How do engineers make cyber networks safer?
Engineers make cyber networks safer in various ways. They focus their approach to securing networks by gaining a comprehensive understanding of both the issues that need to be addressed and the solutions that could resolve said issues. In doing this, engineers bring an outcome-oriented approach to securing cyber networks where the focus becomes the security of the system as a whole rather than putting relatively heavy focus on the individual aspects that make up the system security. Some of the multitude of components that encompass a secure system include ensuring the protection and security of stakeholders, “[identifying] and [assessing] vulnerabilities and susceptibility to life cycle…threats”, implementation of designs that efficiently control asset loss, implementing security considerations that focus on error prevention, “[performing] system security analyses…”, and “[evaluation] of the costs/benefits of security functions and considerations…”
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 involves the investigation of cybercrimes. Cybercrimes need to be investigated just like any other crime, but investigating cybercrime is a bit more complicated. Knowledge of computer forensics, knowledge of the various tools used to perform computer forensics, and knowledge of computers & networks in general is mandatory for the investigation of cybercrimes. In general, it is vastly easier to remain anonymous committing a crime online than it is to remain anonymous committing a crime in real life. The use of techniques like encryption, VPNs, and fake identities are just a few things that make it a potential challenge to figure out the identity of an attacker. And since technology is advancing at such a rapid rate, staying up to date with and having knowledge of the aforementioned is a necessity when investigating cybercrime.
This overlap relates to other disciplines discussed in class, like sociology and psychology, because an understanding of why the attacker is attacking is important in figuring out who the attacker may be. The attacker could have been hired by another company or they could simply be attacking just because they felt like it. Having a sense of direction would make it relatively easier to strategize about how to catch them. Also, understanding who else may be involved is extremely important as the perpetrator may be a group rather than a single individual. Catching the entire group of perpetrators will likely prove to be vastly more difficult than catching a single perpetrator. The agency in charge of catching them may only figure out who a select few are, but that still leaves the others to continue their attacks. Understanding who else may be involved will also make it relatively easier to strategize about how to catch them.