For this week’s Weekly Writing Assignment, I would like you to brainstorm some possible scientific or technical problems that you can discuss with your team. Specifically, I would like you to focus on scientific or technical problems related to your major and career goals. Perhaps it will involve problems relating to computing hardware or software, networking, electrical engineering challenges, applications of computing and networking to other real world problems (such as, smart power grids, driverless cars, Bitcoin energy use, etc.). There are many, many problems out there for you to think about, discuss, and choose among for your team’s project.
So, the Weekly Writing Assignment is to write at least 250-words in a memo format addressed to Prof. Ellis with the subject, “Team Project Brainstorming,” and discussing three possible technical or scientific problems relating in some way to your major and career goals. For each problem, clearly state what the problem is, who or what industry it affects, and some of your own thoughts about how the problem might be solvable. After you’ve written this memo, copy-and-paste it into a comment on this blog post AND circulate it via email (reply all) to the email that I will send to each team for peer review (on the Instruction Manual project).
To: Prof. Ellis
From: Matthew Rupchand
Date: 04/8/2021
Subject: Team Project Brainstorming
Three possible technical and scientific problems that we face today are lack of cybersecurity, automated cars, and security in app development. The problem that arises with cybersecurity is that with the continuous growth of the internet and technological development security risk continues to be a topic many users overlook. Protecting your data on the internet is crucial because of how people can manipulate that information for their benefit. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 67% of users encountered at least one attempted cybersecurity attack. As a community, we will need to come together to spread awareness of the importance of cybersecurity before more people fall victim to its ways. This problem will affect many social media websites which are often targeted for hackers to get information out of users. However, this can be solved by enhancing cybersecurity awareness for users and making cybersecurity programs much easier access to users. Another problem that we face today is the development of automated driving cars such as Tesla. Tesla creates and manufactures electric vehicles that come with the ability to drive themselves. Although this a great into what future life could be like, a problem comes with the ability of AI being able to make the right and quick decisions that come with driving on our roads. Making sure the AI will keep its passengers safe is an important issue with these new automated driving cars. This problem will affect the automobile industry with every car maker trying to rush the creation of their own “Tesla”, it could lead to some mistakes that could cause fatal events. A solution to this problem would be for these carmakers to take time in developing their driving AI’s with little to no issues. The last problem that I can see come up is security in app development. With every smartphone today whether it’s an iPhone or Android, apps play a big role in our use of these devices. When programming these apps many issues could be brought that can affect their user. Undeveloped and rushed apps can contain many ‘backdoors’ that can be found and used by hackers to steal information from their users. Many people store passwords and even credit card information on their phones so having a security risk such as undeveloped apps can drastically hurt users. The industry that this affects the most app development industry and they could avoid this by hiring and training programmers about how to properly implement security in their apps.
TO: Prof. Ellis
FROM: Angela Hernandez
DATE: 04/14/2021
SUBJECT: Team Project Brainstorming
I believe some of the most pressing issues in Technology and Science today are Bitcoin energy use, especially with the rise of new Cryptocurrencies like NFT, disinformation on social media and AI and jobs. With the recent rise and popularity of Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies, there has been an increasing concern on the amount of power Bitcoin mining operations consume. Many Bitcoin mining operation rely on coal-based which as well know is extremely harmful to the environment. A way to combat this could be by reducing energy consumption and encouraging clean energy, ethical and sustainable mining methods.
The amount of disinformation on social media has becoming a glaring problem in today’s society. Disinformation has had an effect on things like how or where we are getting our information about political candidates, what information is being provided to us and how factual that information is. Some of the methods that are being used to address this problem are introducing regulations and protections as well as fact checking initiatives.
AI has had a big impact on today’s economy and job market. There are growing concerns about AI replacing human workers. While a shift to AI in the job market seems inevitable, it can also provide an opportunity for workers to learn new skills and shift to other opportunities. By providing free college education and training, we could offset the amount of workers that will become unemployed as a result of AI in the workplace.
TO: Prof. Jason Ellis
FROM: Richard Rivera
DATE: 04/14/2021
SUBJECT: Team Project Brainstorming
Misinformation is a huge problem online, especially on social media. A solution to this can be an implementation of a fact-checker. What it can do is review posts and scans for any misinformation which then refers you to reliable sources to get valuable information regarding the topic it just finished scanning. I believe something like this should be implemented everywhere online to prevent the spread of further false news or misinformation. The lack of security on devices is another crucial problem. Elon Musk had thousands of his cameras hacked into not so long ago revealing what goes on inside his Tesla facilities. This could have happened to anyone’s business. These types of attacks can be prevented by always updating the firmware of the cameras and by allowing customers to add more security functions such as 2FA to their system. Having a paid hacker to find out any backdoors can be beneficial in these situations as well. Improving the code and the network side of it can also help. Also, there may be a solution when it comes to people who are paralyzed. A neuralink can help turn on or repair damaged neurons in the brain which can make a person be able to move either their fingers, feet, or even their entire limbs. It will also be possible to control your electronics just by using your mind as witnessed by Elon Musk’s recent video of a monkey playing a game with its mind. This is possible with the help of very experienced engineers and test subjects.
To: Prof. Ellis
From: Ralph Ayala
Date: 04/14/2021
Subject: Team Project Brainstorming
A technical problem in software development is an increase in customer demands. A solution I believe that could prove useful is deliver the customer’s needs and grasp a proper understanding of what it is you wish to do to satisfy them. This will give the company great feedback for their products and a good rating on the business. WhileI think of this issue to be something small and obvious. We should not forget their needs at all times.
Another technical issue is time. Yes people say “time is money” but in this case it is the time given to developers to finish their work under a pressured environment. Breaks are helpful to provide them time to relax, but maybe we could have coworkers work alongside with each other. This will not only have coworkers familiar with each other, but this would speed up the work process in the environment. I personally like this problem because it would take away the pressure of working in that kind of environment, but I am also open to other ideas if anyone is interested in doing this.
One main problem I believe is common is the rapid growth of technology. The advancement of technology is a blessing to make workers’ lives easier, but understanding how to perform with such technology can be a challenge. A solution I believe would work is a good time duration on understanding how to perform and talking with your coworkers that are also suffering the same issue.
To: Prof. Ellis
From: remonda mikhael
Date: 04//2021
Subject: Team Project Brainstorming
Here is my three major problems related to technology filed
First Leadership support require new skills development, What I believe is the most important technical problem is lack of knowledge of technology since Some IT companies makers do not authorize training for the new hire especially if they have to pay for it ,more over studying from home what I meant is since we are computer student we need to practices at labs , using material trying to learn to improve our career unfortunately the situation now Is the worth for example personally some of my Classes I did not learn nothing in addition I spend a lot of time trying to figure the home work as the result I wont have a good job since I have no experience because of online classes
Second most of IT filed they work from home which means it will be very difficult for us to find either internship or even to find jobs.
The third one is career growth which I did some research to find out what’s is going on the filed two thirds of IT professionals who changed employers last year did so in pursuit of better growth and development opportunities. In fact, growth outweighs a higher salary in terms of the top factor for changing employers.
To: Prof. Ellis
From: Pavel Hlinin
Date: April 14, 2021
Subject: Team Project Brainstorming
Since my major is Electrical Engineering, my brainstorming for the team project is related to this topic. For example, one of the questions to discuss could be: sources of energy. Nowadays it looks that modern society has a lot of sources of energy. However, that is not true. Modern people use the following sources of energy: power plants, coal, oil, hydro, natural gas, as well as wind, biofuels and waste energy, sun. However, some of them (coal, oil, uranium ore) cannot be a source of energy forever and in a short time the humans will face the shortage of energy sources. That is why people should work on this problem today and use more alternative sources of energy.
TO: Prof. Jason Ellis.
FROM: Motahear Hossain.
DATE: 04/14/2021.
SUBJECT: Team Project Brainstorming.
My three possible technical or scientific problems are:
1. DATA PRIVACY
2. MOBILE SECURITY
3. DATA BACKUP AND RECOVERY
DATA PRIVACY: The technology industry is also grappling with the issue of data privacy. It could apply to both industrial and personal data. We post personal information on social media sites like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, and we use Google Drive and Dropbox for our cloud storage, but we don’t know how safe these services are. To address these concerns, businesses must understand the value of blockchain technology in terms of security.
MOBILE SECURITY: Nowadays, we use our phones for almost everything. We install several apps for various purposes, the majority of which monitor our location and some of which request personal information. We must, however, be mindful of our mobile cybersecurity and how to safeguard our personal information. To resolve this mobile business, we need to create a framework that prevents certain apps or networks from tracking our privacy unless we permit them.
DATA BACKUP AND RECOVERY: Every small and large business maintains a large amount of data for business operations and records; however, it would be a disaster if they lost the data in some way. That is why, in the event of a catastrophe, every business should have a contingency plan. The only solution for any company is to back up critical data in a secure location. It could be any secure database or a cloud database.
To: Prof. Ellis
From: Mamadou Diallo
Date: April 15, 2021
Subject: Team Project Brainstorming
I would like my team to discuss and brainstorm technical issues related to data security challenges associated with
– Driverless electric cars
– Bitcoin
– Smart power grids
Driverless Electric Cars
Self-driving autonomous cars have taken the world by storm. Their popularity continues to grow each day. Despite their advantages to the society and the economy, there are several issues associated with self-driving cars. Firstly, they are unable to transmit information on areas of poor network reception. Besides, it is yet unclear how much information will be shared between vehicles hence compromising the issue of data privacy of passengers. Solving this problem requires collaboration between manufactures of driverless cars for an establishment of data security measures that ensure passenger days is safely stored and filters what need to be shared.
Bitcoin
Major issues and challenges affecting Bitcoin is breaching in their blockchain. Since its adoption, there have been several high-profile security breaches which have resulted in loss of huge amounts of bitcoin. The of the high-profile security breach was in 2013 where a bitcoin wallet was hacked and the hacker went away with more than 4,100 bitcoins. Security issues facing bitcoin affect or targets mainly the mining process. Although this is a rare case, when it occurs it results in an enormous loss. One suggestion to seal the loophole is using a two-factor authentication as well as the use of an offsite backup bitcoin wallet with limited employee access.
Smart Power Grids
Smart power grids are automated IT and communication systems that monitor power flows from production, distribution to the point of consumption. Smart grids are vulnerable to DoS attaches because they use an IP protocol. DoS attacks have been known to block, delay and corrupt information transmission to make smart grid resources unavailable. The team proposes establishment of verification measures using strong authentication methods as well as use of malware protection elements of both general and embedded purpose systems.
TO: Prof. Ellis
FROM: Tarin Sultana
DATE: 04/14/2021
SUBJECT: Team Project Brainstorming
Three possible technical and scientific problems relating to my major are network security, data backup and recovery, and mobile security. The problems for each of them are different. Network security is becoming more complex as it has to protect several departments with varying network priorities and security protection requirements or policies. For any sized business, company, or even ourselves, it is essential to protect our network more secure and safe. Hackers/cybercriminals more often target small businesses and attack files or data from the system. To prevent network security attacks, an organization can install Network Firewall and remove unused software and services. The second one most of us are facing trouble with is data backup and recovery. When a company’s system goes down, a major technical problem is the backup recovery process. If the company’s IT department has its backup plan, it might solve the problem. The third one is mobile security, which is a big furnish for everyone because of a mobile device that everyone is using. We deliver data using a mobile network wirelessly with helping IoT devices. Mobile users are the most vulnerable to data leakage and phishing attacks. To protect mobile security, it is best to not save all passwords on the mobile device, two-factor authentication, and be aware of Wi-Fi passwords to make it more secure. Finally, I would say to all the organizations or business companies, manage your IT if you haven’t already.
TO: Prof. Ellis
FROM: MD Jahirul Hasan
DATE: 04/14/2021
SUBJECT: Team Project Brainstorming
Abuse of User Account Privileges: It is one of the biggest problems in networking and security field. People within the company are one of the biggest security issues, whether it’s deliberate leaks and abuse of account privileges, or identity theft resulting from a phishing operation or other social engineering assault that compromises their user account details. Since these threats originate from trusted users and networks, they’re also some of the most difficult to detect and eliminate. There are, however, ways to reduce the vulnerability in the event of an insider attack. When it comes to user access, for example, if your organization uses a policy of least privilege (POLP), you will restrict the harm that a misused user account can do. Any user’s access to your network’s numerous systems and databases is limited to just what they need to do their jobs in a POLP.
Data Backup Issue: Data backup is something that every company should do. Most of the medium to major companies have a data backup plan. On the other hand, some small companies tend to ignore data backup to save some money, but it is huge mistake. A good data backup plan is a last line of defense against a successful ransomware attack. If our data is backed up and secured, we can ignore the ransom and use our backups to restore the systems if ransomware manages to get through the defenses. We can lose any data depending on how often we backup, but it is better to some instead of losing all data.
Outsourcing: Outsourcing is great way to bring new skills into a company, but it has some risks involved in it. When a company hire an offshoring team the company sometimes don’t do enough research. Because of that, the company may end up having unexperienced outsourcing team or have lack of control over a project. Choose an organization that has a well-established model for integrating remote teams. Using this model, a vendor will demonstrate that they have the necessary expertise and skills for an effective collaboration.