Journal 1:
https://niccs.cisa.gov/workforce-development/nice-framework
While looking through the different work roles of cybersecurity, I saw opportunities that seemed interesting and fulfilling. Some notable areas I believe I can perform well in are COMSEC Management and Defensive Cybersecurity. Communications Security Management delves into the safety and responsibilities of a COMSEC worker. This includes planning cost and benefit analysis of cybersecurity programs, advising management on risks and concerns within online systems, and effectively communicating the benefits and requirements of cybersecurity in all aspects of a workforce.
Defensive Cybersecurity deals with the preventative measures taken to ensure safety and security in all aspects of online facilities. It helps combat malicious threats and mitigate risks by having proper checks and systems in place to ensure security is upheld.
Both of these are just two examples of the many different fields of Cybersecurity. There are many more that intrigue me, and plenty of fields I find little to no interest in. I am curious what awaits me in the future in this field of study.
I can say with reasonable certainty I would not do well with Analytics and planning. I am a very unorganized person by nature, and while I could learn to compile and analysis data, I do not think I would be adequate enough in the field. I also do not have any interest in Designing and Maintaining cybersecurity systems and programs.
Journal 2:
Cybersecurity as a whole is made up of many parts intermingling together. It is the culmination of a society’s efforts to help protect others online from attacks. But when you stop and think about the principles that it relates to, you start to see the bigger picture of how Cybersecurity came to be. In the early days of online security, empiricism was a principal often used to gather data and information. Primitive security systems were only as effective as the knowledge they had of a situation. The system couldn’t block what it could not see, nor would it block something if it did not see that it was malicious in nature. As for determinism, this principle guided early thinking in an interesting, if flawed direction. It states that everything happens in an irreversible order, destined to play out in a certain way with no way to stop it. This ideology shaped how we see security as a whole. If the system fails, it’s bound to fail again, so we should just give up and start again. This is determinism at its broadest strokes. These principles of science are just some of the many examples of ideas that help shape our understanding of cybersecurity, but they are all important to discuss and study for the knowledge it brings.
Journal 3:
When learning about data breaches, I saw some common outcomes that can be researched to better anticipate and react to any future breaches. Some examples I saw include: Spam viruses, computer bugs, and mismanaged security. In this day and age, any type of spam content can hide malicious intent that will cause damage the second it is clicked on. Viruses, bugs, and backdoors can be hidden in the most unnoticeable places in spam/junk content. Computer bugs are another example. There have been countless cases where computers themselves were hacked by an external source. There have been cases of physical attachments being place in/on computers and causing them to gain a bug in their systems. Finally, there are cases where faulty or lack luster security measures let intruders into your systems. There are many different “antivirus” softwares out there, but not all of them work completely as advertised or intended. There are many such cases of antiviruses BEING a virus themselves. If we take notice of these issues and learn from and study them, we can more effectively counteract and prevent further cases from plaguing our systems and programs.
Journal 4:
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
When it comes to technology, a LOT has changed since the first computer chip was invented. Modern society is built off technology, and it shows in many of the needs we have today. Technology provided modes of transportation, lifesaving machines, food processors and production plants, as well as millions of jobs to keep up with the ever-expanding technological boom.
Thanks to advances in technology, we as a society are much safer than we were just fifty or so years ago. We have alarms that go off at the drop of a hat, automatic locks on our doors and windows, security cameras, and in the world of cybersecurity, there are firewalls, encryption software, and other important tools to keep us safe.
Maslow’s guide of our needs helps to solve technology’s role in society. Technology is used in every aspect of modern society to helps us advance toward a better future and keep us safe in many different ways.
Journal 5:
First up is Political Motive. I find this very likely as politics is a very sore subject in the modern age. here have been many cases of violence or criminal activity resulting in a political statement or against a politician. Next is Revenge. Revenge is fueled by hatred of one another for justification. Rage induced justice by a person’s own hand has led to many violent and catastrophic criminal acts. Recognition is a criminal wanting to be known across the world as the best at something. They want to be remembered in history books alongside Al Capone and many others. Criminals usually want to get something out of committing a crime. Monetary value is a nice incentive. Entertainment is less likely as it derives from the criminally insane or mentally disturbed. Boredom is also derived from these same aspects and origins. Finally, there are multiple nonspecific reasons people commit crimes every day. Millions of people commit crimes every day simply by jaywalking or littering. There are many cases where there is no discernable reason for committing a crime.
Journal 6:
Fake Websites
When looking through sources, I came to realize several shared traits among most faulty websites. Bad grammar/spelling is one of these traits. Fake sites usually won’t take the time to use proper grammar as they are trying to snag those that won’t catch the mistakes. Next there are unsafe payment methods in fake store websites. They may ask to use a payment app or to pay using gift cards or vouchers. These are ways for people to get your money without you being able to do anything about it. As a final example, there are the domain names and URLs of the website. A lot of fake websites posing as the real deal will often use slightly edited URL names as the website they are posing as. Ensuring the URLs and domains match the official website are keyways of spotting a fake as well.
Journal 7:
Cybersecurity Memes
Journal 8:
Cybersecurity and hacking depictions in media range from realistic to unrealistic to borderline fantasy. While most depictions are taken seriously in the media they are in, chances are it is not entirely accurate to how cyber hacking and security works. There are cases where false actions are shown with bits and pieces of real-world practices. While media has glorified hacking and cybersecurity to be a grand spectacle, it very rarely is more than hours upon hours of boring and grueling computer work. These examples show a fascination of the subject, but they lack reality and often just throw terms, programs, and machines around as they please to sound more important than the truly are. In short, movies overexaggerate how it is to truly hack and secure systems and data.
Journal 9:
I scored four on the Social Media Disorder Scale. I can see that all the criteria of the scale are accurate identifiers of social media overexposure. Each criterion focused on a specific aspect of too much social media like temptation to use it or withdrawal without it. As the modern age continues to grow, it is very clear there are patterns of this scale throughout the world. People depending on social media for entertainment, financial gain, or otherwise fame; These are all patterns that derive from social media exposure.
Journal 10:
In the last fifty or so years, we have made more advancements for mankind than we did in the Bronze Age and Industrial Age combined, through technological advances. Technological advancements have shaped our culture in numerous ways, and so much good has come from it. But there is also a lot of harm that has come with every new advancement in society. As technology grows, so do threats to our wellbeing. Scams, hacks, threats, hate speech, propaganda; these are just some of the terrible things that technology has brought along with its advancements. With the Age of Technology, we as a society are constantly fighting a war with no end in sight. A war fought online, by each and every one of us. There are those out there who are determined to cause us harm by scamming, phishing, hacking, or otherwise attacking our machines, programs, databases, and other technological equipment. Modern society runs on technology. We depend on it for most of our survival and societal needs, yet it can be so easily attacked.
Journal 11:
When she talked about the types of attacks like phishing and hacking, it made me realize how much those attacks rely on human compassion and to a lesser, but still prominent, degree, human ignorance. Many, MANY types of attacks are aimed at the weak, the feeble, the less informed. They prey on those that don’t expect or can’t expect to be attacked online. Phishing emails attack potential high value targets with things like job offers, luxury items, or other things they may want to click on to learn more. They prey on our tendency to not completely think things through. Social engineering works for both good and bad. If we are not well informed of the potential threats, sooner or later we will fall for these attacks hook, line, and sinker. This is why cybersecurity analysts are so important. They study the signs of attacks and can then go on to inform others of those signs. They help prevent and stop these attacks before they become a problem.
Journal 12:
https://dojmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/Glasswasherparts.com_.pdf
Behavioral Economics: The thought of your identity being stolen because of a hacker getting access to your information through an attack can be psychologically stressful.
Game Theory: This theory deals with the strategies individuals and firms choose to take regarding the actions of others (i.e., the hackers). The firm realized they had been hacked and so chose to tell their customer about what had happened and how to potentially avoid any further harm from coming to them. The hack influenced their decisions which resulted in them reassuring their customer.
Rational Choice Theory: Both the firm and the customer exercise this theory by doing what is best for themselves. The firm tells the customer about the breach, saving themselves from legal trouble by being openly clear on how and when the attack took place, and gives them advice on what to do next. This not only saves them from backlash directly, but it ensures they have maintained trust with their customer, resulting in continued business.
Journal 13:
https://academic.oup.com/cybersecurity/article/7/1/tyab007/6168453?login=true
This is a wonderful use of exceptional talent. There are many people in the world today that are proficient in hacking, but we only seem to care about the bad ones. What about those who use their skills and knowledge for good? With these bug bounties, government agencies can test their cybersecurity systems from an outside perspective. You can imagine testing your security from within the system itself, but that wouldn’t catch every flaw there is to be found. A friendly outsider attempting to hack your system will find breaches you didn’t know about, allowing you to fix them. Bug bounties are good in concept, but they can also be dangerous. With the good comes the bad. Malicious intent hackers could disguise themselves as hackers for hire, so it is important that we do thorough checks on applicants, monitor their processes carefully, give honest and constructive advice and feedback, and be open to hearing what they have to say about the systems you are trying to protect in the future.
Journal 14:
Illegal Online Incidents
Bullying is never good, and that is no less true for cyberbullying. The degradation of another person or people can be more harmful than you would realize. Faking your identity can lead to a variety of problems with the law. You aren’t who you claim to be, so already you are trying to gain access to information and data that isn’t yours. This is highly illegal. Collecting information about children or people under the age of eighteen without prior authorization from the guardians or authorities is illegal and can lead to legal action and jail time. Using copyrighted images without prior permission is also highly illegal. You are using an image owned by someone else for your own gain or profit. Asking for the correct permissions is always the right call to make. Finally, using unofficial streaming services. Using unofficial sites to watch movies or shows takes money away from the creators of those shows and hurts there ratings. When most shows depend on good viewer bases to stay on air, every illegal watch adds up in the end.
Journal 15:
A Digital Forensics Investigator’s job relates to social sciences in a way that shows just how easy it is for data to be discovered and recovered from the brink of deletion. It shows how each aspect of the job relates to gathering data, compiling a profile of the data and people they are working with, and how this affects cybersecurity as a whole. A DFI is not an IT specialist, but far from it. They are integral in finding out what others cannot, whether it be missing or encrypted data, suspicious system usage, or deleted files, codes, or information. I think the speaker’s way of “stumbling” onto his career is interesting. There are many, many outlets that require all sorts of training and expertise, but there are those rare few that you seem to be born to do, or you just happen to pick up the skills on the go. It shows that there are always options and opportunities, if you’re willing to look and let them sink in. He provided a good understanding of his career and explained it with care and detail.