Cyber Law

CYSE 406 explores the legal and policy frameworks that shape cybersecurity at both the national and international levels. The first half of the course focused on key legal issues affecting individuals and organizations, including privacy, freedom of expression, internet regulations, information access, and intellectual property. The second half examined the authority and limitations of U.S. government agencies involved in cyber investigations, with emphasis on the United States Constitution, laws, and policies that guide their actions. The course also introduced legal considerations in international cyber operations.

Artifact

The real-world scenario was to write a professional research memo based on an actual cybersecurity policy or incident. The assignment was to evaluate a piece of pending cybersecurity legislation and deliver concise, structured results to a U.S. congressional member in the role of legislative research aide. This included not only a synopsis of the law, but also the reasoning behind it, an analysis of whether it works, and between-the-lines advice that could be useful for messaging to the public and policymakers alike. While completing this assignment, I researched the “Hack Your State Department Act,” where it came from, its elements, such as best practices, Vulnerability Disclosure Process, and bug bounty, and what it’s looking to fix overall in the umbrella of cybersecurity. The project aided my skills in reading legal and technical writing, professionally expressing these ideas, and seeing the practical side of cybersecurity. In short, an assignment such as this one reveals the role of cybersecurity legislation in protecting data from exploitation, and also how vital research and analysis are to informed policymaking.