Information Assurance Center (IAC)

The Information Assurance Center (IAC) is dedicated to administering graduate degrees, undergraduate student groups and events, and research facilities in information assurance. Information assurance, known as IA, is the practice of managing information-related risks. The Information Assurance Center was one of the original 7 National Security Agency certified centers of academic excellence in information assurance education. Its research areas include forensics, intrusion detection, network modeling, wireless communications, information/cyber warfare, artificial intelligence and data mining, foreign policy, identity theft, and cryptography.

Simulated Internet for Cyber Defense

Some of the center’s major efforts include ISEAGE and the S2ERC. ISEAGE, or Internet-Scale Event and Attack Generation Environment, allows for the creation of a simulated Internet for researching, designing and testing cyber defense mechanisms. The center also uses ISEAGE to conduct cyber defense competitions for colleges and community colleges.

The Information Systems Security Laboratory (ISSL) is devoted to testing and evaluation of security products, infrastructures, and procedures in cooperation with industry and government.  Through collaboration with outside industry, we provide unbiased evaluation of system security as well as benchmarks of system performance.  Past Testing Projects Performed by ISSL staff includes: 

  • Data Loss Prevention Product Bakeoff in Network World
  • Red Team for World’s Largest Cyberdefense Competitions
  • Penetration Testing for State Organizations
  • Multi-use Office Device Penetration

Security Research and Edcuation

The IAC also manages S2ERC, the Security and Software Engineering Research Center. This National Science Foundation Industry/University Collaborative Research Center focuses on information protection and software engineering. Its primary mission is to create a linkage between security research and organizations providing cyber infrastructure. Industrial members of the S2ERC direct the research of the center. Current members include Boeing, Iowa DOT, Union Pacific and John Deere.

The IAC administers one the largest IA educational programs in the country. It offers 11 IA courses, and its Masters of Science in Information Assurance program has 70 students, half of which are off-campus. The center also offers undergraduate classes as well as a course in computer security literacy.