Cyber security can be related to all principles of science. Although it may not be obvious at first, the principles of science play a large role in cyber security. One of the scientific principles, relativism, is very important in the field of cyber security. Relativism helps us understand that all things are related in some way. So, when one thing changes, it has an affect on other things. We need to be mindful of that because when we make a change in an operating system, with a law or policy, our education system, or literally anything else, then it will have a domino effect on everything else.
Objectivity is extremely useful when it comes to cyber security. We cannot be influenced by our own opinions or biases when we are conducting research or creating new laws for the cyber world. We must remain objective in our views because science only relies on facts and cannot be swayed by the opinions of people.
Parsimony is another beneficial principle of science that can be applied to cyber security. Parsimony requires that we must keep explanations simple enough for anyone to comprehend. If we use complex technical jargon, then few others may understand the importance of what we are trying to say. We must understand our topic well enough that we can simplify it for all to understand. Empiricism is incredibly essential in the field of cyber security.
Empiricism necessitates the studies of things that can be seen, felt, touched, tasted, and heard. This allows us to produce results that can be shared and replicated. If we cannot reproduce it, then it is not valid. There is no scientific evidence to back up an opinion or a “gut instinct”.
Ethical neutrality is utilized in the field of cyber security because technology is integrated into so many different parts of our lives. We must be ethical when researching or studying topics in cyber security because we may often encounter people’s personal information, medical information, and anything else that may be online or stored digitally. There needs to be a law or regulation to determine if and when that information is accessed.
Determinism is the final scientific principle that can help us understand why something happens. Everything is connected in some way and when we can learn what caused it then we can see those same patterns in the future. When it comes to cybercrime, we can use determinism to see where certain cyber criminals began and the different choices they made and different situations that lead them to that life. We can then use that information to try to detect other emerging cyber criminals or detect existing cyber criminals.