Analytical Paper. For this assignment, you will produce a paper-length analysis of the social meaning and impact of cybersecurity-related technical systems. It’ll be easier than it sounds. You’ll produce a rough draft of most the paper by combining two to three of the discussion board assignments you’ve already completed. After that, you’ll edit and revise so that it reads smoothly, and then add a final section with a concluding analysis. In the end, you’ll have a 1200+ word paper that draws from and draws together work that you’ve done throughout the course.
Works Cited: You are required to do a works cited page (choose eith APA or MLA) if sources are used. The works cited is not to be counted in your overall word count. If you use any information not of your own and have not cited it, this is considered plagarism. Even with sources, the content of your paper must be in your own words. Please keep in mind the student code of conduct (as with all courses).
Analytical Paper
Technology & Society
Summary
For this assignment, you will produce a newspaper op-ed article which is an analysis of the social meaning and impact of cybersecurity-related technical systems. It’ll be easier than it sounds. You’ll produce a rough draft of most of the paper by combining two to three of the discussion board assignments you’ve already completed. After that, you’ll edit and revise so that it reads smoothly, and then add a final section with a concluding analysis. In the end, you’ll have a 1200+ word paper that draws from and brings together work that you’ve done throughout the course. See the grading rubric for detailed grading criteria regarding the quality of your writing.
Your Role
Imagine you are ten or so years into your career and a respected authority in cybersecurity. You have enough experience to form an opinion on potential impacts, both good and not-so-good, these technologies may have on our broader society. You have been asked by your local newspaper to contribute to the publications’ Op-Ed section and share your thoughts with local readers.
The Audience
Newspaper articles are intended for a broad, general audience. Articles that are too genre-specific, or technical in nature usually have to be edited to be understandable to this general audience. Your writing must subscribe to this notion, as you are educating the reader on technical concepts. So, this will require you to reduce technical or cyber-security related jargon to everyday terms that a layman will understand – something you will find necessary throughout your professional career.
The Format
The format for this assignment is an op-ed article for a local newspaper
Requirements (Your Task)
This will be an analytical paper as done in the humanities, but with a business writing twist. We expect writing to offer rational justifications of a given position, and that means we want to see…
- Writing in the first person, without falling into merely personal statements. Say what you believe, but only assert that others should agree insofar as you are able to provide compelling arguments in support of your belief.
- Rationally persuasive writing. Argue in favor of your view, but only using legitimate argumentation—don’t appeal to emotion, don’t exploit ambiguity, don’t descend to slippery slopes, ad hominems, or other logical fallacies in your treatment of views you disagree with. You should always assume that those who you disagree with have good reasons for their (perhaps quite incorrect) views, and those you disagree with and their positions should be taken seriously and considered in their best possible light.
- Frank admission of ambivalence. Our concerns are not of a kind that can easily be resolved, and any honest analysis of a complicated issue should recognize that there are important topics unaddressed, important questions unanswered, and important criticisms unresolved. So, you’ll want to make sure that you acknowledge this in your conclusion.
Just like your manager at work, the reader of a newspaper has limited time and an even more limited span of attention. Therefore, your article must start with a clearly defined Bottom-Line-Up-Front (BLUF). That is, let the reader know, immediately, what you are writing about and your position. Additionally, the paper must contain proper headers, guideposts for the reader indicating the subtopic being discussed. Remember, do not make your boss work to understand your paper!
This kind of writing may be less familiar to you than other kinds, but your discussion board entries and other writing will prepare you well. If it’s helpful, you can think of an analytical paper as similar to a position paper. In a position paper, you’re supposed to pick a position and defend it, and in this paper, you’re supposed to analyze the situation and put forth your best understanding and defend it. The difference is that the main point isn’t to win an argument, but to work toward a better understanding by putting forth a position in your analysis while recognizing that it’s incomplete and that other views have points worth taking seriously too.
The Task at Hand…
To complete the assignment, go through these steps:
1. Gather together three of your discussion board posts that fit well together.
2. Put them together in an order that makes sense. Your paper should begin with a theoretically-based position, followed by detailed considerations. If you feel confident writing this kind of paper and you think a different ordering will work better for your analysis, you may arrange them differently.
- Look at the breaks between paragraphs within each section, and the breaks between sections. Add in transitions and comments so that the whole thing looks like a paper that you wrote all at once.
- Add a concluding section. The concluding section, clearly indicated by a “Conclusion” header, shouldn’t contain your argument in favor of your analysis—that should be happening from the beginning and throughout the first three sections. Instead, your conclusion should be reflective by (a). Summarizing your position and connect it to the evidence you’ve provided, (b). considering objections or alternate analyses, (c). responding to them (but it’s okay not to have all the answers!), and (d.) summarizing your overall analysis, including your position, evidence for it, the evidence against it, and alternative positions.
- Look through the Analytical Paper rubric included along with these instructions on Blackboard. Make sure that you have done each one of these things, and—aside from items 2 and 3, which happen throughout the paper—LABEL the location in your paper where you think you are most clearly accomplishing that objective. Just put in a (1) or (4) or whatever at the start of the most relevant paragraph. This will help you to make sure you’ve done everything, and it will help to make sure nothing gets overlooked so that you can get the grade your work deserves!
- Check to see if you’re at 1200 words yet. If not, look for places that seem weak or incomplete and add more material there. Once you’re at 1200 words or more, read the whole thing OUT LOUD to yourself or someone else and fix the parts that don’t make sense or otherwise need fixing. The paper must be no more than 5 pages. Remember, it takes time to develop your point in a concise fashion, so expect to take a few edits to eliminate redundancies and to compact your writing.
You’re set. Submit your finished Analytical Paper through SafeAssign on Blackboard, using the link under Assignment Submissions. You will also use this assignment when completing your ePortfolio.
Suggested Outline
- Clearly state your position on either 1) the development of cyber-policy/infrastructure or 2) changes needed in regulation or limits on markets/businesses/groups/individuals.
- Contributing Topic 1
- Contributing Topic 2
- Conclusion
- Works Cited (Required) in-line text citations are required. Use APA or MLA.
Please REMEMBER to use headers to guide you reader through the paper. Papers with missing headings (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc…) will be marked down.
Submission
Submit through the blackboard “Assignment Submissions” tab.
If you did not cite your sources this is considered plagiarism.
Below are 8 discussions that I have given as options to be used in the analytical paper.
Discussion Board #5 – Risk Management
Use the article “The State of Industrial Cybersecurity 2017 (Links to an external site.)” to assist in your answer. Provide your understanding of this report on Industrial Cybersecurity. Also, what are the impacts of a security breach on a company? Are organizations prepared for this type of threat?
There is clearly a lot of work to be done in order to ensure that industrial enterprises’ ICS settings are as safe as possible from the growing threat of cyber security breaches. More than half of those surveyed said they had been a victim of a workplace cyberattack in the year prior. Businesses, despite their claims that they are prepared in the event of a breach, often underestimate the size and severity of such catastrophes. In order to ensure the safety of the company’s operational technology, it is essential to identify the dangers ICS settings pose, and to put in place the necessary regulations and practices to limit these risks. Additionally, an assault can have a substantial impact on a company’s industrial process, goods, private information, and reputation, regardless of whether it is intentional or not. People’s deaths, the destruction of the environment, and the demise of a business are all possibilities under the worst-case scenario.
Despite the fact that cybersecurity procedures in the industrial sector are not well-organized, they might be enhanced. With the help of rigorous processes and clear instructions, many firms claim to have security solutions in place, but this is not always the case. In the face of severe threats to industrial control systems, it would be like applying a “band-aid” to arterial damage with a normal out-of-the-box security device. As long as ICS cyber attacks aren’t required to be reported ‘only 19% of organizations were required to do so, it’s possible that incidents will go unreported ‘especially in non-critical infrastructures’, leaving the full impact on businesses unclear. However, two-thirds of those polled said they would accept mandatory reporting and governance in their industry, indicating that regulatory agencies like CERT, ISO, ISAC, and others could help. An opportunity to better report, manage, and prevention of cybersecurity breaches is what we are looking for.
References:
ICS White Paper
Discussion Board #6 – CyberSecurity Impact on Small Business
Using both the NSF article “The Impact of Cyber Security on Small Businesses (Links to an external site.)”, and the NIST publication “Small Business Information Security: The fundamentals (Links to an external site.)”, as a basis, examine & discuss the costs and benefits of developing cyber security programs in small businesses, starting with understanding where to start. By their very nature, small businesses have limited funds to spend on cyber security related activities. So, start with how would you determine where and how to spend these limited dollars.
People who run small businesses are more likely to get hacked for a number of reasons, including that they have less money and time to spend on cybersecurity, they are more likely to use outdated and unsupported software, and they are more likely to keep their default passwords and not change them. Small firms should begin by analyzing their vulnerability to cyber-attacks. This may be accomplished by assessing their business functions, data, and technological infrastructure. They should also think about their sector and the risks that are unique to it. After assessing its risks, a company may devise a strategy to mitigate those risks. Installing security software, hiring a cybersecurity expert, or making a cybersecurity plan are all examples of things that could be done. Small firms should think about the expense of cyber-attacks as well. For a small business, a data breach can cost up to $38,000, according to research done by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Small enterprises should think about the advantages of cybersecurity as well. In a survey by the National Cyber Security Alliance, organizations that have a cybersecurity plan are more likely to recover from a cyber-attack than those that don’t. Small businesses should first figure out how vulnerable they are to cyber-attacks and then come up with a plan to fix them. In addition, they should look at the costs and benefits of cybersecurity. They should also look for alliances with other firms that can provide cyber insurance because small firms are typically uninsured. If a small firm cannot come up with the resources to pay for an information security audit, it should look into free or low-cost programs.
Resources:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YokA-b8nQZtx88aZFXuSEF2Zfo5ZuL6Y/view (Links to an external site.)
Discussion Board #7 – Identity Management
Select and describe 2 key trends in Identity Management. First, look at demographic differences, then examine geographical differences between the US and other global regions. Part 2: What is FIDO and what problems does this organization address?
Adapting to biometrics and blockchain are two key trends in identity management. Biometrics are biological measures that may be used to identify persons and grant them access to accounts and personal gadgets, such as fingerprint readers or facial recognition. Businesses have begun to use this technology since it is more secure than using a normal password, which may be easily stolen or hacked. Blockchain is the second identity management trend. A blockchain is a distributed database that is shared across computer network nodes. A blockchain, like a database, saves information electronically in digital format. This sort of technology is advantageous to individuals and corporations because it hides their digital assets in a digital format that is difficult for an individual to interpret or access if they obtain this data. The United States’ demographic uniqueness from other nations is its multiracial and cultural variety, which helps us to comprehend various cultures and how they could work inside their own country. The United States is geographically distinct from the rest of the world in that it is isolated in terms of the location of other rich countries. The United States is separated from European and Asian powers by two large seas. Deserts separate the United States from Mexico to the south, while woods and lakes separate Canada’s population centers from those of the United States. “Fast Identity Online” is a collection of open, standardized authentication methods that aim to eventually replace passwords, which are often useless and out of date in terms of security. The FIDO Alliance, formed by the world’s leading technology organizations, is devoted to changing the way online verification occurs, making it more reliable and simple. Credentials are presently the most often used type of online authentication, a system that may cause issues since the credentials must be complicated in order to be safe, and if the credentials are complex, they are difficult to remember.
Refrences:
https://www.veritis.com/blog/what-to-expect-future-trends-in-identity-and-access-management/ (Links to an external site.)
Discussion Board 8 – Cryptography
How can cryptography help us with authenticity and integrity?
Cryptography is the study of methods for sending encrypted messages over the internet that are only visible to the sender and recipient, keeping them safe from illegal access. Cryptography can be utilized after information or data has been stored in a way that cannot be read until it is used again. This phase is known as an algorithm, and the message that emerges from the process is known as ciphertext. The hashing method is used to display each item of data because it has a single, unique value. If any of the data is changed, the hashed value is also changed. Instead of having to transmit each file twice, we can use this property to verify that it is valid, which would slow down the system’s response time. Any security approach should include hashing, and it’s simple to implement. Cryptography can be used to create content that can only be read by individuals with the necessary decryption skills. This allows us to construct encrypted documents that can only be accessed by people with the necessary decryption keys. These methods can also be employed as part of an authentication system to confirm that the messages received are from the people who claim to be sending them. A person can encrypt stuff using their own key to communicate with another person via encrypted communication. They can then send the encrypted communication to someone else, who will be able to decode it using the sender’s public key. This either proves or disproves the message’s genuineness. The integrity of a message does not always suggest that it came from a trustworthy source. Information’s possible that it was tampered with in transit by a hostile user, which is why it’s crucial to double-check a source’s legitimacy.
Sources:
https://www.triskelelabs.com/blog/the-role-of-cryptography-in-information-security (Links to an external site.)
Discussion Board #9 – Engineering Systems Cybersecurity
Discuss the impact of cyber technology on engineering systems.
Engineering systems have seen a substantial increase in the use of cyber technologies as a result of their increased technological capabilities. When we talk about cyber technology, we’re talking about a branch of technology that is concerned with the building of artificial gadgets or machines of any kind. Increased machine intelligence, automation of processes, performance optimization, increased flexibility and speed, and the ability to produce more personalized goods are just a few of the ways in which cyber technologies have helped enhance engineering systems. Machine intelligence has been strengthened through the use of cyber technologies, which has resulted in a reduction in the need for physical labor in the workforce. Enterprises are clamoring to get their hands on this technology in order to minimize expenses while increasing production. Cyber technologies have also simplified and expedited the manufacturing process, which is especially important when it comes to addressing the needs of the consumer market. Unlike people, cyber technologies have increased performance as a result of technological developments that are difficult for humans to match on a daily basis. While humans require sleep, cyber technology does not, allowing for more flexibility and speed as a result of its ability to be employed around the clock, seven days a week. Additionally, buyers can now purchase custom-made items that they would not otherwise be able to get in regular retail or internet shops, allowing them to express their individuality and who they are. Despite anyone’s personal feelings, good or bad, cyber technology has had an impact on the environment in which we currently live. Across the board, cyber technologies have had an impact on engineering systems and will continue to do so in the future.
Discussion Board #10
Discuss the need for and vulnerabilities associated with SCADA systems.
Supervisory control and data acquisition or “SCADA” is a network that many modern industrial companies utilize to monitor and analyze real-time data, operate both local and remote industrial processes, communicate with equipment, and log data for auditing and other purposes. “SCADA” networks are critical to the industrial enterprises that employ them since they are comprised of vulnerable hardware, firmware, and software. There are numerous points of vulnerability and numerous effective safeguards against each. As Software becomes obsolete, new application upgrades are generated to increase functionality or security. Vulnerabilities can arise if these upgrades are not applied swiftly and correctly. However, a few components of “SCADA” security are universally applicable to any network. Any industrial control network can implement these precautionary measures. “SCADA” security is becoming increasingly important in the industrial sector. “SCADA” security is a broad phrase that refers to the safeguarding of “SCADA” networks. These networks, comprised of computer hardware and software, are used to control and monitor critical infrastructure in the countries where they are deployed. Natural gas, electricity, water, and other critical services are only a few of the systems that make use of “SCADA” networks. Due to the critical importance and vulnerability of these networks, governments and commercial enterprises take precautions to protect their security. With the increased threat of cyber-attacks and cyber warfare, individuals tasked with protecting key networks are scrutinizing their security. The increasing number of “SCADA” network intrusions and attacks has sparked considerable debate on the subject. Everybody is exposed to these risks to “SCADA” security, from huge corporations to municipal and federal agencies.
Discussion Board #11 – Criminal Justice and Cybercrime Overlap
What is the overlap between criminal justice and cybercrime? How does this overlap relate to the other disciplines discussed in this class?
There are evident connections between criminal justice and cybercrime. Because technology is tied to a large percentage of crime, it plays an important role in criminality. If you engage in cybercrime, you are breaking the law, and you will be held accountable through the criminal justice system. One way that criminal justice and cybercrime interact is when criminologists look to what is known as human factors as a means of analyzing human behavior. Human factors in criminal justice and cybercrime are discussed by criminologists. Another point of convergence is that those with a criminal justice degree may have the skills, knowledge, and training needed to work in some of the “softer” aspects of cybersecurity. A important component of cybercrime is cyber forensics, which includes the investigation of cyber, computer, electronic, and other types of criminality. Because digital forensics was established in large part by criminal justice professionals, it represents yet another area where criminal justice and cybercrime collide. As a result, criminal justice experts are crucial to the development of digital forensics. The use of criminal justice in establishing appropriate cybercrime actions and reactions is one of the most major areas of overlap. These links could be related to some of the other topics discussed in this class. Certain types of cybercrime, for example, are classified as white-collar crimes. White-collar crimes are those committed by someone in a position of high respect and social standing in their sector. While not all cybercrime is white-collar, it is uncertain how much white-collar crime contributes to cybercrime. In some situations of white-collar crime, digital forensics is employed to help find out and investigate how the crime occurred.
Discussion Board #12 – Cyber Stalking/Cyber Harassment
Using what we have looked at with the Cyber Stalking and Cyber Harrassment (Links to an external site.) paper, disucuss a view on it. One view could be: How have the changes in technology affected the definitions of appropriate and inappropriate behavior?
Cyber stalking and cyber harassment have become more prevalent as a result of the internet. Despite the fact that it was designed to be of help to humankind, it has instead proved to be a hindrance. In many ways, technology is one of those things that, when utilized in the proper ethical manner, can be fantastic, but when used in the wrong way, it can be horrible for those who are subjected to it. With the advancement of technology, the prevalence of cyberstalking and cyberbullying has increased. This is due to how user-friendly technology has become, which allows victims to quickly position themselves for an attack without even realizing they are doing so. Over the years, the number of reported cases of cyber stalking and cyber harassment has increased, owing to technological advancements that make it easier for criminals to perform their crimes without being discovered. While cybercrime is becoming more difficult to identify and detect, it will remain a continual and ongoing issue. These types of technological breakthroughs will purposefully alter our perspectives on technology while also illuminating how we can mitigate the effects of cyber attacks on humans. As the years pass, cyber stalking and cyber harassment will only become more prevalent, and more individuals will be physically and emotionally harmed for no other reason than to obtain something negative from the situation. Technology is here to stay, and we need to make sure that it is used to its fullest potential to replace the bad values that it can put into the world.
| Student Learning Outcomes | Exceeds Standard | Meets Standard | Approaches Standard | Needs Attention |
| 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | |
| 1. Clearly state a focused problem, question, or topic appropriate for the purpose of the task. | The topic statement is comprehensive, clearly stated, creative, focused, manageable, and demonstrates a clear understanding of the purpose of the task. | The topic statement is clearly stated, focused, manageable, and demonstrates adequate consideration of the purpose of the task. | The topic statement is ambiguous and too broadly or narrowly focused, but demonstrates awareness of the purpose of the task. | The topic statement is weak (or missing) and demonstrates minimal knowledge of the purpose of the task. |
| 2. Synthesize information and multiple viewpoints related to the problem, question or topic. | Evidence is synthesized to reveal insightful patterns, differences, and similarities among multiple viewpoints. | Evidence is synthesized to reveal patterns, differences, and similarities among multiple viewpoints. | Evidence is minimally synthesized and may not reveal patterns, differences, and similarities among multiple viewpoints. | Evidence is not synthesized to reveal patterns, differences, and similarities among multiple viewpoints (or is missing). |
| 3. Write efficiently and effectively. | Writing presents a coherent overall argument, with each section clearly connected to the thesis and to the previous and following sections, and without unnecessary repetition. | Writing presents a coherent overall argument, with each section connected to the thesis and to the previous and following sections, but with some awkward transitions or minor repetitions. | Writing presents an overall argument that may be slightly fragmented, with most sections connected to the thesis and to the previous and following sections, or has significant awkward transitions or repetition. | Writing presents a fragmented argument, with some sections unconnected from the thesis or the previous and following sections, and significant awkward transitions or repetition. |
| 4. Describe the use and development of cybersecurity-related technological systems as a human and cultured activity | Clearly describes the use and development of one or more cybersecurity-related technological system, and clearly and thoughtfully connects that use and development to culturally-influenced human activity. | Description of the use and development of one or more cybersecurity-related technological systems is unclear or incomplete in a significant way, or connection to culturally-influenced human activity is unclear or incomplete in a significant way. | Description of the use and development of one or more cybersecurity-related technological systems is very unclear or very incomplete, orconnection to culturally-influenced human activity is very unclear or very incomplete. | Description of the use and development of one or more cybersecurity-related technological systems is very unclear or very incomplete, andconnection to culturally-influenced human activity is very unclear or very incomplete—OR either the description of the system or its connection to cultural systems is missing. |
| 5. Understand and describe the components, mechanisms, and function of a cybersecurity-related technological system | The description of a cybersecurity-related technological system is robust and shows a good understanding. | Description of a cybersecurity-related technological system leaves our significant important elements or shows only an incomplete understanding. | Description of a cybersecurity-related technological system is very incomplete or shows a very incomplete understanding. | Description of a cybersecurity-related technological system is very incomplete and shows a very incomplete understanding. |
| 6. Discuss how a cybersecurity-related technological system may change users’ conception of reality (e.g. what counts as progress, how technology influences politics, how we relate to data and how it relates to us, etc.) and users’ perceptions and biases toward it | Discusses how a cybersecurity-related technological system may change users’ conception of reality and users’ perceptions and biases toward that system clearly and in a way that shows a good understanding. | Discussion of either how a cybersecurity-related technological system may change users’ conception of reality or users’ perceptions and biases toward that system is unclear or shows only an incomplete understanding. | Discussion of both how a cybersecurity-related technological system may change users’ conception of reality and users’ perceptions and biases toward that system is unclear or shows only an incomplete understanding. | Discussion of either how a cybersecurity-related technological system may change users’ conception of reality or users’ perceptions and biases toward that system is very poor or missing. |
| 7. Understand and describe the potential consequences, both intended and unintended, of a cybersecurity-related technological system for individuals, nations, societies, or the environment | Clearly describes the potential consequences of a cybersecurity-related technological system for individuals, nations, societies, or the environment in a way that shows a good understanding. | Description of the potential consequences of a cybersecurity-related technological system for individuals, nations, societies, or the environment is unclear or shows only an incomplete understanding. | Description of the potential consequences of a cybersecurity-related technological system for individuals, nations, societies, or the environment is unclear and shows only an incomplete understanding. | Description of the potential consequences of a cybersecurity-related technological system for individuals, nations, societies, or the environment is very poor or missing. |
| 8. Express informed opinions about the cost/benefit relationship of a cybersecurity-related technological system, with considerations for development or controlled limitations | Opinions about the cost/benefit relationship of a cybersecurity-related technological system are clear and well-informed and thoughtfully connected to considerations for development or controlled limitations. | Opinions about the cost/benefit relationship of a cybersecurity-related technological system are unclear or based in a significant way on misunderstandings or are not well connected to considerations for development or controlled limitations. | Opinions about the cost/benefit relationship of a cybersecurity-related technological system are unclear or based in a significant way on misunderstandings and are not well connected to considerations for development or controlled limitations. | Opinions about the cost/benefit relationship of a cybersecurity-related technological system are not fact-based, or are missing, or are not connected to considerations for development or controlled limitations. |
| 9. Understand and describe how a cybersecurity-related technological system has enabled the pace of change and interdependency that have accelerated globalization. | Clearly describes how a cybersecurity-related technological system has enabled the pace of change and interdependency that have accelerated globalization in a way that shows a good understanding. | Description of how a cybersecurity-related technological system has enabled the pace of change and interdependency that have accelerated globalization is unclear or shows only an incomplete understanding. | Description of how a cybersecurity-related technological system has enabled the pace of change and interdependency that have accelerated globalization is unclear and shows only an incomplete understanding. | Description of how a cybersecurity-related technological system has enabled the pace of change and interdependency that have accelerated globalization is very poor or missing. |
| 10. Describe the role of technology in defining ideas of progress and modernism | Clearly and robustly describes the role of technology or a particular technological system in defining ideas of progress in a way that shows a good understanding. | Description of the role of technology or a particular technological system in defining ideas of progress is incomplete or shows only an incomplete understanding. | Description of the role of technology or a particular technological system in defining ideas of progress is very incomplete or shows only a very incomplete understanding. | Description of the role of technology or a particular technological system in defining ideas of progress is trivial, shows little thought or insight, or is missing. |
| 11. Students will be able to formulate conclusions that are logically tied to inquiry findings and consider applications, limitations and implications | The stated conclusion thoroughly evaluates and organizes all essential information and is the logical outcome of inquiry. | The stated conclusion evaluates and relates logically to all essential information. | The stated conclusion minimally evaluates and relates logically to some essential information. | The stated conclusion is absent or weakly evaluates essential information or is missing. |
