Course Project: Security Assessment and Recommendations

Overview | Guidelines | Grading Rubrics | Best Practices

This course does involve a lot of technical information and theory, but what really matters is how this knowledge can be used to identify and remediate real-world security issues. What you learn in this course should be directly applicable to your work environment. The course project that you will complete is designed to further this goal. In the first part of the project, you will choose an organization from one of two given scenarios (below) and identify potential security weaknesses, and in the second part of the project, you will recommend solutions. The first part of the project is due in Week 3, and the second part of the project, along with the first part (presumably revised based on instructor feedback) is due in Week 6. This project constitutes a significant portion of your overall grade. This is an individual assignment and may not be completed in teams.

Phase I – Identify potential weaknesses from either the Aircraft Solutions or Quality Web Design Company

In this phase, you will choose either Aircraft Solutions or Quality Web Design as the company you will work with. The scenarios are in Doc Sharing in the Course Project select area. You will then identify potential security weaknesses.

Security weaknesses – You must choose two from the following three areas (hardware, software, and policy – excluding password policies) and identify an item that requires improved security.

To define the asset or policy with sufficient detail to justify your assessment, your assessment must include:

·        the vulnerability associated with the asset or policy

·        the possible threats against the asset or policy

·        the likelihood that the threat will occur (risk)

·        the consequences to mission critical business processes should the threat occur

·        how the organization’s competitive edge will be affected should the threat occur

To clarify an item that requires improved security, you must identify one of these items:

·        one hardware and one software weakness

·        one hardware and one policy weakness

·        one software and one policy weakness

Other required elements include:

·        Cover sheet

·        APA-style

·        In-text citations and Reference section

·        Minimum length 3 pages, maximum length 5 pages (not counting cover sheet, diagram(s), references). Do not exceed the maximum length.

Phase II: the Course Project (comprised of Phase I and II) – Recommend solutions to the potential weaknesses from either the Aircraft Solutions or Quality Web Design Company

In this phase of the project you will include Part I (presumably improved as needed based upon Week 3 feedback) and then you will recommend solutions for the security weaknesses you identified in the Phase I.

Definition of the solution – Hardware solutions must include vendor, major specifications with an emphasis on the security features, and location of placement with diagram. Software solutions must include vendor and major specifications, with an emphasis on security features. Policy solutions must include the complete portion of the policy that addresses the weakness identified. Any outsourced solution must include the above details and the critical elements of the service level agreement.

Justification – You must address the efficacy of the solution in terms of the identified threats and vulnerabilities; the cost of the solution, including its purchase (if applicable); and its implementation, including training and maintenance.

Impact on business processes – You must discuss any potential positive or negative effects of the solution on business processes and discuss the need for a trade-off between security and business requirements using quantitative rather than simply qualitative statements.

Other required elements include:

·        Cover sheet

·        APA-style

·        In-text citations and Reference section

·        5 reference minimum

·        Minimum length of solutions: 6 pages, maximum length 10 pages (not counting cover sheet, diagram(s), references). Do not exceed the maximum length.

The course project will consist of two deliverables:

Phase I (Identify potential weaknesses from either the Aircraft Solutions or Quality Web Design Company); and Phase II: the Course Project (comprised of Phases I and II – Recommend solutions to the potential weaknesses from either the Aircraft Solutions or Quality Web Design Company).

The grading standards for each deliverable are as follows:

Phase I (Identify potential weaknesses from either the Aircraft Solutions or Quality Web Design Company)

Phase II – the Course Project (comprised of Phase I and II) – Recommend solutions to the potential weaknesses from either the Aircraft Solutions or Quality Web Design Company