#1.

Why are you interested in cybersecurity technology? –

Though the main reason I’m interested in cybersecurity technology is because of the fact that the field of cybersecurity is lucrative, I am also interested in it because it plays a crucial role in society.  No matter where we are or what we do, these technologies play a crucial role in our day to day lives.

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

Four other majors offered by ODU that relate to cybersecurity are computer science, computer engineering, mathematics, and information technology.  Computer science is related to cybersecurity because a lot of the technologies used in cybersecurity were developed as a result of computer science. Computer engineering is related to cybersecurity for the same reasons computer science is. Computer engineering allows for the development of hardware that will run software critical in the world of cybersecurity. Mathematics is related to cybersecurity because it is applied in the realm of cryptography and any sort of encryption method. Lastly, IT is related because the technologies used in this major are what is being protected.

#2.

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

Four ethical issues that arise when storing electronic information about individuals are privacy, security, accuracy, and transparency.  Privacy pertains to who has access to it and how it gets used for those who do have access.  Security refers to how secure information is from any sort of unauthorized access.  Accuracy in this case means that systems are regularly updated and that the most up to date information is stored.  And lastly, transparency talks about whether a person is fully informed about who has access to their information and how it gets used by those who have access to it.  

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

One country that comes to mind is my home country, the Philippines.  Though cybersecurity is a fast growing industry, there is still a huge gap of cybersecurity professionals in the field.  Because of this, the Philippines has become a hotspot for cybercrime such as phishing, malware, and social engineering attacks.  Here in the US, that gap is not as wide, making the US a lot more secure to these kinds of threats.

#3.

How has cyber technology created opportunities for workplace deviance? – Cyber technology has created opportunities for workplace deviance.

#4

What are the costs and benefits of developing cybersecurity programs in business? – There are many costs to developing cybersecurity programs in business.  One such cost is that of funding.  A lot of the time, businesses do not have enough money to dedicate to the development of such programs.  Furthermore, 

However, despite the costs, there are some benefits to its development.  The development of these programs in business will allow it to become more secure from all kinds of cyber attacks.  Employees would become better trained/informed about the different kinds of attacks and how to avoid them.

#5.

How can you tell if your computer is safe? – 

One way to tell if your computer is safe or not is by installing anti virus software. The installation of this software would allow people to regularly check for anything malicious.  It would also allow them to safety from running into anything malicious (it would serve as a buffer from anything harmful). Frequently installing the latest OS update for your system would also prove to be beneficial as any bugs from the previous version would be fixed.

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

One way that computers have made the world safer is that it has allowed information to be much more easily distributed among people.  One can upload something on the web that can be accessed by people halfway across the world.  Though one may argue that this has made the world less safe (as information that is not meant to be shared could be leaked and given to the wrong hands, causing a lot of harm to the victim), I would argue against that because easy access to information holds people more accountable with their actions.  Another way it has made the world safer is that it has allowed information to be easily stored.  No longer do people have to worry about information getting destroyed because of the elements (though in a way, it technically still can, but that’s besides the point).  Lastly, it has made the world a safer place through increased surveillance (building upon my first point).

#6.

How do engineers make cyber networks safer? – 

There are many things that engineers do that make cyber networks safer.  One way they make cyber networks safer is through the development of safe and secure network infrastructure.  They do so through the implementation of things such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, encryption across the network, etc.  These make information more secure against cyber attacks.  Another way in which they make networks safer is through education.  By educating their coworkers/the people around them about the risks of navigating the online world and the different ways in which they can mitigate these said risks, they are able to further mitigate the risk of a cyber attack harming people/organizations.

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

The overlap between criminal justice and cybercrime is very apparent due to the ever growing nature of cybercrime in today’s day and age.

#7.

How does cyber technology impact interactions between offenders and victims? –

I believe that cyber technology have enabled these offenders to run more rampant without consequence.  Let’s look at social media, for example.  When making a social media account, they don’t have to use accurate information (name, date of birth, gender, etc.).  They can use completely different information than they usually provide in an official application.  If I wanted to create a fake identity, let’s say a 24-year-old named Britney (which I’m not), I could do so without people knowing.  I could also impersonate an existing person.  I could impersonate the president of the United States, or I could impersonate my next-door neighbor, Bill.  Given the recent rise of AI, people can further manipulate their online identities.  The possibilities are endless.  Another way it has allowed them to run much more rampant is that it allows said perpetrators to hide where they are from much more quickly.  For all the victim could know, the perpetrator could be as far as halfway across the world or as close as their next-door neighbor.  Because of this, it makes it harder to identify and track the perpetrator. 

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

There are many we can approach the development of cyber policy and infrastructure. One way is through the development of cybersecurity education and its accessibility for people of all backgrounds. A great way to do this is through the use of cyber awareness campaigns. The use of awareness campaigns have been shown to be effective throughout history.