Journal #1

Why are you interested in cybersecurity technology?

Technology has played a large role in my life. Being born in 2001, I grew up at a time when technology was developing at a rapid pace. Technology would change every other year. With new technology it would always increase in ease of use as well as quality. Growing up I saw VHS tapes turn to Blu-ray DVDs. Seeing flip phones change to Blackberries then shortly after to I-phones. It always fascinated me seeing the next big piece of tech that would come out. Every year something bigger and better would be announced. The issue with the fast turn over of new technology is you would see many cybersecurity incidents arise from it.
Growing up and still to this day I have always been interested in video games. Therefore, being a part of the gaming community there have been many cyber security incidents. The PlayStation incident where the online services were down for an extended period of time in 2014 as well as the information of millions of users being breached. Not just large scale breaches that I would hear about but the day to day users using hacks or cheats in video games. Users would find ways to implement hacks into the coding of the game ruining the experience for others. Most recently a large issue with Call of Duty Warzone is that there was no anti-cheat system preventing hackers. This caused millions of people in the player base to leave the game due to there being non punishment for those who are breaching the code of the game. Not just players using cheats but players using DDOS attacks to ruin the experience for others.
Overall, growing up I had always heard of the many cybersecurity incidents or breaches not knowing much about the cybersecurity side of things. Once learning about what someone in cybersecurity does I was instantly drawn in. Realizing that I could be someone that could work to prevent cyber attacks seemed amazing. It would allow me to look back in the past and learn how and why an attack happened. Due to cyber threats happening frequently in a community I was a part of and it was ruining the experience let alone leaking information of users. I felt that pursuing more knowledge in cybersecurity technology would allow me to give back to a community that I identified with.

Journal #2

Select four other majors offered by ODU and explain how those majors relate to cybersecurity.

Old Dominion University offers a wide range of majors that someone can pursue. Cybersecurity is one such major that people pursue a degree in. Cybersecurity is an interdisciplinary discipline that integrates multiple disciplines into one—integrating understandings from multiple disciplines in order to come to a more common ground among the fields. Four other majors that are offered by Old Dominion University that relate to Cybersecurity are criminology, sociology, computer science, and psychology. Each of these disciplines relates back to cybersecurity and helps make up what the discipline of cybersecurity is. Criminology is a degree that focuses on crime and the criminal justice system. This degree also attempts to understand how criminals think and why they commit crimes. This relates to cybersecurity because in order to prevent cyberattacks you have to understand how criminals think. Understanding how criminals think allows for a more effective strategy for addressing incidents. Sociology relates to cybersecurity because it allows cybersecurity majors to understand how social sciences play a role in their degree. Sociology can also be used to understand society and how people operate within society. This relates to cybersecurity because without sociology it would be hard to determine the impact cybersecurity has on society. Computer science is a fundamental aspect of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity and computer science both fall under the information technology category. In order to understand how computers work is a key concept that is taught across both disciplines. Computer science and cybersecurity work together to create new technology but at the same time make sure it is secure. Psychology relates to cybersecurity because cybersecurity attempts to prevent cyberbullying and other crimes that happen over a network-connected device. Psychology is used to understand the effects that cyberbullying has on a person’s mental state. Additionally, psychology helps understand how criminals think which helps cybersecurity professionals catch criminals.

Journal #3

Describe four ethical issues that arise when storing electronic information about individuals.

The ethical issue that persists when storing electronic information about individuals will never come to a complete solution. There are many ethical issues with taking data from users. One such issue is that companies do not make it fully apparent what data is being stored or collected. While there are many laws and policies that require companies to disclose what data is kept, not all companies do so. It can also be hard to determine how to figure what data is being taken. As if the company purposely doesn’t want the user to see what data is stored. A second ethical issue is that companies collect data on children. Companies can’t store data of kids under 13 under the children’s internet protection act but kids will lie about their age in order to access a website. This creates the issue that the data that is being collected is a child’s user data. Branching from that the ethical issue is that companies store this data and can use the data for their own benefit . Such as using user data to understand what data it should push out towards the users. This can be an ethical issue on if it is right for a company to push items to certain users or not. The final ethical issue that comes with storing data is when it comes to how long the company keeps the data on record. For instance many people decide that they do not want an account anymore. This creates the issue that even though the user deletes the account the company may still keep the users data for an extended period of time. This can be bad because many people are under the assumption that when an account is deleted it is completely deleted. Lastly, one major issue with collected data is it could be used inappropriately or given to other companies that the user did not want their information going to.

Journal #4

Compare cybersecurity risks in the U.S. and another country.

The United States is one of the more secure nations out there. This is largely due to how prominent a figure the United States is. If the United States didn’t have a heavily secure cybersecurity infrastructure then other countries would have an easier time breaching it. With the United States being at the center of many countries’ political gaze this requires the United States to put a large amount of money into its cyber defense infrastructure. In a recent study done by Comparitech, the United States was ranked 17th out of 60 countries in the cybersecurity field. The United States the previous year was ranked 5th. This significant change in position was largely due to other counties making a giant leap in improving their countries’ cybersecurity (Winder, 2020). Additionally, the United States has many institutions and laws that protect its citizens from foreign countries. This helps prevent attacks and cybersecurity risks that are directed at the citizens. Comparing the United States to North Korea’s cyber risk is drastically different. North Korea’s society and the country are drastically different from the United States which benefits North Korea. The strict ruling and limitations that North Koreans are under it prevent a lot of cyber incidents from occurring in this Nation. This promotes a nation that is more secure than most. Ultimately due to the lack of internet users, it reduces the potential cyberattack that could take place. With that being said North Korea also is known for committing a lot of cyber attacks against the United States. This can be done in many ways either by directly targeting government figures and institutions or by impacting the citizens of the United States.

Winder, D. (2020, March 3). U.S. is only the 17th ‘most cyber-secure’ country, study shows. Forbes. Retrieved December 10, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2020/03/03/us-drops-from-5th-to-17th-most-cyber-secure-country-study-shows/?sh=345b2df7c697

Journal #5

Use the letters of the word CYBERSECURITY to list legal ways to make money in cybersecurity.

Create an app that rates software.
Yacht GPS software that is secure
Build an internet network company
Engineer specialist in cybersecurity
Run system diagnostics to determine if systems are safe for people
Sales within the cybersecurity field
Ethical hacking
Create education courses on cybersecurity
Upgrade security measures for a company
Risk management engineer
Independent Consulting
Teach coworkers about cybersecurity
YouTube videos

Journal #6

How has cyber technology created opportunities for workplace deviance?

Workplace deviance can occur due to many reasons. It can be because the employee doesn’t like the company anymore or feels that they have been wronged. Ultimately workplace deviance is something that is not wanted within a company. It can lead to a wide arrange of issues. These issues can be from small incidents to large incidents. Workplace deviance is considered anything that is done in order to cause harm or defame a company or organization. This is typically done by a worker within the company or a former employee. Cyber technology can create opportunities for workplace deviance because an employee can shut down the cyber security systems. This would allow hackers to have full range to initiate an attack on the company. Resulting in the loss of data or leading to damages to company assets. This could have a side effect such as the loss of trust in the company because data was breached. Additionally, an employee that knows how the security system works can use that to their advantage to conduct malicious acts of their own. If an employee knows how the system operates then they can operate without being noticed. The data that is being protected by the security system is valuable and worth a lot of money to competitors. A possible deviant worker could sell the data that they are protecting in an attempt to make money on the side. Another way an employee could affect a company is by purposely opening emails that are fake with the intention of causing harm to the company. Allowing hackers into the system to get back at the company. When it comes to cyber technology it is usually a user error that causes a problem rather than the system itself. Creating a rise in the rate workers are caught making errors.

Journal #7

What are the costs and benefits of developing cybersecurity programs in business?

Businesses can be at great risk if they don’t implement a plan to combat cyberattacks. In many cases, smaller businesses can be subjected to worse attacks or be at a greater risk than bigger companies. Cyberattacks can have a great cost on a business. This can be through the loss of trust from customers, loss of business partners or the inability of customers to conduct business. For smaller businesses, even one cyber attack can have the potential to make the business go under which is why it is important to take cybersecurity seriously. Smaller companies may think that since they are smaller they won’t fall victim to attacks. Resulting in the lack of resources being allocated to security. Today it is estimated that it cost smaller businesses up to $20,752 per attack. It is best for companies to first implement some form of plan to address cyberattacks. The business should educate themselves on what cyber threats they are more likely to be at risk from. This would make sure that the money being used for cybersecurity isn’t being used in areas that would be a waste. For smaller businesses, phishing and email scams are a large portion of the cyberattacks used. Therefore, educating those who work for the business is an important step. This helps eliminate potential attacks that need someone on the inside to click a link or grant access. Additionally, identify who should have access to what data and a process in your business. This helps vet out potential internal attacks as well as reduces the number of people that could accidentally leak data. Lastly installing firewalls not just on the software but the network to help prevent data from incoming or outgoing that could cause harm. There are many benefits to developing cybersecurity programs. It promotes the security, integrity, and confidentiality of the data a company gathers. Developing the programs in the business also promotes the education of the employees. This benefits the company because it can save them money and helps protect users’ information. The main issue that comes with developing cyber security programs is it costs a lot upfront for a company. This is why companies are hesitant to introduce such programs. The total upfront cost doesn’t seem valid. Additionally, companies don’t think it is worth developing these programs because many companies feel that they already have a safe network. When in reality most companies have been breached in some way they just don’t know about it. Therefore, underestimating the need for cybersecurity programs.

Journal #8

How can you tell if your computer is safe?

You can do many things to prevent the safety of your computer from being compromised. Taking the initiative when it comes to cybersecurity is the key to keeping your computer safe. There are many steps you can take before using a computer that will promote a safer experience. Installing a trusted Virtual private network or VPN is a good start. A VPN works by hiding the user’s real IP address by changing the IP frequently. This is done through encryption in order to protect the user’s identity by adding an extra layer of anonymity. Another thing that can be done is by getting a firewall for your network. This would promote internet safety by ensuring the user doesn’t access any unsafe websites. Typically, the firewall would either tell the user the website is untrustworthy or by blocking access to the sites. These are two things a person can do to promote the safety of the computer. When it comes to determining if your computer is safe you can access windows setting and prompt the computer to run a scan for viruses. If nothing comes back then the computer is likely safe. If it becomes that something is done about certain files or installed items then it could be that the computer is compromised. Additionally, you can do a health test on the computer to see if it states that there are any unusual things going on with the computer. You have to keep the computer updated and up to date on windows. Updates come out to address bugs and potential issues that were there that hackers were making use of. This is why keeping your computer updated is key to promoting safety of the computer. Checking the task manager to determine if there are any operations or apps that are open even though they are unknown to you. This could be malware that is actively running in the background.

Journal #9

Describe three ways that computers have made the world safer and less safe.

With the rapid development of technology there have been many benefits in having computers but this has also brought forth many issues. Within the last two decades computers have become a large part of society. Introducing many solutions for issues that have existed previously. Yet, as anything in life, solving one problem another comes to replace it. Computers have made the world safer by making access to education even easier and more obtainable. This promotes a more educated society effectively reducing criminal behavior. People that have access to high value education can further pursue better jobs and make a more positive impact on society. Preventing those that don’t have access to good education from potentially pursuing means of income that would be illegal. Computers have also made it easier to communicate in a timely fashion. Helping make the world safer when it comes to important information that needs to be shared to the public. Computers have also allowed law enforcement and the government to monitor potential terrorist. Preventing terrorist acts from happening in the U.S. On the other hand computers have invented a new means for terrorist or criminals to commit crimes. Instead of having to commit the crimes in person someone can now do it over the use of a computer. The criminal doesn’t even have to be in the same state to impact a victim. Computers also make the world less safe because the personal information that is stored on the computer can be stolen. This can lead to peoples lives being heavily impacted. Lastly, computers make it easier for criminals to gather information on people. With the rise of social media and other platforms it has made it easier for criminals to cyber stalk people or cyber harass them. Originally people could escape bullying or harassment by removing themselves from the situation. With the rise of technology people can still be impacted by offenders even though the offender isn’t in person.

Journal #10

How do engineers make cyber networks safer?

Engineers make cyber networks safer by improving and developing new technology to ensure the security of networks. Due to the ever changing and rapid advancements in the technology field this can lead to products coming out in a state that isn’t the most secure. This is why there are engineers that specialize in making sure that products or services are designed with security in mind. Engineers use their knowledge of networks to determine what the new and trending ways hackers are trying to exploit networks. Keeping systems up to date in order to reduce the amount of hacks that can take advantage of bugs or issues in the system. Additionally a goal of an engineer is to develop ways to prevent hackers or criminals from gaining access to private networks. This is done to ensure that the users on a network can operate in a safe manner and not have to worry about any hackers. Engineers create new technology such as VPNs and firewalls to give consumers extra services to keep them protected. It is the job of the the engineer to create a network that can be trusted by users. Creating innovative technology that addresses the issues that were previously at hand. Through the use of educating users or coworkers engineers establish users that are better at noticing networks that are vulnerable. Promoting a safer network stating with the users.

Journal #11

What is the overlap between criminal justice and cybercrime? How does this overlap relate to the other disciplines discussed in this class?

There are many overlaps that persist between criminal justice and cybercrime. One major overlap is cybercrimes are just crimes that take place online. Therefore, the criminal justice field aids in addressing what cyber crimes are. The field of criminal justice studies the basis of all things that involve crimes or could lead to crimes. Establishing what types of crimes are considered to be a cybercrime. Cybercrimes are any crime that takes place using a computer or items that connect to a network. This overlap is related to cybersecurity as well. Both disciplines work together to attempt to address cyber crimes. While criminal justice is a discipline that discusses the law and justice system side of how crimes should be punished or handled. Cybersecurity is a field that focuses on preventing that ability for cybercrimes to take place. Aside from the cybersecurity discipline, other disciplines such as sociology and psychology interact with cybercrimes. Sociology and psychology both look at why someone would commit a cybercrime. Additionally, the disciplines explore how people are introduced to cyber crimes. Looking at what factors may have been present for an individual to learn how to commit cybercrimes. The term cybercrime overlaps with many disciplines due to its complexity. This is why creating an interdisciplinary understanding is beneficial. This is done by integrating all the disciplines to develop a more comprehensive understanding of cybercrimes. Without the discipline of criminal justice, cyber security would not be as developed as it is. Without criminal justice, criminals would not be punished or go unpunished for crimes they commit. This is why both of these disciplines overlap so heavily. It takes both disciplines to work together to be able to punish cyber criminals. With the development of technology over the last decade, cybercrimes are only becoming more and more common therefore creating ways to address cybercrimes now will be beneficial in reducing the ability people have at committing cyber crimes.

Journal #12

How does cyber technology impact interactions between offenders and victims?

Technology has changed how people interact in all sorts of ways. Allowing for people to stay connected to family members and loved ones without having to be in person. With that being said it has changed how criminals interact with victims. Traditionally offenders would have to act out a crime in person. This would result in the offender having to pick out who they are victimizing. An offender would be present in the situation and see how it impacts the victim. With technology offenders do not have to be present or even know who the victim is. This makes it easier for an offender to act because they aren’t seeing the repercussions the act has on the victim. Technology has made it so offenders can feel as if their crimes aren’t an issue because they aren’t directly choosing the victim. A victim may not even know that they have been a victim of a cybercrime or incident. Resulting in the incident going unnoticed or the offender never being discovered. If a victim does notice they have been a victim of a cybercrime it may make them feel helpless. This is because they feel that they had no opportunity or chance to deter the attack while it was happening. Additionally online interactions are harder to determine the integrity of a person or what a person’s motives are. Resulting in victims talking to someone that is attempting to get more knowledge on them. Using the conversations against them or exploiting information out of the victim without the victim knowing they are being socially engineered. Overall, the interaction between an offender and victim has changed from how it has been in the past. In the past people typically knew or could figure out who the offeror was. In today’s age it is harder or impossible to determine who it was to seek any form of resolution for the victim.

Journal #13

How should we approach the development of cyber-policy and -infrastructure given the “short arm” of predictive knowledge?

Cybersecurity is a discipline that has always been a more reactive-based discipline. Typically after a cyber attack that is when people think cyber security comes into play. When it comes to addressing cyber policy and infrastructure it is better to look into the future to determine how to prevent it from occurring at all. Using predictive knowledge to attempt to make a prediction on the possible ways that criminals are gonna try to commit cybercrimes. This can be effective at reducing the rate crimes happen because cybersecurity engineers can prepare for crimes ahead of time instead of having to play catch up. This could be an effective strategy that could change how cybersecurity is done. Promoting a strategy that seeks to solve problems before they happen so that way no one can exploit systems. This could be a more effective strategy as opposed to waiting for cyber incidents to occur before issues begin to be addressed. There are many aspects of cyber security that attempt to prevent cyber incidents from occurring. Such as cyber technology like VPNs and Firewalls. Both of these allow people to add an extra layer of security when they are using the internet. This major issue that comes with cybersecurity is there will always be criminals out there pushing the boundaries of what can be done and what can not be. Resulting in even more planning from cybersecurity specialists in order to continue to keep up with the new strategies criminals create. Additionally, a new technology comes out every day that is in need of security measures. This is why developing an effective cyber policy when it comes to products is a much-needed thing. This would promote the development of more secure products. An issue that could persist when using predictive knowledge is that you predict the wrong thing and had prepared and fortified something that wasn’t being targeted by criminals.