Towards A Development Of Predictive Models For Healthcare Hipaa Security Rule Violation Fines, Jim Furstenberg, Yair Levy

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s (HIPAA) Security Rule (SR) mandate provides a national standard for the protection of electronic protected health information (ePHI). The SR’s standards provide healthcare covered entities (CEs’) flexibility in how to meet the standards because the SR regulators realized that all health care organizations are not the same. However, the SR requires CEs’ to implement reasonable and appropriate safeguards, as well as security controls that protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of their ePHI data. However, compliance with the HIPAA SR mandates are confusing, complicated, and can be costly to CEs’. Flexibility in …

Cybersecurity Education Employing Experiential Learning, Travis Lowe, Casey Rackley

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to discuss a curriculum design that employs Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory stages and Kolb’s Learning Styles in four consecutive class sessions. The challenge each class is to present students with perplexing and often frustrating network problems that someday might be encountered on the job. By using Kolb’s theory, students address those problems from the perspective of each learning style, while passing through each phase of the learning cycle. As a result, students gain stronger cognitive thinking skills and hands-on troubleshooting skills in preparation for work as network administrators or cybersecurity analysts.

Using Project Management Knowledge And Practice To Address Digital Forensic Investigation Challenges, Steven S. Presley, Jeffrey P. Landry, Michael Black

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The management of digital forensics investigations represents a unique challenge. The field is relatively new, and combines the technical challenges of Information Systems with the legal challenges of forensics investigations. The challenges for the Digital Forensics Investigators and the organizations they support are many. This research effort examines the characteristics and challenges of Digital Forensics Investigations and compares them with the features and knowledge areas of project management. The goal was to determine if project management knowledge, as defined in a common body of knowledge, would be helpful in addressing digital forensics investigation challenges identified in the literature. The results …

Capturing The Existential Cyber Security Threats From The Sub-Saharan Africa Zone Through Literature Database, Samuel B. Olatunbosun, Nathanial J. Edwards, Cytyra D. Martineau

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Abstract - The Internet brought about the phenomenon known as Cyber-space which is boundless in nature. It is one of the fastest-growing areas of technical infrastructure development over the past decade. Its growth has afforded everyone the opportunity to carry out one or more transactions for personal benefits. The African continent; often branded as ‘backward’ by the Western press has been able to make substantial inroads into the works of Information and Computer Technology (ICT). This rapid transition by Africans into ICT power has thus opened up the opportunities for Cybercriminal perpetrators to seek and target victims worldwide including America …

Information Privacy Concerns In The Age Of Internet Of Things, Madhav Sharma, David Biros

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Internet of things (IoT) offer new opportunities for advancement in many domains including healthcare, home automation, manufacturing and transportation. In recent years, the number of IoT devices have exponentially risen and this meteoric rise is poised to continue according to the industry. Advances in the IoT integrated with ambient intelligence are intended to make our lives easier. Yet for all these advancements, IoT also has a dark side. Privacy and security were already priorities when personal computers, devices and work stations were the only point of vulnerability to personal information, however, with the ubiquitous nature of smart technologies has increased …

A Blockchain-Based Security-Oriented Framework For Cloud Federation, Ramandeep Kaur Sandhu, Kweku Muata A. Osei-Bryson

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Cloud federations have been formed to share the services, prompt and support cooperation, as well as interoperability among their already deployed cloud systems. However, the creation and management of the cloud federations lead to various security issues such as confidentially, integrity and availability of the data. Despite the access control policies in place, an attacker may compromise the communication channel processing the access requests and the decisions between the access control systems and the members(users) and vice-versa. In cloud federation, the rating of the services offered by different cloud members becomes integral to providing the users with the best quality …

Laboratory Exercises To Accompany Industrial Control And Embedded Systems Security Curriculum Modules, Gretchen Richards

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The daily intrusion attempts and attacks on industrial control systems (ICS) and embedded systems (ES) underscore the criticality of the protection of our Critical Infrastructures (CIs). As recent as mid-July 2018, numerous reports on the infiltration of US utility control rooms by Russian hackers have been published. These successful infiltration and possible manipulation of the utility companies could easily translate to a devastating attack on our nation’s power grid and, consequently, our economy and well-being. Indeed, the need to secure the control and embedded systems which operate our CIs has never been so pronounced. In our attempt to address this …

Car Hacking: Can It Be That Simple?, Bryson Payne

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The Internet of Things (IoT) has expanded the reach of technology at work, at home, and even on the road. As Internet-connected and self-driving cars become more commonplace on our highways, the cybersecurity of these “data centers on wheels” is of greater concern than ever. Highly publicized hacks against production cars, and a relatively small number of crashes involving autonomous vehicles, have brought the issue of securing smart cars to the forefront as a matter of public and individual safety. This article describes the integration of a module on car hacking into a semester-long ethical hacking cybersecurity course, including full …

Towards An Empirical Assessment Of Cybersecurity Readiness And Resilience In Small Businesses, Darrell Eilts, Yair Levy

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Many small businesses struggle to improve their cybersecurity posture despite the risk to their business. Small businesses lacking adequate protection from cyber threats, or a business continuity strategy to recover from disruptions, have a very high risk of loss due to a cyberattack. These cyberattacks, either deliberate or unintentional, can become costly when a small business is not prepared. This developmental research is focused on the relationship between two constructs that are associated with readiness and resilience of small businesses based on their cybersecurity planning, implementation, as well as response activities. A Cybersecurity Preparedness-Risk Taxonomy (CyPRisT) is proposed using the …

Digital Identity, Philip Andreae

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

Why Managing 3rd Party Cybersecurity Risk Is A Matter Of National Security, Keith Deininger

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

Six Things I Wish New Employees Knew, Brian Albertson

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

Why Networks Still Matter, Tim O'Neill

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Classroom - What Students Need To Know, Will Alexander

KSU Proceedings on Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

A New Framework For Securing, Extracting And Analyzing Big Forensic Data, Hitesh Sachdev, Hayden Wimmer, Lei Chen, Carl Rebman

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

Finding new methods to investigate criminal activities, behaviors, and responsibilities has always been a challenge for forensic research. Advances in big data, technology, and increased capabilities of smartphones has contributed to the demand for modern techniques of examination. Smartphones are ubiquitous, transformative, and have become a goldmine for forensics research. Given the right tools and research methods investigating agencies can help crack almost any illegal activity using smartphones. This paper focuses on conducting forensic analysis in exposing a terrorist or criminal network and introduces a new Big Forensic Data Framework model where different technologies of Hadoop and EnCase software are …

Student Misconceptions About Cybersecurity Concepts: Analysis Of Think-Aloud Interviews, Julia D. Thompson, Geoffrey L. Herman, Travis Scheponik, Linda Oliva, Alan Sherman, Ennis Golaszewski, Dhananjay Phatak, Kostantinos Patsourakos

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

We conducted an observational study to document student misconceptions about cybersecurity using thematic analysis of 25 think-aloud interviews. By understanding patterns in student misconceptions, we provide a basis for developing rigorous evidence-based recommendations for improving teaching and assessment methods in cybersecurity and inform future research. This study is the first to explore student cognition and reasoning about cybersecurity. We interviewed students from three diverse institutions. During these interviews, students grappled with security scenarios designed to probe their understanding of cybersecurity, especially adversarial thinking. We analyzed student statements using a structured qualitative method, novice-led paired thematic analysis, to document patterns in …

"Think Before You Click. Post. Type." Lessons Learned From Our University Cyber Security Awareness Campaign, Rachael L. Innocenzi, Kaylee Brown, Peggy Liggit, Samir Tout, Andrea Tanner, Theodore Coutilish, Rocky J. Jenkins

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This article discusses the lessons learned after implementing a successful university-wide cyber security campaign. The Cyber Security Awareness Committee (CyberSAC), a group comprised of diverse units across campus, collaborated together on resources, talent, people, equipment, technology, and assessment practices to meet strategic goals for cyber safety and education. The project involves assessing student learning and behavior changes after participating in a Cyber Security Password Awareness event that was run as a year-long campaign targeting undergraduate students. The results have implications for planning and implementing university-wide initiatives in the field of cyber security, and more broadly, higher education at large.

Voice Hacking: Using Smartphones To Spread Ransomware To Traditional Pcs, Bryson R. Payne, Leonardo I. Mazuran, Tamirat Abegaz

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This paper presents a voice hacking proof of concept that demonstrates the ability to deploy a sequence of hacks, triggered by speaking a smartphone command, to launch ransomware and other destructive attacks against vulnerable Windows computers on any wireless network the phone connects to after the voice command is issued. Specifically, a spoken, broadcast, or pre-recorded voice command directs vulnerable Android smartphones or tablets to a malicious download page that compromises the Android device and uses it as a proxy to run software designed to scan the Android device’s local area network for Windows computers vulnerable to the EternalBlue exploit, …

A Case Study In The Implementation Of A Human-Centric Higher Education Cybersecurity Program, John W. Coffey, Melanie Haveard, Geissler Golding

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This article contains a description of the implementation of a comprehensive cyber security program at a regional comprehensive university. The program was designed to create an effective cyber security management infrastructure and to train end users and other categories of security management personnel in data protection and cyber security. This work addresses the impetus for the program, the rather extensive planning and development that went into the program, its implementation, and insights gleaned from the experience. The paper concludes with a summary of the strengths and weaknesses of the initiative.

From The Editors, Michael E. Whitman, Herbert J. Mattord, Carole L. Hollingsworth

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Welcome to the Spring 2018 issue of the Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research, and Practice (JCERP). On behalf of the editorial team, we thank you for taking the time to read this issue and strongly encourage you to submit an article for consideration in an upcoming edition.

Epoca House: The Implementation Strategy, Courtney Thomas, Yaffa Fain, Shuxiao Teng, Mingjun Xie

School of Professional Studies

This capstone report provides a written strategic implementation plan for EPOCA House. EPOCA, Ex-Prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement, is a non-profit dedicated to creating better resources and opportunities for prisoners and ex-prisoners in Worcester. The organization’s most recent initiative, EPOCA House, is a transitional facility that will provide reentry services and temporary housing to ex-offenders in and around the Worcester area. Recently, Massachusetts passed a comprehensive criminal justice reform bill that will dramatically reduce the number of people being incarcerated; however, little attention is focused on what will happen to individuals after they leave prison. At the same …

A Guide For Hiring Mature Employees At Ascentria, Binghe Change, Calleigh Leach, Elsie Lu, Hongquiang You, Mengge Wang, Nina Mariotti

School of Professional Studies

This paper will explore existing literature on aspects of an intergenerational workplace in a nonprofit organization and provide recommendations for recruiting and retaining older employees for a human service organization, Ascentria Care Alliance, in Worcester, MA. The paper will review research on trends in the nonprofit industry, a comprehensive breakdown of generational workplace values, reasons people are returning to work and effective marketing strategies that appeal to older generations. Marketing strategies specifically will explore best practices for website design, social media usage, and job descriptions. Additionally, this paper will research case studies of nonprofits with successful intergenerational workforce initiatives, as …

Clear The Air: Moving Towards A More Supportive, Welcoming, Tobacco-Free Clark University, Edward Aroko, Simon Elliot, Jackson Espe, Donovan Smith, Michael Spanos

School of Professional Studies

The deleterious health effects of the consumption of tobacco products, especially for youth, have been documented thoroughly and are nearly universally recognized. Numerous federal, state, and local regulations, coupled with health education and tobacco cessation initiatives have been launched to address these effects. Although these pushes have done much to reduce the rates of preventable health conditions and death due to the usage of tobacco, there remains much work to be done at the local level to discourage and disrupt patterns of substance use and abuse. The mission of Clark Clear the Air is to propose various and creative ways …

Inbound Marketing, Hasini Assiriyage, Isabelle Zoeckler, Emmanuel Aghado, Kefu Bu, Xiouyu Jiang, Rajesh Kamble, Yan Wang

School of Professional Studies

This study looks into inbound marketing practice through the process of secondary research. This insight on best practices and market examples have been employed in order to identify the benefits of Inbound Marketing for the School of Professional Studies at Clark University. Through the research, this team has consolidated a number of recommendations for the SPS marketing strategies moving forward. A focus has been placed on identifying solutions, which were effective and financially feasible. The primary solutions are internally sourced; with a future long term recommendation of seeking advice from a third party firm to automate the process.

Adult Learners: A Targeted Marketing Approach, Sarah Baldelli, Camilo Botero, Camille Ferreol, Caleb Horton, Xinyue Ma, Stefan Sprinkmoller

School of Professional Studies

The development of the Adult Learner Capstone Project started with a focus and need to learn more about affinity groups in the Worcester area in order to reach the potential adult learner demographic. Although some partnerships already existed, the Director of Marketing and Communications for Graduate Admissions, Tara Probeck, yearned to explore the potential partnerships and alternative uses of professional organizations to market to the current working professionals. From this idea, our capstone project was introduced in hopes of establishing a comprehensive and exhaustive list of potential organizational partnerships, specific for the School of Professional Studies.

My Choice Greens, Alina Zulfikarova, Amelia Mohr, Hesi Zhang, Ruiqi Huang, Sean Tatar, Yuhao Zhou, Zijun Zhou

School of Professional Studies

My Choice Programs for Independent Living is a nonprofit in Worcester, Massachusetts that helps individuals with special needs. In 2016, My Choice Programs added a branch to their organization called My Choice Greens. My Choice Greens is committed to growing fresh produce in their hydroponic farm. The profit generated from selling their vegetables is put back into direct programming for My Choice Programs. My Choice Greens is the first hydroponic farm in Worcester, but unfortunately not many people are aware of their program. Also, since they are a small nonprofit, they do not have sufficient funding or resources to market …

Optical Heritage Museum: An Interactive Touch, Connor Guerin, Ankur Halwai, Jinzhao Liu, Qi Liu, Yangjing Wang, Yashaswini Bharti

School of Professional Studies

Optical Heritage Museum (OHM) was established in 1983 with the aim to preserve, promote and display historical artifacts of the optics industry and educate all of its vital role optics has played in societal development. Over the years, the museum has grown in its physical space along with exhibit development to engage audiences in innovative, effective methods. Clark University’s School of Professional Studies department and curator of Optical Heritage Museum, Mr. Whitney’s Whitney, have establish a collaboration that has spanned over two semesters with the goal to support and aid in improving OHM. Our capstone group was assigned the task …

Leicester Research A Study In Effective Technology In Education, Jimeshkumar Chauhan, Anna Lakomy, Li Liu, Christina Mccarthy, Scott Mccarthy, Roman Pena, Emilie Smiley

School of Professional Studies

The LPS Research Team has been tasked with researching and recommending a technology plan for a new school that Leicester Public Schools is planning to build. In this paper, we present an overview of the our goals and our client’s goals, an introduction to industry trends, and discuss our findings based on research conducted via interviews with schools that have undergone similar projects. We also outline the conclusions drawn from this research and our analysis of the data we uncovered, and make specific recommendations for technology to be utilized in Leicester’s new school. Finally, we present a 3-part framework that …

Leicester Public Schools Information And Data Portal: Research And Recommendations, Yue Cen, Natalie Bonetti, Rashida Buchanan, Sathark Jain, Yuwei Wong

School of Professional Studies

The purpose of this project is to develop a strategy for the creation of a multifaceted portal to help with the organization and dissemination of information about the Leicester public school district. The functionality of this portal is to provide comparative financial, demographic, and academic data to other relative school districts in the area, both for the parents’ and for the city’s reference. It will be an examination into the best practices for creating a portal, both technological and aesthetic recommendations, as well as research into the value the publication of this data would provide for the parents of current …

Water In Worcester A Campaign For Public Fluoridation, Ryan Early, Xiao Gu, Yajing Huang, Lauren Meininger, Emma Phillips, Yao Su

School of Professional Studies

Water in Worcester: A Campaign for Public Fluoridation arose as a project from our sponsors, Chris Philbin, Vice President of Government Relations at UMass Memorial Health Care, and Joe O’Brien, former Worcester Mayor, Executive Director of the Environmental League of Massachusetts, and Clark University Adjunct Professor. Our goal has been to produce resources that will support the fight for fluoridation in the City of Worcester. Fluoridation has failed to pass in Worcester on four separate occasions, but Mr. Philbin and Mr. O’Brien believe that the time has come to try again.

In order to fluoridate Worcester’s water supply, the municipal …