Tech Topic Connection

 As the internet has grown, so has the concern and need for network security. With that said, network security has a deep-rooted connection with information technology. As technology continues to grow, to help evolve humans further, and become more beneficial, more individuals and or corporations stand to lose more and more that becomes digital. These advancements are intended for the greater good. However, it tends to open up doors that could be used for malicious reasons by hackers using the internet unethically. As we continue to buckle down on network security and come out with more advanced techniques, hackers find ways to get around them at some point requiring constant monitoring and fixing through various patches and updates. So as you can see, nowadays, network security has a critical foundation within the overall topic and fundamentals of information technology. 

Under the umbrella of Information Technology, it was not until computers were more commercialized that network security became an increasing concern finding itself a fundamental spot within information technology as a "norm." The computer became more commercialized between the 1990s and early 2000s, and this was when viruses started to flow through the internet, generating the topic of network security. As computers and different types of devices continued to advance, so did the hackers who evolved and exploited the loops, holes, and vulnerabilities. 

To Be Continued....

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Computers in the Workplace

   Computers in the Workplace

 Computers play an important role across many fields today; however, in the communication/wireless industry, computers are beyond being just important; they are essential. The backbone of any wireless company is through servicing mobile computers such as smartphones, tablets, hotspots, etc. The "computer" is the reason why companies like T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T are as big as they are today.  For the most part, everything in this industry requires a computer, whether to process a sale, hook up the phone to the network, take a payment, process appointments, etc. 

    Companies such as T-Mobile heavily rely on advanced systems and digitally accelerated tools.  With that said, in the wireless industry, even if only working in a retail store, an employee must be tech-savvy and computer literate. People come into stores expecting the employees to understand how the operating systems across various devices work so they can learn it from what T-Mobile calls a "Mobile Expert." The industry is constantly changing, so not only is it essential to be computer literate, it is important to be literate enough to be able to learn and adapt quickly to new software and technology. When you take on such a role, it is important to know that it requires continuous learning, but if one is computer literate enough to understand the framework of computers, phones, tablets, etc. It should be pretty simple for someone to adapt to newer software and technologies across this industry. 

    I have worked for T-Mobile since 2012, and I have watched the industry and the computer grow to where it is before my very eyes. In my head, I find it insane how quickly computers had advanced to where we are compared to when I first started; who would have ever guessed, and here we are in the wireless industry 2021, and 5G is being bigger every day. Suppose I had to forecast the industry over the next ten years. In that case, computers will become connected through a blazing fast 5g network with high capacity limits, which will cover America edge to edge. Because of this, there will be virtually very few dead zones that will help connect rural America bringing alive more AI and the self-driving cars more of a reality. 

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Network Security

 Network Security

    Since the 1990s, there has been an increasing concern over privacy and security throughout the internet because of various cybercrimes. More especially over the last two years, the COVID-19 Pandemic caused more people to work from home than ever before. Since then, the rate of cybercrime has increased by 600% since the COVID-19 Pandemic, according to Pitchkites from Cloudwards (2021). The internet has a plethora of security incidents; however, this paper will specifically look at phishing and security holes/vulnerabilities. Through the lens of these two different security concerns, this paper will explain how computers are vulnerable to each threat, the symptoms and damage each cause, and finally, how to protect against each security breach backed by credible evidence. In addition, this paper will briefly discuss how DOS attacks are executed utilizing ping commands. 

    Computers can have many vulnerabilities that exist in software, hardware, and even because of human operating. Although, more commonly, vulnerabilities and security holes are found within the software of an operating system. In the textbook, Vahid & Lysecky define this as the "aspect of a computer that can be used to breach security" (2017, p.8.1.2). These vulnerabilities can either be exploited by hackers attempting to breach a system for malicious reasons to steal, delete, or even shut down operations or by a cybersecurity specialist known as a Whitehat researcher who reports the issues for rewards. Companies offer bounty programs to help keep customers and information secure from hackers, and it is one-way companies can fight against hackers. 

    Phishing is another significant threat across computers; however, these elaborate schemes are not necessarily a vulnerability of the computer, but rather a vulnerability of the human operating the computer. Phishing falls more under the internet scam category. These schemes can be very elaborate and hard to recognize without the proper knowledge. On the other hand, some are riddled with spelling errors, noticeable visual differences, etc., which is rarely the case anymore in 2021 because of grammar software. The textbook regards Phishing as an internet scam intended to bait users to share sensitive information such as passwords, credit cards, etc., by appearing as legitimate organizations (Vahid & Lysecky, 2017). Phishing tends to be deployed through email but also SMS texting nowadays. Examples of organizations that hackers try to appear to bait people into giving up sensitive information are Chase, US Bank, Apple, CashApp, and many more. 

    Each security concern has its symptoms and overall damage caused by the attack on the compromised system. When it comes to Phishing, there are no symptoms to the computer since no software gets installed; instead, it's more of "clues or tel-tale signs" users must pay attention to. As far as overall damages, phishing schemes can be just as costly as any other attack costing individuals sensitive information or possibly life savings, while companies can stand to lose hundreds of billions per year due to Phishing. When it comes to security holes/vulnerabilities, because of the weakness in the system, a hacker can run malicious code, input malware, or even steal/delete data depending on the security hole and the hacker's intent. Security holes/vulnerabilities symptoms would all depend on the vulnerabilities of the software and the purpose of the hackers; most of the time, they go unnoticed. Once again, depending on the type of vulnerabilities available to the hacker, it will decipher what the hacker can perform and depend on what they are seeking to do can cost a company millions or even billions of dollars or, even worse, catastrophic failure. 

    Through experience and knowledge, there are many ways to protect against the abundance of security concerns throughout computers. More specifically, when it comes to Phishing. Two recommendations I can recommend to individuals and organizations to protect against Phishing is user training; knowledge is vital, especially across organizations that stand to lose a lot and have anywhere from ten to thousands of employee's assistant company software. Understanding simple concepts on not clicking on unknown attachments or links, especially for password resetting, can go a long way. Another way an individual and or organization can defend against Phishing is by enabling two-factor authentication properties to the system. According to the Consumer FTC, two-factor identification can help protect against Phishing because it enables a user to use "something you have" such as a password from security keys or authentication applications." While also requiring "something you are" that others won't have such as fingerprint, retina, or face (2019, para. 7). Defending against security holes and vulnerabilities as an individual is simple but can be quite limiting also. The easiest way to defend against security holes and vulnerabilities is simply by keeping the operating system up to date. The second way is by keeping supported software/applications up to date also. Organizations can also follow the same guidelines; however, companies can and should create bounty programs that reward white hat security specialists for discovering the hole or vulnerability. That way, the software or operating system can be patched before evil hackers can deploy malicious intent. Whitehat specialists are known as "ethical hackers" because they hack for good rather than evil (NortonLifeLock, 2017).

    In addition to this paper as a border topic of attacks, in the week three assignment traveling through a network, we learned about ping commands, how to execute them, and the purpose of the command for troubleshooting. However, what was not discussed was the type of attack that can be executed via ping commands. DoS stands for 'denial of service' by which, according to Vahid & Lysecky, this attack is achieved generating mass access requests to a website to overload the servers that prevent real users from accessing it or at least causing major slowdowns. This is done to hurt or hassle organizations or may even play as a distraction so hackers can access other information. The ping of death is a DOS attack that is carried out by the ping command. The ping command tests the network availability of network resources by sending packets to the network server. The ping command can be used to overload the server by sending the packets above the maximum limits of the server, causing stability issues such as freezing, crashing, or even rebooting, which can create even more vulnerabilities (Williams, 2021). As you can see, something intended to be used for good can also be used for evil reasons, so companies and individuals need to take their security seriously.  

References

Consumer Information Federal Trade Commission. (2019, May). How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams. Retrieved from https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams

NortonLifeLock. (2017, July 24). What is the Difference Between Black, White and Grey Hat Hackers?. Us.Norton. Retrieved from https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-emerging-threats-what-is-the-difference-between-black-white-and-grey-hat-hackers.html

Pitchkites, M. (2021, October 28). Cyber Security Statistics. Cloudwards. Retrieved from https://www.cloudwards.net/cyber-security-statistics/

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. Retrieved from zybooks.zyante.com/

Williams, L. (2021, November 1). DoS (Denial of Service) Attack Tutorial: Ping of Death, DDOS. Guru99. Retrieved from https://www.guru99.com/ultimate-guide-to-dos-attacks.html#

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Traveling Through a Network

Traveling Through a Network

The following results are based on the following:

• Windows 10 Home
• Entry-Level HP Laptop (2017)
• Utilizing T-Mobile's Home Internet (Tower based not wired)

Each picture below will feature the command prompt being utilized to execute both the ping and tracert commands (same photo for both) for three different domains. There was an attempt to run tests on different region domains such as https://ameblo.jp/Links to an external site. however, it wouldn’t work with any of the command prompts (may have something to do with T-Mobiles Wi-Fi).

• Reddit.com
• Google.com
• Uagc.edu

For the sake of this post, it is important to note that a "packet" is the way a computer communicates over the internet to other computers. Packets travel through wires such as cable wires and fiber optic wires but can also travel through wireless waves such as satellite and wireless communications (Vahid & Lysecky, 2017). The purpose of running a ping command is to check the connection between the device and the domain and IP address, and the ping command shows the speed of data packets coming in and out. Whereas traceroute gives more information between the device's connection and the domain/IP address and all the different routers the data passes through since packets tend to travel through vast amounts of other computers and servers before it reaches the intended domain/destination.

Reddit.com

Reddit Ping: 4 packets were sent, and 4 packets were received resulting in no packet lost between the device and the domain/IP address with an average trip time of 294 milliseconds.

Reddit Traceroute: Packets of information were sent through 10 different routers before reaching the domain with a trip time of 718 milliseconds.

Google.com

Google Ping: 4 packets were sent, and 4 packets were received resulting in no packet loss between the device and the domain/IP address with an average trip time of 340 milliseconds.

Google Traceroute: Packets of information were sent through 17 different routers before reaching the domain with a trip time of 615 milliseconds.

Uagc.edu

UAGC Ping: 4 packets were sent, and 4 packets were received resulting in no packet lost between the device and the domain/IP address with an average trip time of 307 milliseconds.

UAGC Traceroute: Packets of information were sent through 30 different routers before reaching the domain with a trip time of 202 milliseconds.

When we compare the results between different websites, they tend to be similar when they are local. However, since I could not ping or traceroute and outside region website, I don't have any picture evidence of the difference. Still, from experience, I know the results take longer to come back and could expect some packet loss during a ping a traceroute command with an outside region domain.  

Ping and traceroute commands are used to help troubleshoot internet connection problems, and it can be used because it shows where packets might be dropping, giving a clear picture of where the problem can exist. Typically, suppose there is an error response or a connection time out when sending a command to the domain. In that case, it is possible the firewall is blocking it, or it may even be as simple as needing to restart the route.

 

References:

        Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. Retrieved from zybooks.zyante.com/

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Documenting a Day

Documenting a Day

 With each application, from word to presentation software, the more complex the functions become. When looking at these office-based applications, Microsoft paves the way with the market's best and most used applications. Some believe that there is too much going on (complex) in Microsoft word. Especially compared to applications like Notepad. Each application has the benefits that make it shine over its other predecessor applications; however, sometimes, the functionality inside one can be seen in other applications.  

 Every application has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, Microsoft Word has plenty of advantages over other similar applications such as Notepad because it gives users the option to change font style and size, adjust margins, add images, hyperlinks, and way more. This is because of the software advantages word processing provides; according to Vahid & Lysecky, applications like Notepad are text files that only text does not have any formatting information(2017). Both applications have the advantage of being able to write text without the need for the internet. Clearly, Notepad has many disadvantages considering it cannot nearly do what Microsoft word can do. However, that does not mean Microsoft Word does not have any disadvantages. For starters, in my opinion, Microsoft Word has too much functionality that can cause most users confusion due to its overall complexity. The second is cost; it is pretty expensive if you are not provided a subscription by work or school. Finally, another disadvantage is that features and overall functionality can get changed due to its constantly growing nature.  

Another application to look at for advantages and disadvantages is spreadsheets, more specifically Excel. In the textbook reading, Vahid & Lysecky describes spreadsheet applications as "representing tables of data like text or numbers, for using formulas to calculate data from other data (like sums or averages), and for creating graphical charts from data" (2017, p.5.2). Some advantages of spreadsheets are setting a formula that allows users to create different data analysis projects, such as expense reports, or keeping track of taxes/deductions. Overall the ability to set formulas can save a person hours instead of having to do manual calculations. The disadvantage of spreadsheets is that formulas are inputted by humans, which can translate to human errors. Another disadvantage is using it in the workplace and sharing the file to allow multiple users to edit. There is no way to know if someone else is actively editing or changing something, which makes it generally hard to use on a large scale.  

The Last application presented is PowerPoint Presentation, which also has its advantages and disadvantages. Presentation software allows users to create custom slideshows of text and graphics combined with different transitions and animations. A slide show consists of multiple individual slides; according to Vahid & Lysecky, the purpose is to provide an audience visualize information (2017). Advantages of presentation software such as PowerPoint by Microsoft are editing tools, animation tools, and presentation tools to give users the ability to create unique, eye-catching slides to catch an audience's attention. In contrast, the disadvantages are primarily with the overwhelming capabilities of different animations, transitions, and other personalizing functions that create endless possibilities.  

In my opinion, this assignment, Microsoft word, was the most appropriate for documenting the information about my day. Each application has its benefits, as I mentioned above. However, Excel and PowerPoint are overkill. I say this because as far as using excel, which is primarily used for its calculation abilities, we are dealing with simple math and not a large quantity of numbers/data. In all reality, with Microsoft Word, I could easily make a chart similar to excel, just adding my own calculations. I could have added images just as we did for the PowerPoint presentation without the transitions and animations. Excel is excellent for calculations-based projects that require extensive calculations such as accounting or data forecasting, aka statistics. Microsoft word is great for preparing emails before sending, writing letters, or even essays; this list can go on forever. Finally, PowerPoint presentation software is the best way to bring compelling visual projects into the workplace to help with new hire training, report financials, or conduct end-of-the-year or quarterly reviews.  

 

 

 

References:  

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. Retrieved from zybooks.zyante.com/ 

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Programming Languages

Programming Languages

 Describe your experience building a program using Scratch.

    During my personal experiences, block coding is an effortless way for someone to explore the world of coding and understand computational thinking. It is very forgiving and easy to play around with different functions and strings to enhance your building projects. However, this type of coding can be time-consuming. Another experience I had was with the overall fun one can have with building these block projects to explore the possibilities of your mind.

Identify the difficulties that you encountered in Scratch.

    Guides and tutorials on the scratch website make it relatively easy to pick up with comprehensive guides. Lack of knowledge was my most considerable difficulty, if anything because I don't know all the possibilities or capabilities; however, it is easy enough to pick up with a little more time; in my opinion, 

Explain how you overcame the difficulties.

    Any difficulties that I had were easily overcome by utilizing the resources provided by Scratch. 

Describe the insights that you gained about programming from this exercise.

    The insight I found with block programming is that it doesn't take a brainiac to learn it and that anyone can quickly pick it up and explore their imagination. Block coding is great for visual learning and just an excellent building block for people looking to learn or computational thinking, especially because written code and having to create your own string of code can be way more confusing and overwhelming for someone to get into programming. As far as programming in general, I think the most considerable insight is the pure enjoyment behind it

    Compare your experience programming in Scratch with the participation activities in Sections 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, and 2.11 of the textbook that explored machine language, assembly language, and high-level languages, such as Python.

    When it comes to my experience, I have very little python knowledge; however, I spent many hours using Scratch, but as I mentioned earlier, it can be very time-consuming. Instead, what I do know is that Python eliminates the need for copying and pasting repeated instructions. Rather, it loops the instructions by as many times as specified (2017, Vahid & Lysecky).

Describe the differences between the programming languages.

    The difference between block coding over any other computer language such as python is that it eliminates all possibilities of syntax error that can be seen in the texted based program; as I mentioned above, block coding is very forgiving.

Identify which language you found easiest to use.

    Although Python may be one of the easier languages to learn, especially when you look at how powerful the language is, I still find block coding to be the easiest to understand and play around with because it is so forgiving. 

Describe scenarios where each type of programming language would be most effective.

    Block programming, I believe to be most effective for beginners to show people code is not that boring after all but it helps develop the mind to think in a computational way more naturally that can help with learning text-based codes. 

    Explain which programming language you think is the most popular and why.

    I think both programs can be equally important depending on which way you look at them; both generate pros and cons. Block building gives someone the chance to learn code without being overwhelmed right away by standard traditional written code that can create syntax errors. Block building has its limitations compared to a program like Python; Python would be most effective because its robust nature makes it the more popular programming language. 

                           Scratch Project Link: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/592926110

References:

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. Retrieved from zybooks.zyante.com/

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Web/Mobile App Critique

  Web/Mobile App Critique

    The mobile application I have decided to review and use for this discussion is Tik Tok, one of today's most-used apps. The application is a video social networking platform that allows users to upload videos ranging from 15 seconds to three minutes in all varieties of genres like comedy, educational, or even duets, such as one favorite one uploaded by Ryan Reynolds featuring Will Farrel (link at the end). The platform has been popularized through different internet challenges and trends that go viral. Tik Tok made its debut in the Googe play store on July 9th, 2015, under the name Musical.ly. It was not until mid-2018 that Tik Tok took off. According to Wallaroomedia, Tik Tok now has over 1 billion active monthly users and has been downloaded over a 2.6billion times (2021). For this brief review, the focus is surrounding Tik Toks usability, design, and functionality. 

 

 

 

       To use Tik Tok, all a user must do is download the application from the Google play store or Apple app store, create an account, accept the Tik Toks privacy policy. Soon after these steps, the user will be presented with an unorthodox homepage compared to other social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. Right away, on the homepage, the user is smacked in the face with a video playing from genuine users that are organized between two different pre-made filters, "following" or "for you".  The “following” tab is filtered by presenting a user a personalized news feed based on the users one may follow. Whereas the “for you” tab is a customized news feed of users one is not following, the “for you” tab uses an algorithm based on user interactions (likes, shares, etc.), video information (captions, sounds, hashtags), and finally, device and account settings (user set preferences). Making this application extremely user-friendly (Tik Tok, 2020). 

 

 

 Use the photo above as a reference throughout 

 

       Tik Tok has an extremely simplistic application design that creates an easy-to-use interface, allowing users to focus more on the content they care about versus stumbling around with complex interfaces that can be quite confusing. Once inside the application, a user is presented with five interactable tabs at the very bottom. Starting from left to right: The home tab takes the user back to the original screen discussed above. Discover allows a user to search up a specific genre, other users, hashtags, widespread internet challenges, etc., to find and enjoy content the piques one's interest. The middle tab represents a plus sign, and this is where a user can upload their genuine content to share with others across the application. The inbox tab gives users the ability to share messages privately. Finally, the last tab is the profile tab, where a user can control what information or content other users can see across the social platform. Overall, the Tik Tok application has a simplistic, user-friendly design that makes using the platform fun and enjoyable. 

       Tik Tok's functionality does not fall short due to the nature of its simplistic interface. This simple user face does not require insane advanced coding languages to function, allowing Tik Tok to focus more on the server and security side to ensure users' security of their information and that servers can support everyone's content. Users can only expect to find fast performance when clicking around as everything seems to function as intended with no hard-to-understand user interfaces. However, there is a lack of functionality regarding personalized settings retaining around the home page, which will be discussed on recommendations for improvements. 

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