Cyber security an emphasis at OCCC

By Matthew Caban, Staff Writer

The battle against cyberterrorism is being fought around the globe — and on OCCC campus.

As a part of President George W. Bush’s plan to combat cyber terrorism a National Security Agency grant was used to find two national faculty development centers in June 2002 to train computer science instructors, said Al Heitkamper, Cyber Security Program director.

One of the development centers is located at the University of Tulsa.

A $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation in September 2004 helped further fund the program.

Heitkamper and another OCCC professor, Brett Weber, studied at TU as part of the program. Both received master’s degrees in computer science with an emphasis in cyber security.

Weber said the cyber security field changes every month due to new threats or viruses.

“There are hundreds ofnew viruses introduced each month and security professionals fight them.”

The training allowed Weber and Heitkamper to start OCCC’s cyber security program last fall.

Weber said, currently, there are 75 cyber security majors at OCCC.

“Enrollment is up and the program is growing,” he said.

This semester marks the first time both professors are teaching cyber security classes full time.

Weber said five classes are currently being offered in the cyber security field.

The classes are principles of information security, security e-commerce, enterprise security management, network security and cyber forensics.

“The classes should be taken in order as they build upon each other,” he said.

The cyber security field includes network security and threat assessment, he said.

“The field is growing and constantly changing,” Weber said.

Heitkamper said OCCC is part of the Computer Security Education Consortium.

The CSEC also includes Tulsa Community College, Rose State College, Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee and the Oklahoma Career Tech system.

Heitkamper said CSEC’s goals are to train the workforce (including students), train professors and meet the needs of the industry.

Weber said OCCC’s program also should alert the public about the need for security awareness.

“People need to be aware of what they should secure and how to do it.”

Staff Writer Matthew Caban can be reached at StaffWriter@occc.edu.