CWCT Course Descriptions

Learn more about the individual courses and the areas of training they will cover.

Course Descriptions

CWCT100 CompTIA A+

This course covers the fundamental knowledge and skills and develop trainee’s ability to perform essential IT tasks as a computer support professional. Topics include mobile and external devices, hardware and software, network and security basics, Windows OS and other OSs, skills on system installation, configuration, diagnosing, maintenance, as well as the fundamentals of cloud computing and operational procedures. Through the completion of the course, the trainees are expected to be able to install and configure different OSs and the basic network, troubleshoot and problem solve core services, implement basic data storage and backup solutions, and provide support to PC services. CWCT100 is a CWCT core course required for all of the three training track programs.

CWCT105 CompTIA Security+

The course covers the fundamental knowledge and skills in cybersecurity and develop trainee’s ability to examine and analyze cybersecurity for enterprise and government. Topics include cybersecurity principles, cryptography basics, threats and vulnerabilities, access control and identify management, networks, application, data and host security. This course is designed for trainees with basic knowledge and administrative skills in TCP/IP networks and operating systems, especially Windows systems. CWCT105 is a CWCT core course required for all of the three training track programs.

CWCT115 CISCO Cyber Ops

This course prepares trainees to begin a career working with associate-level cybersecurity analysts within security operations centers. It covers Cyber Ops introduces the core security concepts and skills needed to monitor, detect, analyze and respond to cybercrime, cyberespionage, insider threats, advanced persistent threats, regulatory requirements, and other cybersecurity issues facing organizations. It emphasizes the practical application of the skills needed to maintain and ensure security operational readiness of secure networked systems. The skills developed in the curriculum prepares students for a career in the rapidly growing area of cybersecurity operations working in or with a security operations center (SOC) in entry-level job roles such as Security SOC Analyst and Incident Responder. This course is designed for trainees with basic knowledge and administrative skills in operating systems. CWCT115 is a CWCT core course required for all of the three training track programs.

CWCT116 Linux System Administration

This course covers the fundamental knowledge and skills in Linux and aims to develop trainee’s ability to configure and manage Linux systems for enterprise and government. Topics include the configuration and management of file systems, operating systems, access control, process and services, hardware and devices, and operating security. Through the completion of the course, the trainees are expected to be able to install and configure Linux file systems and operating systems, manage user and user group, processes, services, remote network shares, disks and partitions, file and service permissions. CWCT116 is a required course for Cybersecurity-System Administration (CS_SA) track and the Cybersecurity- Digital Forensic (CS_DA) track.

CWCT140 Python Essentials

This course covers structured programming concepts in Python and includes topics in basic control structures, basic syntax, procedures and functions, lists, records, sorts and searches. Trainees will develop and test working programs in an integrated system and practice teamwork skills. This course will also develop trainee’s abilities to apply python in cybersecurity applications. CWCT140 is a required course for the Cybersecurity- Artificial Intelligence (CS_AI) track.

CWCT 215 – ICS/SCADA (Advanced, optional)

The ICS/SCADA Cyber Security course is a hands-on set of training modules that teach the foundations of security and defending network architectures from attacks. Students will learn to think like a malicious hacker to defend their organization. This course teaches powerful methods to analyze the risks possessed by network infrastructure in IT and corporate spaces. Once your foundation or basic concepts are clear, you will learn a systematic process of intrusion and malware analysis. After this, you will learn about the digital forensic process and incident response techniques upon detecting a breach.  Pre-requisite: CWCT 105

CWCT225 Ethical Hacking

This course covers the basics of penetration testing process and tools, network protocols, network security, and scanning techniques, OS, web, database, and application security, malware analysis and social engineering techniques. This course is designed for trainees with basic knowledge in network protocols and administrative skills in operating systems. CWCT225 is a required course for Cybersecurity-System Administration (CS_SA) track.

CWCT230 Cloud System Administration

This course covers OpenStack and other cloud platforms on topics including instance launch and deployment, management of projects, users, roles, and quotas, networks, routers, addressing, images, flavors, and block storage, and customization of an instance, as well as introduction to windows Server administration in virtual environment. CWCT230 is a required course for Cybersecurity-System Administration (CS_SA) track.

CWCT235 Computer Forensics

This course covers the tools and techniques used in the forensic analysis. Topics include forensics analysis techniques for file systems, operation systems, Microsoft Office metadata, windows registry, steganography recovery, applied decryption, email, and Internet applications. Leaners will practice with forensic acquisition, analysis, and report tools such as FTK, FTK Imager, Registry Viewer, and PRTK (password recovery toolkit) as well as other open sources tools (Wireshark, etc.). CWCT235 is a required course for the Cybersecurity- Digital Forensic (CS_DF) track.

CWCT240 Mobile Forensics (Advanced, optional)

This course covers the tools and techniques used in the mobile forensic analysis and topics include the SQLight database analysis, IOS/Android artifacts and applications forensics (browsers, messages, calendar, email, phone calls, images and multi-media). Leaners will practice with forensic tools such as FTK and other open sources or free tools such as SQLite Studio and UFED reader. CWCT240 is an advanced course and will be offered as an optional course if there are sufficient demands. Pre-Requisite: CWCT255.

CWCT245 Introduction to AI

CWCT245 is an introductory course into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine learning (ML) with a Cybersecurity perspective.  You will understand terms of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Language (ML), Big Data, block chain and lean how to practically apply them in activities including Classification, Intent Based Networking, Deep Learning, and Unsupervised Machine Learning. You will develop practical ways to use AI to enhance your work, integrate your processes with block chain through Simba Chain, and understand ML techniques. You should be comfortable with College Algebra before taking this course. CWCT245 is a required course in the Cybersecurity AI Track.

CWCT250 IoT and Hardware Security

This course covers basic hardware-based authentication framework using state of art hardware security primitives such as strong physical unclonable functions (PUFs) for enhanced security for Internet of Things (IOT) devices. The course will overview new authentication techniques, incorporating lightweight cryptographic primitives with PUFs, and novel pre-boot authentication and storage encryption functions using trusted platform modules (TPM), and will include hands on labs on IoTs platforms to evaluate security vulnerabilities and develop countermeasures. CWCT250 is a required course for the Cybersecurity-Artificial Intelligence (CS_AI) track.

CWCT255 Digital Forensics Investigation

This course prepares trainees with proficient knowledge, skills, and ability towards the EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI). Topics include forensics law, regulations, and procedures, forensic tools (Autopsy), media analysis, OS forensics, application forensics, network forensics and password cracking. CWCT255 is a required course for the Cybersecurity- Digital Forensic (CS_DF) track.

CWCT 345 – Machine Learning Foundations

Machine learning foundation course is designed to learn how the machine improves performance automatically from the experience. This course will provide an overview of machine learning models and algorithms for pattern recognition and prediction. This course covers theoretical concepts with hands-on practices in supervised learning. The topics covered in this course are Bayesian network, linear regression, supported vector, KNN, decision tree, random forest, and neural networks. Pre-requisite: CWCT 245

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Continue Your Cybersecurity Education at Purdue Northwest

You can apply all Cybersecurity Workforce Training coursework to PNW’s B.S. in Cybersecurity. For more information, or to apply, contact Amber Schuler at arschule@pnw.edu or (219) 989-2046.


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