CSCI 461: Computer Security

Computer Science · 4 credits

An overview of computer security and detailed study of the theoretical foundations and practical implementations of some aspects of security, including policy specification, the role of cryptography, policy implementation and assurance, security threats and counter-measures.

Offered in 4 of the 26 listed terms (Fall 2021 to Winter 2026).

Catalog entry Browse Classes Textbooks (WWU Bookstore)

Prerequisites

CSCI 247 and CSCI 367

Prerequisite tree

Each course's own prerequisites, down to the first courses in the chain.

CSCI 247 Computer Systems I
requires CSCI 145
- CSCI 145 Computer Programming and Linear Data Structures
  requires CSCI 141 and (MATH 115 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 138 or MATH 156 or MATH 157 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80)
  - CSCI 141 Computer Programming I
    requires MATH 112 or MATH 114 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 134 or MATH 138 or MATH 156 or MATH 204 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55
    - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods
      requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or MATH 197C (minimum grade S) or MATH 109 (minimum grade S)
      - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 1
      - MATH 197C Support Topics for Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
      - MATH 109 Support for Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
    - MATH 114 Precalculus I
      requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70
      - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
    - MATH 115 Precalculus II
      requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
      - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
      requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
      requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
      - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
      - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
    - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
      requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4
      - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
      - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
        requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
        MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
        MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
      requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
      - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
      - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus
      requires Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4 or (Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 2 and Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3)
    - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics
      requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or MATH 112
      - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
    - MATH 204 Elementary Linear Algebra
      requires MATH 125 or MATH 135 or MATH 138
      - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
      - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors
      - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II
    requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
    - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
    requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
    requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
    - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
    requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus
    requires Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4 or (Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 2 and Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3)
  - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics
    requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or MATH 112
    - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
  - MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics
    requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 148 or MATH 156 or MATH 114 or MATH 118 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 2.3 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 2.3 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2
    - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
    - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
CSCI 367 Computer Networks I
requires CSCI 305 and CSCI 347
- CSCI 305 Data Structures and Algorithms I
  requires CSCI 201 or CSCI 301
  - CSCI 201 Discrete Math and Functional Programming for Computer Scientists
    requires CSCI 145 and (MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 134 or MATH 135 or MATH 138 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 3 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3)
    - CSCI 145 Computer Programming and Linear Data Structures (shown above)
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
  - CSCI 301 Formal Languages and Functional Programming
    requires CSCI 145
    - CSCI 145 Computer Programming and Linear Data Structures (shown above)
- CSCI 347 Computer Organization II
  requires CSCI 247 and CSCI 305
  - CSCI 247 Computer Systems I (shown above)
  - CSCI 305 Data Structures and Algorithms I (shown above)

From Banner's catalog for Spring 2027. Banner lists only the requisites it enforces, so check the catalog entry too.

Required by (1)

CISS 497B

What it leads to

Courses that list it as a prerequisite, then the courses that list those, 2 levels deep.

CISS 497B Application of Machine Learning in Cybersecurity

Syllabi and course websites

None listed yet.

Suggest a syllabus link

Instructors

Instructor	Sections	Terms
Hong, Hsiang - Jen	2	Winter 2025 to Winter 2026
Mare, Shrirang	1	Fall 2022
Tsikerdekis, Michael	1	Fall 2021

Every offering in the listed terms (4 sections)

Term	CRN	Type	Meets	Instructor	Enrolled	Delivery
Winter 2026	13757	Lecture	TR 10:00am-11:40am · CF 025	Hong, Hsiang - Jen	14/35	Face to Face Instruction
Winter 2025	13982	Lecture	MTWF 9:00am-9:50am · CF 023	Hong, Hsiang - Jen	20/35	Face to Face Instruction
Fall 2022	42385	Lecture	MTWF 2:00pm-2:50pm · CF 420	Mare, Shrirang	24/25	Face to Face Instruction
Fall 2021	42714	Lecture	M 2:00pm-2:50pm · REMOTE SYNC TBA · REMOTE ASNC	Tsikerdekis, Michael	17/25	Face to Face Instruction