Cyse 201s

I am interested in oversight and governance because I enjoy the management aspect while still incorporating cybersecurity. I am also drawn to cyberspace effects because it focuses on implementing change and creating plans. I believe these two areas complement each other, particularly when it comes to planning and enforcement. Information and operations also tie into the planning and management role, and I can see myself working in all three areas, as they focus on creating what is necessary to maintain software or solve issues. 

I am least interested in design and development; to be completely honest, it seems to involve a lot of math, and I am definitely not a “math person.” I would prefer to avoid it as much as possible. However, in order to be a good manager, I need to understand the concepts and what I am asking of my team. So, I’m sure I will come to appreciate math throughout my learning experience and career.

Empiricism: Empirical data provides evidence based incident response protocols to enhance prevention efforts. 

Determinism: Understanding the deterministic nature of breaches caused by weaknesses (like poor configurations) allows for better fixes. This cause and effect relationship helps with threat models and root cause analysis. 

Parsimony: Simplified security reduces complexity, making it easier to secure, monitor, and maintain. This ultimately, avoids over complication.

Relativism: This acknowledges that organizations may prioritize different threats based on their standard, industry regulations, and risk tolerance. 

Ethical neutrality: Security specialist focus on neutral technical assessments to ensure an unbiased threat evaluation.

Skepticism: This verifies the authenticity of sources. Security professionals question the systems safety and test for vulnerabilities. 

Objectivity: Investigations rely on objective evidence to determine facts without bias. 

Researchers  can use the data on PrivacyRights.org to study data breaches by looking at trends, patterns, and vulnerabilities. This website provides data about the methods used to compromise data, and the types of information exposed. With this information, researchers can identify industries that are at risk, access common attacks, and understand the impact that breaches have on organizations and individuals. All of this helps them analyse the current cyber security measures and develop strategies to avoid risk. The data given on the website allows researchers to study the trends and track changes in breach frequency and severity. Overall, the website serves as a resource to help advance research and help with prevention efforts.

Physiological Needs: Basic survival needs. In the context of technology, this level is mostly about access to essential services that keep us alive and comfortable.

Relation to the level: Whenever I look up how to deal with certain sicknesses or recommended medication for whatever I am experiencing. There was a time I met with my doctors online through zoom to ensure that my physical needs are still met. 

Safety Needs: Individuals seeks safety and security.

Relation to the level: I rely on a secure digital platform like duo push (used at ODU) to protect my personal info and enforce two factor authentication. 

Love and Belongingness Needs: Humans crave social connections and sense of belonging.

Relation to the level: I stay connected to family and friends through social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and twitter. 

Esteem Needs: Gaining self respect, recognition, and the feeling of accomplishment. 

Relation to the level: I use LinkedIn to get professional recognition and feedback, which boost my self esteem needs through technology. 

Self Actualization Needs: Where individuals seek to realize their full potential and pursue personal growth, creativity, and fulfillment.

Relation to the level: I use Canva to create graphics and I use adobe lightroom to edit pictures. Ultimately, to express myself creatively. 

1. For Money: Criminals are motivated by the potential for high rewards with low risk. Which makes sense, it requires little to know rigorously work to get money out of it. Which makes sense in my opinion. 

2. Recognition: Many hackers seek fame and credibility within their communities, as demonstrated by cybercriminals targeting major institutions for status. Things like hacking are often praised in this generation. 

3. Political: Hackers use cybercrime to promote ideologies, influence policies, or disrupt governments, making this a strong motive. I personally feel like if there was a valid reason to hack this may be it. 

4. Revenge: Personal situations drive individuals to harm others online. Revenge should never be a reason to make someone’s life miserable but I can see why this would be a pretty common motive. 

5. Entertainment: Some offenders hack or disrupt systems purely for fun or because they can. 

6. Boredom:  Cybercrimes committed out of boredom reflect a lack of awareness of consequences.

7. Multiple Reasons: This is just too broad to rank lower. 

Most of the time fake websites use “different” URLs, they don’t use “HTTPS, and contain poor grammar. One example is, “www.netflixbillingupdate.com” tries to mimic Netflix.com by using the Netflix brand and promote users to update their billing information but it has zero connection to Netflix. Another site is “paypalservicehelp.com” which is obviously suppose to mimic Paypal.com, but it lacks secure encryption and ask for personal data immediately. The third example is “microsoftsupport.us”, which pretends to be z Microsoft support page it is unvertifed. Legit sites like Netflix.com, Paypal.com, and Microsoft.com use HTTPs, have clear privacy policies, and rarely ask for sensitive details. 

Image 17

• Image: A smiling man happily working on his laptop.
• Top text: “When you think your password is unhackable…”
• Bottom text: “Because it has a capital letter.”

Cybersecurity Connection:

This meme pokes fun at false confidence in weak security measures. Many users think a simple password tweak like adding a capital letter makes them safe, but hackers use advanced tools that can crack weak passwords in seconds. A human-centered security approach would include encouraging strong passphrases, multi-factor authentication, and password managers to reduce reliance on outdated security habits.

Image 18

• Image: A man using his laptop in an open, public space.
• Top text: “Just gonna check my bank account real quick…”
• Bottom text: “On public Wi-Fi with no VPN.”

Cybersecurity Connection:

This meme highlights one of the most common cybersecurity mistakes using public Wi-Fi without protection. Many people don’t realize that hackers can easily intercept data on unsecured networks, leading to stolen passwords, financial data, or personal information. A human-centered approach would involve making security tools (like VPNs) more accessible and educating users on safe practices.

Image 15

• Image: A group of people mid-air in a jump shot, looking excited.
• Top text: “When the project is finally done!”
• Bottom text: “Forgot to check security… whoops.”

Cybersecurity Connection:

This meme reflects a common oversight in cybersecurity teams often celebrating completing a project before ensuring security measures are in place. In human-centered cybersecurity, security should be used in every step of the development process, not just an afterthought

The media plays a big role in how we think about cybersecurity. News stories often talk about hackers stealing information or breaking into big companies systems. This makes people scared of cyber threats, but sometimes the news doesn’t explain everything clearly. Movies and TV shows also influence our ideas about cybersecurity. Many show hackers typing super fast and breaking into computers in seconds. This isn’t how it really works, but it makes for exciting stories.The good thing is that the media helps people learn about online dangers, like scams and weak passwords. However, it doesn’t always teach how to stay safe. People should not only rely on news or movies but also learn from experts. 

1. How did you score?
   I scored a 3, which falls into the “risky usage” category. This means that while social media plays a role in daily life, it’s not causing serious problems, but there are signs of potential overuse in certain areas.
2. What do you think about the items in the scale?
   The items in the scale do a good job of identifying unhealthy social media habits, like using it as an escape, lying about usage, or neglecting responsibilities. However, some questions could be more specific, for example, not everyone argues about social media use, but they may still struggle with overuse in other ways.
3. Why do you think different patterns are found across the world?
   Social media usage patterns vary due to cultural differences, technology access, and lifestyle. In some places, social media is a main form of communication, while in others, outdoor activities and face-to-face interactions are prioritized. Economic factors also play a role too, wealthier countries tend to have higher screen time due to widespread internet access, while some regions may use social media more for business or education rather than entertainment.

fter reading the article on social cybersecurity, I learned how online safety is not just about passwords and hacking but also about how people can be tricked into believing false information. The article explains how bad actors use social media and the internet to spread lies and influence people’s opinions. It was interesting to see how these threats are not just about technology but also about understanding human psychology and how we react to things online. Another big takeaway is that we need to be smarter about what we read and share online. The authors say that schools, governments, and even regular internet users should work together to stop the spread of false information. They also mention that we should question what we see online and learn how to tell if something is fake. I found the part about deepfakes and AI bots interesting. These technologies can create fake videos or messages that look real, making it even harder to know what’s true. Because of this, it’s important for websites and security experts to develop better ways to detect fake content.

Trust is a key theme because people depend on secure systems to keep their private information safe from hackers. Communication is just as important since analysts must explain security risks in a way that others can understand, often working in teams to solve problems. Responsibility plays a big role because these experts must make ethical decisions when handling sensitive data. Awareness is also crucial, as people’s online behavior like clicking suspicious links or using weak passwords, create security risks. Cybersecurity is more than technology but also understanding people and their actions. Analysts must educate users, promote safe online habits, and prevent cyber threats before they happen. Social engineering, where hackers trick people into revealing information, shows how human psychology plays a role in cybersecurity. By recognizing social behaviors, cybersecurity analysts help create a safer digital world. 

The sample data breach notification letter from the link shows how both economics and social science theories apply when a company experiences a cyberattack. One economic theory that relates is cost-benefit analysis. This is when a company decides whether something is worth the cost. In this case, the company chose to use a third-party service for their website, which saved money at the time, but it ended up costing them more when that service got hacked. Another theory is externalities, which is when someone’s actions affect others. The company’s weak security affected its customers because their credit card information may have been stolen.

Two social science theories also connect to the letter. First, crisis communication theory explains how companies talk to people during emergencies. This letter is an example of that. It’s meant to calm customers and explain what happened. Second, neutralization theory can be seen when companies delay telling people about a breach, possibly to avoid blame or panic. 

The article talks about how bug bounty programs are used by companies to find weaknesses in their cybersecurity systems. These programs pay ethical hackers, to look for problems and report them. In the literature review, it explains that this idea comes from economics. Basically, it’s cheaper to pay someone a reward for finding a problem than to deal with a major hack later. The article also says that companies need to clearly explain the rules, rewards, and goals of the program so hackers know what to look for. In the findings, it shows that when companies have strong communication and clear guidelines, the bug bounty programs are more successful. I think this is a really smart way to keep systems safe. It helps companies stay ahead of cybercriminals while also giving ethical hackers a legal and positive way to use their skills. 

 In his article, Andriy Slynchuk lists several common but illegal online behaviors, and five of the most serious include collecting information about children, faking your identity, sharing someone else’s personal information, cyberbullying, and recording VoIP calls without consent. Collecting data on children under 13 without permission breaks federal laws and can put minors in danger. Faking your identity online can lead to serious consequences like fraud or identity theft, which harm both individuals and organizations. Sharing someone’s password, address, or private photos without their consent is a clear violation of their privacy and can cause emotional or financial harm. Cyberbullying can lead to long-lasting psychological effects on victims and are taken seriously by both schools and law enforcement. Finally, recording a VoIP call without everyone’s permission violates privacy laws in many states and can lead to criminal charges. 

After watching Davin Teo’s TEDx talk on digital forensics, I thought it was really interesting how his career didn’t start with technology. He began in accounting, which shows that you don’t always have to follow one straight path to end up doing digital forensics. What stood out to me was how much his work connects to the social sciences. Digital forensics isn’t just about finding information on computers, but also understanding people and why they do certain things. Teo talked about how knowing human behavior helps him figure out what happened in digital investigations. That’s where social science comes in, like psychology or sociology, because it helps investigators think about the “why” behind someone’s actions. Overall, I thought his story was inspiring. It shows that if you’re curious and open to learning, you can find a path that mixes different interests, like tech and people skills.