Explain how the principles of science relate to cybersecurity
-In cybersecurity, principles of science apply as the field of cybersecurity encompasses many different topics of study. As computer science is intrinsically interconnected with cybersecurity so are the social sciences of psychology, sociology, and criminology. The study of cybersecurity must take on the scientific principles of relativism, objectivity, parsimony, empiricism, ethical neutrality, and determinism to establish a discipline of validity. One of the many reasons why I felt drawn to this field is because I am fascinated by how the implications of technology directly influence our physical reality.
This is where relativism can explain the relationship between the physical world we live in and the virtual world of cyberspace. These two realms of reality co-exist and influence each other. Creating a profile on a social media platform to help promote awareness of climate change can influence laws and policies to help protect the environment.
Objectivity is applied to the topic of cybersecurity as it is critical in any research to endure objectivity -to accurately gain the true reality of a subject. To obtain the best possible results, awareness of initial biases is critical for researchers to address. Another principle of science that relates to cybersecurity is parsimony.
Parsimony helps the understanding of cybersecurity to be explained in layman’s terms. We as humans have an intrinsic view of the natural world, however, in the cyber world, fundamentals are not so apparent. We can physically see phenomena in the natural world but understanding phenomena in cyberspace appear to be abstracted and vague. Therefore, empiricism is crucial to aid in constructing a coherent understanding of cybersecurity. Empiricism is the idea that knowledge is derived from the senses. This takes on a new context since, in the cyber world, only a few of our senses are stimulated. Nevertheless, conclusions regarding empiricism should come from what we observe and not from previous beliefs or opinions.
Ethical Neutrality within the scientific principles is establishing a coherent discipline of integrity. Within the context of research, ethics should hold the framework for how to best conduct a study. Examination of ethics can be quite challenging as moral guidelines vary from person to person. That is why neutrality is imperative to keep in mind during the process of investigation.
The last principle of science I will discuss is determinism. The need for security in cyberspace is because of the lack of trust. Today, they’re many people who decide to take advantage of the vulnerabilities within cyberspace that allowed them to abuse and exploit. Why did they decide to do that? For money? A sense of power? To feel a rush? That’s where determinism comes in. This principle of science looks at what functions cause certain behaviors -is behavior purely free will or situational?