This course provides an overview of the field of cybersecurity. It covers core cybersecurity topics including computer system architectures, critical infrastructures, cyber threats and vulnerabilities, cryptography, information assurance, network security, and risk assessment and management. Students are expected to become familiar with fundamental security concepts, technologies, and practices. This course provides a foundation for further study in cybersecurity.<\/p>\n
I completed a research paper titled \u201cMarriott Under Fire,\u201d which examined the 2018 data breach involving Marriott International and the Starwood hotel chain. This attack compromised the personal data of approximately 500 million guests due to vulnerabilities in outdated reservation systems and poor data management during the merger.<\/p>\n
Marriot Under Fire<\/strong><\/p>\n \nData breaches are increasingly common in today’s digital landscape. According to IBM, a Student Name:<\/strong> Stevie Johnson Active Directory (AD) is a critical component in enterprise-level Windows environments, serving as a centralized database for managing users, computers, groups, and other resources across a network. Through Active Directory, administrators can enforce security policies, streamline user access, and maintain consistent configurations across systems.<\/p>\n This lab focused on exploring the structure and functionality of Active Directory, including the creation and management of AD objects, organizational units (OUs), and Group Policy Objects (GPOs). We simulated real-world administrative tasks typically performed by Windows system administrators.<\/p>\n Successfully created and managed OUs to reflect organizational structure.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Demonstrated the ability to create user accounts and groups, simulating real administrative environments.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Observed how GPOs take precedence when multiple policies are applied and how inheritance can be blocked or filtered.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Validated GPO application using user login tests and command-line tools, confirming that restrictions were properly enforced.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Introduction to Cybersecurity This course provides an overview of the field of cybersecurity. It covers core cybersecurity topics including computer system architectures, critical infrastructures, cyber threats and vulnerabilities, cryptography, information assurance, network security, and risk assessment and management. Students are expected to become familiar with fundamental security concepts, technologies, and practices. This course provides a… <\/p>\n
\ndata breach is any security incident where unauthorized parties gain access to sensitive or
\nconfidential information, such as personal data (e.g., Social Security numbers, bank account
\ndetails, healthcare data) and corporate data (e.g., customer records, intellectual property,
\nfinancial information). A significant cybersecurity breach occurred in 2018 when Marriot
\nInternational experienced an external malware attack that exposed personal information of
\napproximately 500 million guests.
\nMarriott International bought Starwood in 2016. In 2018, the Starwood Preferred Guest
\nprogram merged with the Marriott loyalty program. However, the attack on the Starwood
\ndatabase occurred due to trojan malware exploiting vulnerabilities in their outdated Microsoft
\npoint-of-sales reservation system, highlighting the system’s security weaknesses. Hackers would
\nattack a hotels system because of its details dealing with personal information (names, dates of
\nbirths, credit card info, and addresses of their customers) and the simple fact that most customers
\nuse the same password for multiple accounts it makes it easier for a hacker to access other
\naccounts. Another vulnerability of the hospitality industry is their relaxed security mechanisms
\nmaking it easy for hackers to get inside their systems.\u201d On September 7, 2018, a contractor
\nnamed Accenture, who supports and manages the databases of Starwood Hotels and Resorts for
\nMarriott International, noticed an unusual SQL query\u201d (Amanulla, Niyaz 2024). This
\nobservation prompted them to let Marriott International know.
\nThe aftermath of this monstrous attack led to Marriotts\u2019 brand going through great losses
\nthat affected their revenue and reputation due to the corporation\u2019s negligence in discovering the
\nincident in the first stages of the merger which led to them being victims of the second largest
\nJohnson 3
\ndata breach. Marriot ended up paying a huge fine due to the implementation of the General Data
\nProtection Regulation (Manglani 2024). Meanwhile the Customers lost trust in the luxurious
\ncompany once they were informed of the data breach, and the fact that Starwood has had
\nexperience with data being leaked to the Darknet.
\nSecurity measures that could have been used to prevent the attack from happening are
\ndeploying data leak prevention and prevention mechanisms where UpToDate servers and
\nequipment could have been installed to better prepare for an attack. Marriot could have
\nconducted a background check on Starwood and seen they have been attacked before and could
\nhave corrected the issue before the merger. Customer awareness could have helped by customers
\nhaving stronger passwords and 2 factor authentication making it harder for hackers to access
\ntheir data.
\nEven after data breaches are common now days this study has made me aware of how to
\nprevent my own personal information from being hacked, also how cyberattack can grow when it
\ngoes undetected and neglected by companies. Hackers are getting smarter by the day, so our job
\nis to stay sharp by raising awareness of the newest information and keeping up to date equipment
\nto mediate these efforts.<\/p>\nLab Report: Using Active Directory in the Enterprise<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Course:<\/strong> Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Institution:<\/strong> Old Dominion University
Lab Title:<\/strong> Using Active Directory in the Enterprise
Date Completed:<\/strong> [Apr 25, 2025]<\/p>\n
\nOverview<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Results and Analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n