Harare Institute of Technology Information Security and Assurance

Bachelor of Technology (Honours) Degree in Information Security and Assurance

Every day, new malicious software is developed to infiltrate national and organizational computer systems and networks. However, this area of computer specialization is growing at a rapid rate and so is the demand for people with skills in information security and assurance.

A B.Tech in Information Security and Assurance prepares students for working within the world of internet, information and cyber security in general. As organizations continue to rely more on technology for their day-to-day activities, the protection of these systems in the digital cyberspace has become a priority and this programme strategically positions our graduates to man the front lines of this exponentially growing frontier. Some of the courses offered that prepare the students for industry include Computer Forensics, Ethical Hacking, Money Laundering and Network Security just to name a few.

Besides the in-class activities offered at HIT, the ISA department also offers an extra-curricular activity in the form of the Cybercrypts club. In this club, you will have the opportunity to interact with other students interested in cyber security, share knowledge, try out practical security activities on a weekly basis under the guidance of the club leadership or the club mentor who is a member of staff. This affords students the opportunity to try out the theoretical cyber security concepts (such as hacking and forensics exercises) they learnt in class in a more casual controlled environment.

The club also hosts a number of events such as Capture-The-Flag tournaments where students are grouped into teams and attempt to hack into or protect a server within a protected environment. Periodically, experts from various partner companies and organisations will also come and give guest lectures so as to help prepare and enlighten students on the industry they will be entering upon graduation.

Programme Aim

The Bachelor of Technology degree in Information Security and Assurance aims to:

• Protect information systems and networks
• Provide suitable, multi-disciplinary training for a career in cyber security

Graduates of the Information Security and Assurance degree programme will be equipped with the following competencies:

• Ability to secure networks against hacking and security threats
• Ability to detect and defend national and organizational computer systems and networks against cyber terrorism
• Ability to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information
• Ability to identify and apply information security standards and policies for organizations
• Ability to develop and apply best practices for systems/data disaster recovery
• Ability to design and develop systems and tools for use in the various facets of digital forensics
• Ability to use risk management principles to assess threats and vulnerabilities in information systems

Programme Structure

This is a full-time programme structured to be delivered over a period of four years which are comprised of approximately:

• 48 weeks of lectures, laboratory practicals, tutorials and a cybersecurity-based design project,
• followed by 30 weeks of internship,
• then 24 weeks of lectures, laboratory practicals, tutorials and a capstone design project.

“The worldwide shortage of information security professionals is at 1 million openings, even as cyberattacks and data breaches increase each year.” – Cisco 2014 Annual Security Report