ISSC368 - IT Security: Physical and Peripheral Defense

The successful student will fulfill the following learning objectives:

CO-1: Objective: Analyze the benefits and risks involved when using security systems to increase physical security

CO-2: Analyze the benefits of integrating locks, lights, and alarms for increased physical security of data.

CO-3: Determine organizational needs for physical controls and evaluate their effectiveness

CO-4: Examine defense techniques against physical attacks and apply safeguards for probing facilities unbeknown to staff

CO-5: Identify the components of intelligence gathering and evaluate the correlation of aesthetics and employees in relation to levels of perimeter security

CO-6: Analyze organizational building structures and their vulnerability to various types of attacks

CO-7: Develop best practices for physical penetration testing

CO-8: Examine the roles of security personnel and how they impact data security, and create reports for presentation to management

The grading will be based on 7 graded assignments, 7 Discussion Forums, an individual project proposal paper with 3 elements proposal deliverables and final project proposal.

1. There will be 7 Assignments (7 assignments worth 4% each) counting a total of 38% of the final grade. The assignments will be end of chapter security quizzes for selected chapters. These quizzes will reinforce concepts learned throughout the chapters. Assignments should be prepared in Microsoft Word and uploaded into the student folder by the due date.
2. There will be 7 graded Peer Discussions. For graded forums, answers should be 3-4 paragraphs with supporting sentences using the terms, concepts, and theories from the required readings. Each answer should be a minimum of 250 - 400 words (about 6 to 8 good sentences). You may attack, support, or supplement other students’ answers using the terms, concepts, and theories from the required readings. All responses should be a courteous paragraph that contains a topic sentence with good supporting sentences. You must respond to at least 2 of your classmates with value added comments for full credit consideration throughout the graded week. You may respond multiple times with a continuous discussion with points and counter points. The key requirement is to express your idea and then support your position using the terms, concepts and theories from the required readings to demonstrate to me that you understand the material. The Forum postings will count as 35% (5% for each graded discussion posting) of the final grade.
3. There will be a Course Access Control Project (15%) with Project Acknowledgement (4%), Project outline (8%), and Presentation (8%), all totaling 35% of your final grade. There will 1 one hour long and non-proctored quiz in Week 3 which counts as 10% of the final grade. It will be a combination of multiple-choice and true-false and will be open book and open note.

All assignments, Forum question responses, and the quiz are due by 12:00 midnight Eastern Time Sunday of the week assigned.

Project Proposal Deliverable:
Week 2: Communication and Security Awareness Proposal

Week 4: Physical Security and Access Control Proposal

Week 6: Workplace Crime and Violence Proposal

Week 8: Final Project Proposal Final

Final Course Project Proposal (22%)
You have been hired as the new protection officer for ESL Inc. ESL Inc. has a large facility over 900 employees can be in at any given time. The organization has core hours from 8 AM to 6 PM but workers arrive at the organization as early as 6 AM and leave as late as 9 PM. The organization has 3 guards that work core hours only, posted at the front entrance to the building. Employees have badges that have their picture and key cards that let them in the building. The security guards open the door and check badges in the event a key card does not work. There is no security to prevent users from getting on the grounds, the front of the organization is off a major highway, and the back of the plant is backs up to acres of undeveloped woods. ESL Inc was just awarded a federal contract and after the site visit they were told they would lose the lucrative contract if they did not make their organization secure.

As the new protection officer, you are to create a comprehensive proposal to make the facility secure which includes the following elements:

• New adequate security staffing levels and shifts
• Effective plan to increase communications
• Plan to raise security awareness in the organization
• Automation operations plan
• A new patrol plan
• A comprehensive Physical Security Plan
• Access Control Plan
• Fire and other hazard plan
• Approach to prevent and mitigate workplace crime
• Emergency response plan
• Surveillance plan

This sounds like a great deal of information, but you should rely on the information in the text to create your proposal using APA format. You should also utilize the APUS library to support your recommendations with references from relevant research in physical security and other relevant topics. I strongly suggest you do not wait until the last week to attempt this proposal, but work on this throughout the course.

Unauthorised Access: Physical Penetration Testing For IT Security Teams by W. Allsopp and K. Mitnick, Wiley (Sep 22, 2009). 303 pages. ISBN: 0470747617/978-0470747612. eBook ISBN: 978-0-470-97002-7

Web-based Readings – if these links are no longer available, conduct a web search on the topics

Software Requirements

1. Microsoft Office (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint)
2. Adobe Acrobat Reader (Click here for free download)