Cybersecurity, Technology, and Society

Students in IT/CYSE 200T will explore how technology is related to cybersecurity from an interdisciplinary orientation.  Attention is given to the way that technologically-driven cybersecurity issues are connected to cultural, political, legal, ethical, and business domains. The learning outcomes for this course are as follows:

1. Describe how cyber technology creates opportunities for criminal behavior,
2. Identify how cultural beliefs interact with technology to impact cybersecurity strategies,
3. Understand and describe how the components, mechanisms, and functions of cyber systems produce security concerns,
4. Discuss the impact that cyber technology has on individuals’ experiences with crime and victimization,
5. Understand and describe ethical dilemmas, both intended and unintended, that cybersecurity efforts, produce for individuals, nations, societies, and the environment,
6. Describe the costs and benefits of producing secure cyber technologies,
7. Understand and describe the global nature of cybersecurity and the way that cybersecurity efforts have produced and inhibited global changes,
8. Describe the role of cybersecurity in defining definitions of appropriate and inappropriate behavior,
9. Describe how cybersecurity produces ideas of progress and modernism.

Assignments:

Concept Map:

Write Up- The CIA Triad:

Write Up- SCADA Systems:

Write Up- The Human Factor in Cybersecurity:

Discussion Board Posts:

Protecting Availability: In this discussion board, you are the CISO for a publicly traded company. What protections would you implement to ensure availability of your systems (and why)?

Response: If I was in the position of a CISO, there are two major security protections I would implement into my trade company. The first being mandatory cybersecurity training for all employees. The reason behind this is that most data breaches and hacks stem from human error. By implementing this training for employees, it will drastically reduce data breaches and other problems that may arise due to employee errors. The second protections I would implement as a CISO would be to implement authentication and authorization systems. The reason I would implement this system would be for protection to company and employee data. By implementing authentication and authorization systems, it would add protection to company data and employee security.

Opportunities for Workplace Deviance: How has cyber technology created opportunities for workplace deviance?

Response: As more and more cyber technology is introduced into many workplaces, it allows for many more opportunities for workplace deviance to arise. One main issue that arises is that cyber technology creates a work environment where workers can become unproductive. For example, as more technology is introduced, it can cause for many employees to become distracted and thus reduce the work being done. Another issue that arises is that cyber technology can cause for information that was previously untouched to be available to workers. For example, office workers can be allowed to look at their customers’ information like their billing information or their addresses.

The “Short Arm” of Predictive Knowledge: From this week’s Jonas Reading: How should we approach the development of cyber-policy and infrastructure given the “short arm” of predictive knowledge?

Response: I think that due to the “short arm” of predictive knowledge that is present, it’s important for cyber-policy development to be based on an adaptive and constantly changing system rather than trying to predict what will happen. For instance, as technology and the internet are constantly changing, so too should cyber-policies. To add, by understanding this concept, it can help companies update their policies properly as technology and the internet becomes more advance. Another instance of this would be the implementation of precautionary principles and the creation of preventative measures in the workplace and online. By promoting the use of multifactor authentication and strong passwords, a companies’ and user’s cybersecurity will be kept safe even with the ever advancement of the internet.