VINCENNES, Ind. - Vincennes University will boost cyber security in Indiana by introducing critical training for high school students enrolled in VU’s dual credit programs, Project Excel and Early College.

In Fall 2018, VU will include Certified Secure Computer User (CSCU) curriculum within its Introduction to Computer Concepts credit course, which is part of Indiana’s Core Transfer Library. VU also recently launched EC-Council’s globally recognized Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification into its Bachelor’s in Technology degree, which has a concentration in Information Technology, and its Bachelor's in Homeland Security degree, which has a concentration in Cybersecurity and Information Technology.

Leading these initiatives is Jaci Lee Lederman, chair of the VU Department of Information Technology, and Wesley Alvarez, director of Academics for the U.S. Academic Division at EC-Council.  Lederman is a Certified EC-Council Instructor.

“Providing high school students access to the CSCU course and certification will expedite the cyber secure education needed by our future workforce. Cyber secure work habits can start in high-school,” Lederman said.

“After piloting the CSCU course on the VU campus, I see merit in experienced IT students and professionals taking the course.  The course is a resource that can help IT students and professionals understand what everyday computer users need to know.  In the effort to configure the next best system to thwart cyber crime, organizations might overlook educating end users about secure computing.”

The purpose of the CSCU course and certification is to provide individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills to protect their information assets. The course will cover identity theft, fraud, phishing scams, virus and backdoors, email hoaxes, online sex offenders, hacking attacks, and social engineering. This will help students take the necessary steps to mitigate their security exposure. After the course, students will also be eligible to attempt the CSCU certification exam and achieve industry-recognized certification before they graduate high school.

"This course highlights the actions we unknowingly take on our computer every day that could put us at risk of losing data as a result of a cyber attack.  As an IT professional, I understand that protecting an organization's infrastructure is a top priority of any Information Technology Department.  However, setting up systems to protect an organization's digital assets is only one part of the effort.  The human factor should not be ignored.  The everyday computer user must be educated on cyber security in order to contribute to the organization's security efforts," Lederman said.

About Vincennes University

VU offers a baccalaureate degree in Technology, which includes a concentration in Information Technology, and in Homeland Security, which includes a concentration in Cybersecurity and Information Technology. Associate degrees include Information Technology, IT Support and Cyber Security, Computer Programming, Web Design, and Game Development, as well as Law Enforcement, Conservation Law, and Legal Studies. Details are available by contacting Jaci Lederman at jlederman@vinu.edu.  More information is available at https://www.vinu.edu/college-of-business-and-public-service/index.html/information-technology.html, www.vinu.edu/dual-credit/index.html.

About EC-Council

EC-Council has been the world’s leading information security certification body since 2002. EC-Council is a member-based organization that certifies individuals with various information security and e-business skills. It is the owner and creator of the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator (CHFI), EC-Council Certified Security Analyst (ECSA), and Licensed Penetration Tester (LPT) programs, and as well as many others programs. EC-Council Foundation, the nonprofit branch of EC-Council, created Global CyberLympics, the world’s first global hacking competition. For more information, www.eccouncil.org/academia.

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