9-12 Grade LVL
Develop this strand through the structured course pathway, unit study, and recurring practice tasks.
Course
CS1337: Foundations of Computing, Networks, and Defensive Security
Defensive CS-to-cyber pathway focused on computational thinking, programming logic, networking literacy, CIA triad principles, firewalls, IDS monitoring, risk analysis, and governance without offensive hacking workflows.
Prerequisite: None
Units
12
Lessons
36
Labs
36
Assessments
36
Estimated Length
180h estimated
What You'll Learn
Core concepts and engineering habits developed across the pathway.
Self-Paced
Develop this strand through the structured course pathway, unit study, and recurring practice tasks.
NJ Standards
Develop this strand through the structured course pathway, unit study, and recurring practice tasks.
Defensive Security
Develop this strand through the structured course pathway, unit study, and recurring practice tasks.
Systems Thinking
Develop this strand through the structured course pathway, unit study, and recurring practice tasks.
Course Pathway
Structured blocks with one recommended unit expanded by default.
Block 1
Computer Science Core I — Algorithms and Computational Thinking to Defensive Security Foundations I — Identity, Access, and Trust
A sequenced section of the course pathway that groups adjacent units into one thematic block.
Select a unit to start directly at lesson 1.
01
Unit 1
Continue HereComputer Science Core I — Algorithms and Computational Thinking
Build computational thinking, algorithmic reasoning, and foundational computer science problem-solving habits through flowcharts, pseudocode, time complexity reasoning, and structured problem decomposition.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedBeginner
Opens at lesson 1
Learning Outcomes
- Work through week 1 with applied engineering reasoning.
- Work through week 2 with applied engineering reasoning.
- Work through week 3 with applied engineering reasoning.
References / Standards
9-12 Grade LVLSelf-Paced
Lab / Practice
3 embedded labs or applied exercises move this unit from theory into build, testing, or analysis work.
Assessment
3 mastery checks help verify understanding before the next block of the pathway.
02
Unit 2
Computer Science Core II — Systems and Network Fundamentals
Explain computer architecture, operating systems, file systems, and network communication as connected system layers; trace how data moves from application to wire and back.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedBeginner
Opens at lesson 1
03
Unit 3
Defensive Security Foundations I — Identity, Access, and Trust
Apply identity and access control principles for secure systems operation, including authentication factors, authorization models (RBAC, ABAC), least privilege, and directory services.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedBeginner
Opens at lesson 1
Block 2
Defensive Security Foundations II — Detection, Logging, and IDS to Defensive Operations II — Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Risk
A sequenced section of the course pathway that groups adjacent units into one thematic block.
Select a unit to start directly at lesson 1.
04
Unit 4
Defensive Security Foundations II — Detection, Logging, and IDS
Interpret system and network logs to identify anomalies, configure basic IDS-style rules, distinguish false positives from real events, and explain how SIEM systems aggregate observability data.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedBeginner
Opens at lesson 1
05
Unit 5
Defensive Operations I — Incident Response and Resilience
Use structured incident response workflows (preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery, lessons learned) to contain incidents, restore services, and prevent recurrence.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedIntermediate
Opens at lesson 1
06
Unit 6
Defensive Operations II — Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Risk
Differentiate threats, vulnerabilities, and risk; apply CVSS scoring; evaluate likelihood and impact in risk matrices; and select realistic mitigations using a cost-benefit framework.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedIntermediate
Opens at lesson 1
Block 3
Infrastructure Defense I — Cloud and Platform Security to Governance and Assurance I — Governance, Risk, and Compliance
A sequenced section of the course pathway that groups adjacent units into one thematic block.
Select a unit to start directly at lesson 1.
07
Unit 7
Infrastructure Defense I — Cloud and Platform Security
Analyze defensive controls for cloud services and distributed digital infrastructure, including shared responsibility models, IAM policies, network segmentation, and cloud-native logging.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedIntermediate
Opens at lesson 1
08
Unit 8
Infrastructure Defense II — Cryptography and Data Protection
Connect cryptographic methods — symmetric encryption, asymmetric key pairs, hashing, TLS — to the CIA triad; evaluate when each method applies; and explain certificate infrastructure and key management.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedIntermediate
Opens at lesson 1
09
Unit 9
Governance and Assurance I — Governance, Risk, and Compliance
Evaluate governance frameworks (NIST CSF, ISO 27001, SOC 2), compliance controls, and policy structures that support responsible security operations and audit readiness.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedAdvanced
Opens at lesson 1
Block 4
Governance and Assurance II — Secure Development and Automation to Capstone — Integrated Defensive Systems
A sequenced section of the course pathway that groups adjacent units into one thematic block.
Select a unit to start directly at lesson 1.
10
Unit 10
Governance and Assurance II — Secure Development and Automation
Apply secure software lifecycle principles — SAST, DAST, dependency scanning, secrets management, and pipeline security — to build and maintain defensively designed systems.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedAdvanced
Opens at lesson 1
11
Unit 11
Applied Defense Analysis — Case Studies and Strategy
Synthesize evidence from documented real-world incidents into defensive architecture recommendations; identify which controls would have limited impact and propose measurable improvements.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedAdvanced
Opens at lesson 1
12
Unit 12
Capstone — Integrated Defensive Systems
Design and present a complete defensive systems plan integrating computing, networking, identity, detection, response, and governance principles into one coherent architecture with a documented threat model and control rationale.
3 lessons3 labs3 assessments15h estimatedAdvanced
Opens at lesson 1
Course Resources
NJ Standards Alignment
8.1.12.AP.18.1.12.AP.58.1.12.IC.28.1.12.IC.38.1.12.DA.19.4.12.CT.29.4.12.TL.39.4.12.IML.59.4.12.DC.7
CS1337 introduces core computer science concepts, networking literacy, and defensive cybersecurity through a systems-based pathway. The course emphasizes computational thinking, programming logic, infrastructure awareness, secure design principles, CIA triad fundamentals, firewalls, IDS monitoring, risk analysis, and responsible technology governance — without offensive hacking or OSINT workflows.