Week 1

The NICE Framework for Cybersecurity is a method that categorizes the different roles within Cybersecurity based on their primary objective. For example, the areas of the NICE Framework for cybersecurity that appeal to me the most are the Implementation and Operation (IO) and Protection and Defense (PD) areas. The IO area of the NICE Framework for Cybersecurity oversees and administrates the technology utilized to manage vital systems, which ultimately aligns with the certifications I already have (CCNA and Security +). The PD area of the NICE Framework for Cybersecurity focuses on mitigation and analytics to protect and prevent threats to networks and its related systems, which goes hand-in-hand with the IO area of the NICE Framework for Cybersecurity. Lastly, the other areas of the NICE Framework for Cybersecurity such as the OG, DD, and IN don’t appeal to me as much because they are more managerial and research-based roles that lack hands-on experience with the critical systems.

Week 2

Empiricism contributes and plays a role within cybersecurity through the utilization of solid, accurate evidence as opposed to estimates and hypotheses. Through the collection of empirical data such as user behavior and network logs, security personnel are able to properly detect unwanted malicious traffic in real-time. This aids the discovery of new vulnerabilities and pattern-based attacks that we may never have noticed. Security measures are another example of how empiricism benefits a network. More specifically, security measures such as the previously mentioned incident response time can be further utilized to assess which aspects of their response need to be fine tuned. By moving away from the outdated “security models” and “best practices”, we create an environment that grows and molds with our needs. Lastly, empiricism has proven to play a vital role in the future of cybersecurity strategies. Through practices such as predictive modeling and proactive defense measures, empiricism has played a large role in the cybersecurity landscape. To conclude, empiricism has proven to play a vital role in the future of cybersecurity strategies. 

Week 3

Researchers are highly likely to use data and information on data breaches from the previous year, to see what the biggest vulnerabilities were over the course of the year. With that in mind, researchers would find that healthcare systems were still a frequent target of data breaches in the year 2025. Out of all the total victims of these breaches, the healthcare sector was responsible for over half of them. The supply chain network was another large contributor to the total number of data breaches that occurred in 2025. More specifically, eight out the total 20 breaches that were related to service providers accumulated for 70% of the total amount of people affected by data breaches. By accumulating both past and current data, researchers can compose new mitigation strategies to make data breaches less prominent in the future