Hacking 3 cr. hrs. OR INFA 729 Advanced Web Hacking 3 cr. hrs.

Course Rotation

Course Descriptions

INFA 534 Ethical Hacking 3 cr. hrs.

This course serves as an introduction to offensive security topics with an emphasis on ethical hacking. Special attention is paid to the tools and techniques used in information gathering, scanning, exploitation, and maintaining access. These topics will be discussed in terms of local network and web penetration testing. The goal of this course is to expose students current techniques used by attackers and provide strategies for defending against these attacks.

INFA 713 Managing Security Risks 3 cr. hrs.

Information technology holds the potential to create strategic, operational, financial, and reputational issues for an organization. Information technology risk management science provides decision-makers with the information needed to determine information security risk so decisions can be made regarding risk mitigation. This course is a study of the existing risk management frameworks, models, processes and tools to equip students with the theory, science and practical knowledge to operationalize risk management in an organization or government agency. Topics include outsourcing and off-shoring risks, and their mitigation through third party risk management programs. Students will examine cutting-edge risk management science to understand the future of information technology risk management.

INFA 725 Advanced Network Hacking 3 cr. hrs.

This course is designed to expose students to advanced exploitation techniques. Topics include the use of automated exploitation tools as well as the process of exploitation discovery and development. Vulnerability analysis, debugging, fuzzing, shellcode, and mitigation techniques will be explored. Both Windows and Linux platforms will be covered. Prerequisite: INFA 534 or CSC 436.

INFA 729 Advanced Web Hacking 3 cr. hrs.

This course emphasizes offensive attacks that all web-based applications are confronted with. Special attention will be paid to attacks vectors in the operating system, web server, database, and programming language implemented by the web application. Advanced techniques related to filter evasion, session management, database interaction, path traversal, and file inclusion will be emphasized. Prerequisite: INFA 534 or CSC 434.