PROJECTS

1. The computer lab of a local college needs a one-page document that it will distribute to its incoming students to increase their security awareness. After reading the information presented in this chapter and other sources, prepare the document, which should include a 10-item bullet list of the things that students must remember to reduce the risks of using information technology.

2. After reading the information presented in this chapter and other sources, write a one-page paper about three high-profile companies that faced secu-rity breaches in 2014. Identify two vulnerabilities that enabled hackers to break into these companies' systems. [Hint: Home Depot is an example.]

3. Denial of Service (DoS) is among the security threats that have been on the rise in recent years. After reading the information presented in this chapter and other sources, write a one-page paper that outlines four recommendations for dealing with this security
threat. Cite three U.S. banks that have been among the victims of this security threat.

4. After reading the information presented in this chap-ter and other sources, write a one-page paper that lists three antivirus software applications; include one advantage and one disadvantage of each. Which one do you recommend for the student lab mentioned in Project 1? What are the bases for your recommenda-tion? Is antivirus software alone sufficient to protect the security of a network? Why and why not?

5. After reading the information presented in this chapter and other sources, write a one-page paper that Identi-fies three companies (in addition to those mentioned in this book) that are using biometric security measures for authentication. Why has each company chosen this alternative over other security measures? What are two advantages and two disadvantages of biometrics as a security measure?

6. After reading the information presented in this chapter and other sources, write a two-page paper that offers five recommendations for improving the security of online transations. List two companies that provide preventive measures for e-commerce sites. What are included in their offerings? What are the costs? When you purchase from online businesses, how do you know that a Web site is secure?