Added on: 12/22/2009
By: adam.c.voyton

Wilmington University Team Wins First Place in DC3 Digital Forensics Challenge

Team Beats Out Government, Military and Civilian Teams Across Country

Thursday, December 10, 2009 - New Castle, DE

Four Wilmington University students have been awarded first place in the Undergraduate Category of the 2009 DC3 Digital Forensics Challenge, an international competition co-sponsored by the Department of Defense, the SANS Institute and IMPACT (International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber-Threats). The DC3 challenge, which was launched in 2006, encourages participants to solve a hypothetical, challenging forensic issue. Of the 1153 entries from over 56 countries, the Wilmington University team was one of only 44 teams who were able to solve the challenge. The University team recorded the third highest score worldwide and surpassed all government, military and civilian teams.

The Wilmington University New Castle team consisted of coach Chris Shanahan (Adjunct professor of Computer and Network Security and Wilmington University alum), Clay Batchelor, Roman Sheriff, Enjolokee Jones and Michael Escobar. They registered only two months before the challenge deadline (most teams worked on the challenge for atleast six months) and worked diligently towards solving the hypothetical computer forensics examination and analysis of a federal crime investigation.

The team has been awarded an all-expense paid trip to the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Conference in St. Louis in 2010, will appear on a podcast which will be aired from the Pentagon, and are scheduled to appear at a Delaware chapter of InfraGard meeting held at Wilmington University’s Dover campus. Additionally, the team will be honored by Senator Tom Carper (D-Del) who has worked effortlessly to ensure the first state helps lead the way in U.S. cyber security. Governor Jack Markell will also congratulate the team along with Senator Carper in a reception to be held later this year.

“When I found out they had won it felt awesome! I’m still on cloud nine,” said coach Chris Shanahan, who specializes in computer security and forensics. “It is a huge achievement and there are professionals in the field of Computer Forensics that did not score as well as Wilmington University.” Shanahan explained that the team worked together on a hypothetical scenario in which your team is a computer forensics analyst and a terrorist group is threatening to blow up a building. The team then has to work to provide investigators with a report, which will be used to arrest said terrorists. “To solve the challenge was an achievement alone but to be the winning team overall is just amazing,” said Shanahan, “Those four guys should be so proud of themselves. I am very excited for them.”

Team member Roman Sheriff described the challenge as an incredible experience. “We learned the importance of communication,” said Sheriff, who works as a Job Applications Programmer at the Department of Labor while pursuing his degree, “We stayed in contact through email, I would put out meeting agendas and we met two to three times a week to discuss our progress.”

Teammate Clay Batchelor, who works as a Computer Associate at Best Buy, agreed saying, “It was the real thing. We learned how to do a complete forensic investigation, extract data, and write a legible report. Towards the end we had meetings every week and delegated each of the tasks. It was because of those meetings that we were able to cooperate with each other and work through this challenge.”

All the teammates spoke very highly of their coach Chris Shanahan. “We couldn’t have done it without our coach,” said Sheriff. “He helped us stay focused. It can all be very overwhelming.” Batchelor also commented, “From what I have heard the DC3 was impressed with the focus in our report and we owe a lot of that focus to our coach, Chris Shanahan.”

“We are so proud of the Wilmington University team,” said Computer and Network Security Program Coordinator, Mark Hufe who encouraged the students to participate in the challenge. “Winning this challenge not only highlights the achievements of our students but also the quality of our program. The Computer and Network Security (CNS) degree is an interdisciplinary program that includes components of Computer Forensics (CNS), Cyber Law (Legal Studies), Criminal Evidence and Procedures (Criminal Justice), and many more. As technology changes we will continue to update our program to reflect current cyber security procedures.”

For more information on the DC3 Computer Forensic Challenge visit http://www.dc3.mil/2009_challenge.

For more information on the Computer and Network Security degree at Wilmington University visit http://www.wilmu.edu/itac/cns.aspx.

Added on: 07/28/2009
By: mark.j.hufe

Keep an eye open for summer cyber camps to be offered by WU starting in 2010. The camps are part of an initiative by Senator Carper announced in a press release on July 27th, 2009:

http://carper.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=316227

In addition, there was an article on the front page of the local section of the July 28th edition of the News Journal.

Added on: 07/07/2009
By: mark.j.hufe

CNS students will have some distance learning options beginning this fall. IRM 230 - Introduction to Linux goes online in Fall Block I of 2009 with Bryan Cardillo as the instructor. Andrea Martin will be teaching IRM 320 - Networks and Telecommunications in Fall Block II.

These are both required courses for CNS majors but are also open to other majors as well.

Added on: 07/07/2009
By: mark.j.hufe

Exciting news on the distance learning stage for College of Technology students!

Beginning Fall 2009 the Web Information Systems degree becomes available in Distance Learning format. The first course to roll out the door will be WIS 400 - Advanced Database Design, taught by Nancy MacDonald, in Fall Block I. WIS really ramps up in the spring of 2010 with DL offerings of WIS 120 - Basic Web Application Development in Block I followed by WIS 200 - Internet Foundations and WIS 370 - User-Centered Design in Block II.

The roll out continues over the summer of 2010 with WIS 100, WIS 210, and WIS 220. The fall of 2010 will see DL offerings of WIS 300 and WIS 420 and the final pieces of the puzzle become available in the spring of 2011 with WIS 320 and WIS 450.

But face-to-face fans need not worry. WIS will continue to be offered in the good old fashioned classroom.

Added on: 07/07/2009
By: mark.j.hufe

Starting in Summer Block II, WIS 290 - Introduction to Programming with Python and PHI 314 - Ethics for Computer Professionals are available online. Both are taught by Hufe's, Mark Hufe teaching Python and Nora Hufe teaching ethics. There are still seats available.

Added on: 05/01/2009
By: adam.c.voyton

Any project that has been created and is a direct result of a class assignment in the past academic year is eligible for submission.

All entrants and their entries are recognized during the ceremony, and all winners will receive a certificate and medal, as well. The submission deadline is Friday, May 1st! We need your help in making this event the success it can be.

All submissions can be made via internet (http://www.wcitac.org/), or in person to Adam Voyton.

If you have any questions or concerns at all regarding the ceremony, entry submission, etc., please feel free to contact me. You may reach via email Dawn Wilson at dawnwilson@earthlink.net.

---

The awards ceremony will be held in the DAC's building auditorium on Tuesday, May 5th at 6pm. The event is free for all to attend. It typically takes an hour to complete, and hors d'oeuvres will be served for everyone to enjoy.

Added on: 08/11/2008
By: mark.j.hufe

Event Date and Time: 11/18/2008 at 06:30 PM

The Secret Service is tentatively scheduled to speak at an iTAC Collquium on the topic of cyber security. The preliminary time frame is Tuesday or Wednesday in the week before Thanksgiving in the evening around 6:30. The topic will be something in the area of current cyber threats and/or case studies.

All are invited to attend. CNS are strongly encouraged to attend.

Added on: 08/07/2008
By: mark.j.hufe

Due to popular demand, WIS370 - User Centered Design has been added to the Fall Block 2 schedule on Monday nights. This is a required course that has never been offered before with COM360 available as a waiver/substitution. However, COM360 is currently full. WIS students currently signed up for COM360 are encouraged to do an add/drop for WIS370 to make room for Design students that need the COM course. Since WIS370 is offered on the same night, there should be no schedule conflict.

While there is some overlap between COM360 and WIS370, WIS370 focuses on usability more so than aesthetics.

Added on: 08/07/2008
By: mark.j.hufe

iTAC's very own Joe Novalany was awarded a NASA Space Grant scholarship for the 2008-2009 academic year. NASA provides funds each year to Wilmington University and other Delaware higher education institutions for scholarships in qualified programs.

Congratulations, Joe!

Added on: 08/07/2008
By: mark.j.hufe

Wilmington University has joined Cyberwatch, a consortium of community colleges and universities sponsored under an NSA grant. Mark Hufe is the University's representative.

The mission of Cyberwatch is to build the nation's Information Assurance work force. The grant helps make this happen by funding workshops, curriculum support, faculty development, student contests, and more. Check out: http://www.cyberwatchcenter.org/.

Added on: 07/14/2008
By: jnova56687

iTAC Award Submissions for 2009 are now being taken.

Students taking iTAC courses in summer of 2008 through spring of 2009 are eligible to register and submit projects.

Click on the 'Submit Project' link either on the iTAC homepage or on the homepage of your individual account after signing in.

Added on: 05/05/2008
By: mark.j.hufe

Tuesday evening at the News Journal on Rt. 141, the AITP will be hosting a meeting. There will be light refreshments. Admission for members is free. For guests, the fee is just $5.  The guest speaker will be Bill Steigerwald, VP of IT for The News Journal. Mr. Steigerwald will conduct an interactive discussion entitled

Open Source Technology...

Why The News Journal is moving
away from proprietary technologies

See http://www.contactpro.com//userimages/407428/7102.html for more details.

Added on: 04/13/2008
By:

Don't forget to register and submit your projects for the iTAC Awards


We will be announcing winners later this month in the auditorium.

Added on: 04/12/2008
By:

We will be releasing the site soon!