Journal Entry – Week #11
The cybersecurity analyst role involves both technical responsibilities and an understanding of social behavior within digital environments. Typically, this is a 24-hour position that serves as a first line of defense against cyber threats. At the entry level, the role can be compared to a cybersecurity “help desk”, where analyst respond to incidents such as phishing attempts, intrusion attacks, and general network monitoring. A key social theme is user behavior, as many security issues originate from a lack of awareness or poor...
read moreJournal Entry – Week #10
After taking the Social Media Disorder scale, I scored in the risky usage range, which honestly didn’t shock me. I wouldn’t say that I’m addicted, but I definitely catch myself going on social media without even thinking, especially when I’m bored or just trying to distract myself from something (“doom scrolling”). It kind of made me realize how automatic it’s become, like it’s just part of my daily routine at this point. I think the items on the scale were really accurate and...
read moreJournal Entry- Week #8
After watching the video, I feel like movies and TV really mess up how people see hacking and cybersecurity. Everything is always so dramatic with people typing super fast, breaking into systems in seconds, and all these crazy visuals on the screen. In reality, it’s way more slow and technical than that. The scientists in the video made it clear that real hacking takes time, skill and a lot of thinking, not just guessing a password and getting instant access. I think the media makes people believe hackers are either geniuses with...
read moreJournal Entry – Week #7
Photo #8: Meme: “When the system says ‘create a strong password with 12 characters, symbols, and numbers’ and now you have to remember it without writing it down.” Explanation: This relates to human centered cyber security because security systems are often designed to be very strict, but they don’t always consider how people actually behave. When passwords become too complicated, users may reuse passwords, forget them, or write them down somewhere unsafe. Photo #5: Meme: “The whole team celebrating...
read moreJournal Entry #6
When it comes to fake websites versus real websites, the differences are actually pretty clear once you know what to look for. Fake websites often have weird URLs that don’t match the company’s official domain, like extra words or strange extensions. They might also have low quality designs, spelling or grammar mistakes, and missing contact information. Some even advertise deals that seem way too good to be true. Real websites, like Amazon, Bank of America, or the CDC, have clean, professional designs, proper SSL security...
read moreJournal Entry – Week #5
Module 5 Journal Entry For this Journal Entry, I ranked the individual motives based on what I honestly think makes the most sense in real life. 1. Money I put money as number one because that just makes the most sense to me. A lot of cybercrime is about financial gain, whether it’s stealing credit card information, ransomware, or crypto hacks. People will do a lot for the money. 2. Political I ranked political second because we constantly see hacktivist groups and even governments attacking each other online. It feels...
read moreJournal Entry – Week #4
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs connects to my experiences with technology in a realistic way. At the physiological level, Wi-Fi honestly feels like a basic need. As a cybersecurity major, I need internet access to complete assignments, check emails, and submit work. Without it, I’d feel disconnected and stressed. For safety needs, technology is about protecting my information. Using strong passwords and two-factor authentication helps me feel secure online. Belongingness shows up through social media and messaging apps that...
read moreJournal Entry – Week #3
While exploring Privacyrights.org, I noticed how much information is publicly available about data breaches, from the companies affected to the types of data exposed. This information seems really valuable for researchers because it allows them to spot patterns across the different industries and time periods. For example, they could track whether certain types of companies, like retail or health care, experiences more breaches or see which methods hackers use most often. By analyzing these trends, researchers can predict where breaches might...
read moreJournal Entry – Week #2
The principle of empiricism makes cybersecurity more effective because it focuses on real data instead of assumptions or guesses. When security decisions are based on things like breach reports, network logs, phishing statistics, or user behavior data, organizations can actually see what threats are happening and how often. This helps identify emerging threats early, especially since cyber attacks constantly change. Empirical data also allows teams to evaluate whether current security measures are working. For example, if phishing attempts...
read moreJournal Entry – Week #1
After looking through the NICE Workforce Framework, the area that really stands out to me is Cybercrime Investigation. That is the part that feels most “me.” I like the idea of actually digging into cyber attacks, figuring out who did what, and understanding the motives behind it instead of just fixing systems. It feels more real world and meaningful, especially when it comes to protecting people. Areas that are less appealing to me are roles such as heavy system maintenance or purely technical infrastructure roles, because I...
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