Saddleback College Cybersecurity Center
Director: Professor Jeffery Barnett, PhD.
Contact: jbarnett16@saddleback.edu
CAE-CD Program Goal
The objective of the CAE Cyber Defense initiative is to fortify our national information infrastructure by endorsing advanced education and research in cyber defense, thereby cultivating experts in the field.
The initiative empowers students to actively enhance their grasp of comprehensive cyber defense methodologies, strategies, and protocols. It prepares them to work jointly as specialists, ensuring our nation can efficiently avert and address significant cyber incidents. This initiative plays a pivotal role in progressing cutting-edge cybersecurity insights and methodologies.
Saddleback Community College District Information
The vision for Saddleback College’s CAE-CD program is to:
- Deliver a program dedicated to upholding the highest standards in Cyber Defense education.
- Bolster the cybersecurity workforce by offering Cyber Defense training, both through certifications and an Associate of Science degree.
- Establish a robust educational framework in partnership with K-12 institutions, inspiring younger students to delve into cybersecurity studies.
- Equip the country with a stream of capable students ready to transform into tomorrow's adept technical professionals.
- Persistently enhance the caliber of the Cyber Defense educational program, encompassing curriculum, teaching staff, student body, and associated institutions.
Saddleback's cybersecurity/cyber defense program starts students on a pathway to becoming a United States Department of Defense (DOD) Cyber Security Service Provider (CSSP) in the form of a Computer Science Associate in Science degree that is built for transfer along with the preparation needed to take the Certified Ethical Hacker exam which meets the minimum certificate requirements for the CSSP Analyst, Infrastructure Support, Incident Responder, and Auditor Levels.
The United States Department of Defense Cyber Security Service Provider (CSSP) workforce consists of five different levels of employment (e.g. Analyst, Infrastructure Support, Incident Responder, Auditor, and Manager), with each requiring one or more industry certificates along with a four-year degree. The CSSP is a highly sought-after certification issued by the Department of Defense that indicates a candidate's fitness for the DOD CSSP workforce.
Certificate Types and Unit Requirements
| Certificate Type | Unit Requirement |
|---|---|
| Associate of Science Degree | 60 units and over |
| Certificate of Achievement | 18 units and over |
AS Degrees
- Cyber Defense, Associate of Science (60 units)
Certificates of Achievement
- Cyber Operations, Certificate of Achievement (23 units)
- Cybersecurity/Information Security Analyst, Certificate of Achievement (21-22 units)
The following is a list of Saddleback's Cybersecurity Program faculty and their specializations.
Networking / Cybersecurity Program Faculty
| Name | Role | Specialization |
|---|---|---|
| Art Nitta | Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics | |
| Jeffery Barnett, PhD. | Faculty | Cybersecurity |
| Karla Soler | Associate Faculty | Cybersecurity / Digital Forensics |
| Steve Linthicum | Associate Faculty | Cybersecurity |
| Steve Korper | Faculty | Network Security |
Professional Journals
Cybersecurity journals and articles are available through the Saddleback College Online Library at no charge. Just follow the login instructions on the Online Library link on the Saddleback.edu home page. Professional Journals available at the Online Library include:
Student Resources
- Air Force Association's CyberPatriot
- Collegiate Penetration Testing Competition (CPTC)
- Cyber Corps: Scholarship for Service
- CyberTech Girls and GenCyber Teachers
- Southern California Community College Consortium on Cybersecurity (SoCalCCCC)
- Western Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (WRCCDC)
CAE and CAE-CD Institutions
Our university partners and other Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense education
- California State University, Fullerton
- California State University, Pomona
- California State University, Sacramento
- California State University, San Bernardino
- National University, San Diego
- University of California, Irvine
- University of Maryland
Cybersecurity Community Resources
The following is a list of Saddleback's advisory board members for Cybersecurity.
Advisory Board Members
| Name | Role | Organizations |
|---|---|---|
| Brandon Brown, PhD CISS/IA | Cybersecurity Program Director | Coastline College |
| Christina Roc | Workforce Development Manager/STEM Outreach Director/Academic Engagement | Naval Information Warfare Command |
| Chris Simpson | Cybersecurity Program Director | National University |
| Richard Cassoni, CISSP | Professor | Mira Costa College |
| Shamsi Monfared, PhD | Strategic Planning, Criminal Psychology | Private Consultant |
| Steve Linthicum, JD, CISSP | Advisor | Private Consultant |
In addition to mentoring for CyberPatriot competitions, Saddleback College students participate in a variety of cyber competitions to sharpen their hands-on skills in cybersecurity. Competitions include the Western Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (WRCCDC), National Cyber League (NCL), and SoCal Cyber Cup.