i. Discuss information systems use in public schools.
Various public schools use information systems in a number of ways. The main use of information systems in these schools is to enhance their computing power and hence help in faster delivery of services. Information systems in public schools are also used in learning, teaching management and communication enhancement. Schools that do not implement the use of Information systems are likely to lag behind as far as service delivery is concerned.
Many researchers have published their studies online. Through information technology, students can be able to obtain the materials hence creating a better learning outcome. E-learning, WEB TC and online/distance learning can be classified as forms of instructional technology which are very instrumental in learning as they have various advantages over the traditional learning methods. Many public schools use information technology for managing their information. This is made possible through the use of different database management software available in the market. Information systems are also used in public schools to enhance collaboration and communication between the students and the teachers. This aspect also enhances learning in public schools due to the ease in information dissemination.
ii. Discuss the issue of free speech versus protection of children online.
The use of the internet in various spheres of life has offered unparalleled access to information and communication to different people including children. Maintaining a balance between the freedom of speech and ensuring child protection and child safety has been a challenge in the past two decades. The advocates of online child protection and the advocates of free expression have been caught in a quagmire situation as both share an inherent belief in the imperative significance of protecting basic human rights which are also stuck in fundamental values of human autonomy and decorum. This aspect has constrained the policy options for dealing with both child safety and free speech online. This has in turn resulted in these interests being portrayed as diametrically contrasting.
The Child Online Protection Act was passed in 1998 in an effort to stop minors from accessing materials that was perceived to be detrimental to them. These materials included portrayal of sexual activities or nudity on the internet. This Act was done in a manner that significantly blighted free speech rights and its execution has also been banned as likely unconstitutional on several occasions. Therefore it is a challenge to come up with a compromise that will ensure that both aspects are given ample consideration.
iii. Discuss the basic functions of computer forensics.
Computer forensics is a division of forensic science which largely deals with legal substantiation found in computers and digital storage media. The main goal of computer forensics is to scrutinize digital media in a forensically sound mode with the main aim of recognizing, safeguarding, improving, investigating and producing facts and judgment about the information. Computer forensics is most often connected with the exploration of a wide range of computer misdeeds and can be used in civil proceedings. This discipline involves related procedures and ideologies of data recovery, but with the supplementary procedures and practices premeditated to forming a legal examination follow-up. The substantiation obtained from computer forensics is habitually subjected to the same procedures and practices of other digital evidence. It has been widely used in various high profile cases and is becoming extensively acknowledged as trustworthy in the US and European Court systems.
iv. Discuss five information management issues and their relationship to privacy.
Organizations are usually brazen out with many different types of information management issues. The growth of electronic information has aggravated the issues and every organization has to take stringent measures to ensure that they do not affect the business activities of the organization. Some of the main issues with the information management systems include:
a. Bottlenecks
Information bottlenecks result from lack of consideration of the worth of a given piece of information or content or its significance in the business process. Therefore some information can be accessed by unauthorized parties thereby jeopardizing the safety of the information. For organizations to mitigate this problem, they need to scrutinize who needs the information and what type of information is needed at a particular time. The enterprise also needs to look for the best way of storing the information and ensure that it is only availed when needed and to the intended parties.
b. The paper trail
Many organizations still stick to the use of papers as part of their business process. This method is vulnerable to loss, data theft and errors. Access control cannot be easily maintained using this method thereby putting the safety of information in a state of jeopardy.
c. Copies
Some organizations keep several copies of particular information in different formats. Keeping several copies of a given document usually reduces response time and business process agility. Unauthorized persons can also access the copies of the document thus compromising on its safety.
d. Preparation
Some companies have not put down risk mitigation procedures. Failure to prepare for the unexpected usually leaves the business with considerable business disruption and information can easily get lost in the process.
e. Business agility
This aspect is mainly concerned with the ability of a given business enterprise to put the right information in the correct hands in a well-timed manner. If a business lacks an effective storage policy, then information can easily get lost as its safety is not ensured.
v. Discuss the impact of viruses and other malware on organizations with which you may have been involved.
Malware is an ellipsis for malicious software and many programs fall under this category. These programs are designed in manner that they will take over part of the computer without the user’s permission. The effects of the malware can be very extensive and affect the computer even after the aberrant program has been removed from the computer. The malware usually leads to computer damage and leads to low computing speed, program crashes and repeated error messages. They also lead to financial theft as financial information about various users can be accessed from the affected computers. Malware also leads to identity theft and loss of productivity. Their effects can be very damaging and if not controlled in good time, then the entire business enterprise can be shut down.
Project B
Malware is just as old as software itself and there are many reasons why programmers create malware. Malware exists in many different forms including spyware, zombies, worms, viruses and worms.
The computer viruses are capable of replicating themselves just the same way the biological viruses do. If a virus causes damage to a computer, then it can be easily detected. Therefore their authors usually create them in a way that they can remain in the computer for considerably a long period of time without being detected. It will recoil itself and occupy several parts of the computer system. Worms on the other hand are very similar to the viruses the only difference is that worms can jump from one computer to another on the network, a capability that virus lacks. Viruses replicates themselves in the files of a single computer can take several years before moving from one organization to another. Worms however, can go global in just a matter of seconds thus making it very hard to be controlled and stopped. Trojans conceal themselves inside software that seems legitimate. Usually cyber-crooks use the Trojans to spread viruses and worms as they put the Trojan inside some software or a picture and when the user tries to open it, the worm or virus will then jump onto the user’s computer. Therefore Trojans are usually used as the careers. Spyware just like the name is used for spying. It will snoop into a user’s activity and then send back the information to the hacker. Spyware do not have any mechanisms for infections are dropped by Trojans and then installs itself on the user’s computer. It will then sit there mutely to avoid ever being noticed.
The common effects of the malware are; slowing down the computer, corrupting the system files, making programs faulty, damaging the computer’s boot sector, changing the computer power ratings and could even blast the computer. They also lead to financial theft, identity theft and loss of productivity.
The common types of malware that have proved to be a nuisance to various internet users in the recent past include:
a. My Doom – also known as W.32. This is a computer worm that affects Microsoft Windows. It was the fastest spreading worm and slowed down global internet access by 10%. It took about a month to have it completely stopped from further spreading. Damages caused by this worm are estimated to have been about $38 billion.
b. Sobig.F – this virus caused damages estimated to be about $37 billion. The virus was capable of obtaining email addresses of various users from infected computers and then sending itself to the email addresses. It ceased to be a threat in September 2003 after being reprogrammed.
c. I Love You – also known as loveletter. This worm caused damages estimated to be about $15 billion. It attacked dozens of millions of computers using windows 2000. E-mail servers and computer networks had to be shut down for the virus to be removed and this also caused considerable damage.
d. Conficker – this worm could install itself on the computer and then send out information to hackers who could then obtain crucial information about the users. Damages caused by this virus are estimated to be about $9.1 billion.
e. Codered – mainly targeted computers running on Microsoft Internet information Server. This virus was mainly designed launch DDoS on certain websites including the White House’s server. The damages caused by this virus was estimated to be about $ 2 billion
References
Ralph Stair and George Reynolds (2004). Fundamentals of Information Systems
