Computer Sciences and Information Technology

Cyber Security
Identify one security concern in a virtual environment. Does virtualization provide a totally secure environment? Why or why not? In considering the security and cost advantages, would you recommend virtualization as the best option for all organizations? Explain why you feel or do not feel that desktop virtualization is the way to go for all organizations.
Watch video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAhhM0L-MtE&feature=related
Is it acceptable to create malware to stop activities that threaten national security? Why? Could there be any consequences associated with this? Please explain. Consider some of the most recent cyber attacks. If malware is created to defend a nation from these types of attacks, are there any legal ramifications? What would they be? Explain. Also, discuss whether you think it’s appropriate to make these attacks public. Why or why not? Explain the consequences of allowing the public to have knowledge of the workings of these software.
Identify one kind of security threat that can occur with gaming applications. Feel free to utilize the Internet in order to read about online gaming and security threats. What are some of the aspects gaming industry security designers need to consider in developing gaming applications? Can this threat be mitigated? Discuss the social risks, if any, with online gaming. What are some of the best practices for an online gamer to avoid these security risks?
Identify a smart phone operating system currently being used in the mobile phone market and list a security threat to that particular operating system. Explain the level of risk that is involved with the security threat. What can be done to mitigate the risk of the threat? What types of personal practices increase the probability of security threats? You can support your description of the threat with a real case. Would it be possible to make generalizations or universal standards that help to prevent these types of security risks? Why or why not? Are there any smart phone security best practices that can be applied to the cases that your classmates have presented?
Do you agree that it is important to protect web pages even though they don’t transmit sensitive information? Identify the security threats that may affect web pages even if they don’t transmit sensitive information. Please note that you may use the Internet in order to search for information about different kinds of attacks. Read the link below…
http://www.sans.org/reading_room/whitepapers/application/protecting-users-importance-defending-public-sites_33598
Is it important for social networking companies to implement strict security measures to protect customer information? Why? Explain. What might be some consequences of neglecting basic security protection mechanisms in social networking applications? Ironically, according to the article below we see that the stock price of LinkedIn rose in the days after the breach. Discuss your perspectives on why this must have occurred.
Read the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/technology/linkedin-breach-exposes-light-security-even-at-data-companies.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
shed light on the hacking attack against LinkedIn. The article referred to the lax security by LinkedIn as a cause of the attack. “What has surprised customers and security experts alike is that a company that collects and profits from vast amounts of data had taken a bare-bones approach to protecting it. The breach highlights a disturbing truth about LinkedIn’s computer security: there isn’t much. Companies with customer data continue to gamble on their own computer security, even as the break-ins increase.” The article refers to the importance of maintaining the security of customer information on social networking sites. However, in most cases social networking companies face few consequences and legal penalties, partly because the services offered by these companies are free to the public.