Computer Security and technologies (STI)

Information Technology and Cybersecurity Department

Cybersecurity is at the heart of the STI (Security and Information Technology) department.

New possibilities present themselves every day with the ever increasing changes affecting technology. Internet use becoming more widely available, smartphone use becoming the norm and the emergence of smart devices are all recent examples of these changes. At company level, the information system has become one of the cornerstones of a business for this is where much of its wealth is stored – especially through the latter's expertise with patents, and customer files. These represent valuables that hackers can get hold of through cyberattacks, which are reported at regular intervals in the press. Even if it is difficult to put a figure on the actual loss brought about by attacks on the information system, the number of companies claiming to have suffered such losses is rising constantly (20% in 2011 versus 6% in 2008).
This need to protect against computer attacks was highlighted by the Defence White Paper. In Europe, the shortage of cybersecurity experts was estimated at 350,000 in 2022. In France, it is estimated that there are more than 15,000 cybersecurity specialist positions currently open and unoccupied.

The aim of the Information Technology and Cybersecurity department is to provide the theoretical, technological and practical grounding for being able to meet these needs.

This course, under student or apprentice status, delivers courses in security such as system security, Windows security, network security, cryptography or data protection and anonymization. In addition to the theoretical or technical modules in computer science, students follow a minimum of 12 teaching modules, i.e. about 300 hours, entirely dedicated to cybersecurity and carry out three security-oriented projects over a period of more than 10 months. A Scientific and Technical Openness module in the 4th year introduces students to cybersecurity research. Thus, 60 to 70 5th-year students do an internship in a company on a cybersecurity theme before graduating.

The course has been labeled SecNumEdu by the ANSSI since November 2022. The Cybersecurity Engineer at INSA Centre Val de Loire is an engineer specialising in computer science, in charge of the development of new information systems and more particularly their security.
 

Programme domains:

• IT
• Cybersecurity
• Development
• IT systems
• Networks
• Analytical methods of information systems
   

Three Advanced Modules in Year 4:

• SF : Fundamental Security
• Big Data et IA: Introduction to Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
• IoT : Internet of Things

Three Options in Year 5:

• 4AS : Architecture Administration Audit and Security Analisis
• ASL-IA : Software Security and Architecture and Artificial intelligence
• 2SEC : Embedded Systems and Cloud Security

Placements in France and abroad:

• Year 4: placement or industrial assignment lasting 17 weeks
• Year 5: 25-week placement

Compulsory four-month study period abroad