SF Networking Program Certified by NSA
March 21, 2012
The National Security Agency (NSA) has approved Santa Fe College Networking program to be NSTISSI 4011 certified. With this, we joined an elite group of mostly universities around the country in achieving this certification. This designation is the first of many steps in bringing an information assurance program to our college.
About the Program
NSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) jointly sponsor the National Centers of Academic Excellence in IA Education (CAE/IAE) and CAE-Research (CAE-R) programs. The goal of these programs is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in IA and producing a growing number of professionals with IA expertise in various disciplines. Designation as a CAE/IAE or CAE-R is valid for five academic years, after which the school must successfully reapply in order to retain its CAE designation.
Students attending these designated schools are eligible to apply for scholarships and grants through the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program and the Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service Program. Designation as a Center does not carry a commitment for funding From NSA or DHS.
CAE/IAEs and CAE-Rs receive formal recognition from the U.S. Government as well as opportunities for prestige and publicity for their role in securing our Nation's information systems.
This certification means our program has been found to meet the first in a set of standards of excellence for training of Information Systems Security professionals established by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS). These standards established by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS), formerly known as the National Security Telecommunications and Information Systems Security Committee (NSTISSC), provide a benchmark for the minimum training and education standards for properly executing the duties and responsibilities of:
- Information Systems Security (INFOSEC) Professionals, NSTISSI 4011
- Senior Systems Managers, CNSSI 4012
- System Administrators (SA), CNSSI 4013
- Information Systems Security Officers, CNSSI 4014
- System Certifiers, NSTISSI 4015
- Risk Analyst, CNSSI 4016
- Additional standards are currently being developed
hese standards serve as a foundation for the National Centers of Academic Excellence in IA Education (CAE/IAE) in IA Education Program, and are part of the Federal government's support to the private sector in "raising the bar" in IA education and training.
