Argument You’re Presenting — Criticism and Judgment:

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Policy Paper Review and Critique Instructions

 

As part of your course, you are required to review and critique 2 public policy papers written on budgetary topics. You will be provided with a series of options to consider. The title of each policy paper that you critique must be submitted in advance and is worth 10 points. Each completed critique must be between 5 and 7 pages in length and incorporate APA style and is worth 90 points.

 

Policy Paper Title Submission #1 is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 2.

Policy Paper Review and Critique #1 is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 4.

Policy Paper Title Submission #2 is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 6.

Policy Paper Review and Critique #2 is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday of Module/Week 8.

 

You are to structure your paper in the following manner:

 

A.    Title Page

 

B.    Abstract:

1.   Briefly explain the research you’re doing, your methodology, and findings.

 

C.    Introduction:

1.     What policy paper are you evaluating and criticizing? Who wrote it? Why is it important to critique this paper? What is the thesis or main argument of the paper? What are you attempting to achieve or communicate?

 

D.    Summarize the Paper:

1.     Present a concise summary of the paper you’re critiquing, which also highlights what you’re attempting to argue.

2.     Identify what the author is arguing, and what evidence he supplies.  In other words, how does he support his argument? Is he underutilizing data?

 

E.    Argument You’re Presenting — Criticism and Judgment:

1.     Did the author convince you? Did he accomplish his purpose?  Is the material well organized? Does he leave out or dismiss relevant data?

2.     What are the strengths and weaknesses of the paper?

3.     Discuss the worth, validity, and utility of the paper you’re critiquing

 

F.     Conclusion:

1.     Summarize the argument in the policy paper you’re critiquing and then your critique – how have you proven your argument?

 

 

G.    References

Critical Infrastructure Risks And Vulnerabilties Summary

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Critical Infrastructure Risks and Vulnerabilities

BSS/482

December 14, 2015

Introduction

 

SCADA

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are systems used to control many different things that can be scattered miles across land or water. The collection of data and the control of these assets are crucial to ensure the stability of the infrastructure. The SCADA system is used in distribution systems such as oil and gas, wastewater, and water distribution. The SCADA system will monitor the systems for even electrical distribution and the transportation systems. SCADA watches over these systems to ensure that they are performing correctly and at top performance. If anything goes wrong with one of the systems that SCADA looks at it will send out alarms so that they can be repaired. SCADA is a system that watches over all other systems that may be scattered out over long distances and collects data in a centralized location.

Attacks on SCADA

Since SCADA watches out over all systems that are crucial to the nation’s infrastructure any type of an attack on the system can be devastating. The attack could interrupt reports on these assets and the distribution of the material being received or put out. The wastewater system is monitored by SCADA and if anything malfunctions SCADA will report that and have the issues corrected immediately. If an attack on SCADA interrupted this report of the wastewater system, then it may lead to having wastewater mix with the distribution of good healthy water. This in return contaminating water and leading to an even bigger health issue.

SCADA Vulnerabilities

Every computer system in the world has vulnerabilities. SCADA systems are no exception, and because many older SCADA systems do not have security features, they are more vulnerable to attacks than newer systems (Department of Energy, n.d.). Finding vulnerabilities can be challenging. It takes several analyzations of the separate parts of a system to figure out what those vulnerabilities are. Scanning the SCADA, evaluating the host, analyzing network devices, and testing passwords are just a few ways to search for SCADA vulnerabilities. According to Wiles et al (2007) “the majority of security vulnerabilities found in the technical systems are a result of system configuration issues or lack of up-to-date patching.” This means that most of the vulnerabilities of a SCADA system come from programing issues. Other vulnerabilities can include physical security such as contracted cleaning services, employee discussions in non-work locations, and building layout configurations.

The detection of vulnerabilities leads to the acceptance that there may be a threat to the system as a whole. External threats can be as simple as industrial espionage or as complicated as international espionage. SCADA systems connected to networks are exceptionally vulnerable to international attacks. Servers connected to the network may not have the necessary programming to stop things such as computer worms or viruses. In 2015, Hilary Clinton was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for using a private server to send and receive emails containing classified government information. During the investigation it was found that Hilary’s server was connected to the internet and was scanned by an anonymous hacker from Serbia (Associated Press, 2015). Not only was Hilary’s server vulnerable to be scanned, but also controlled. Any hacker with enough brains to get in to the server could have controlled it from afar without ever having to change out of their pajamas. Given the fact that Hilary was the Secretary of State for the nation during this time period, it becomes relevant that she potentially put the country’s infrastructure in great danger.

Tools and techniques used to protect against a global attack on SCADA.

An SCADA firewall can be used to protect against a global attack on SCADA. However, the firewall must provide protection from all cyber-attacks and hackers that may be released from the internet, inside the business network or other networks under WiFi. Also, the firewall must be able to identify and inform probes, attacks, and abnormalities. It should have the ability to control and manage changes to the policies (Grau, 2012). There are some vulnerabilities that are identified for the control systems that are increased exposure, interconnectivity, common computing technologies, and increased automation. Pierluigi (2012), “Increased Exposure, which communication networks linking smart grid devices and systems will create many more access points to these devices, resulting in increased exposure to potential attacks. When it comes to interconnectivity, the communication networks will be more interconnected, further exposing the system to possible failures and attacks. Common computing technologies are smart grid systems that will increasingly use common, commercially available computing technologies and will be subject to their weaknesses. Lastly, increased automation that communication networks will generate, gather and use data in new and innovative ways as smart grid technologies will automate many functions. Improper use of this data presents new risks to national security and our economy” (para 24).

Describe how resilience should be incorporated into SCADA systems.

According to “Increasing the Resilience of Critical SCADA Systems Using” (2010), “To achieve increased SCADA system resilience against cyber threats in large-scale systems, a minimally intrusive and low cost communication overlay onto legacy SCADA systems using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) technologies which shows our approach efficiently prevents data loss due to node crashes, and detects and remedies data integrity attacks. Path redundancy refers to multiple paths between pairs of peers; data replication implies distributed and redundant data storage across the network” (para 4).

Conclusion

 

 

Purpose and History Paper 1

 

Critical Infrastructure Risks and Vulnerabilities 2

 

 

References

Associated Press. (2015, October 13). Private server used by Hilary Clinton while secretary of state was vulnerable to hacking: report. New York Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/clinton-private-server-vulnerable-hacking-report-article-1.2396187

Department of Energy. (n.d.). 21 Steps to Improve Cyber Security of SCADA Networks

Grau, A. (2012). Protecting SCADA devices from threats and hackers. Retrieved from http://www.embedded.com/design/safety-and-security/4397214/Protecting-SCADA-devices-from-threats-and-hackers-

Increasing the Resilience of Critical SCADA Systems Using. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.researchgate.net/publication/262251133

Pierluigi, P. (2012). The importance of security requirements in design of SCADA systems. Retrieved from http://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/7314/security/the-importance-of-security-requirements-in-design-of-scada-systems.html

Stouffer, K., Falco, J., Kent, K. (2006, September). Guide to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Industrial Control Systems Security. National Institute of Standards and Technology. Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/csd-nist-guidetosupervisoryanddataccquisition-scadaandindustrialcontrolsystemssecurity-2007.pdf

Wiles, J., Claypoole, T., Drake, P., Henry, P., Johnson Jr., L., Lowther, S., Windle, J. (2007). Techno Security Guide to Securing SCADA. Burlington, MA: Elsevier, Inc.

Crime Control vs. Due Process

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Assignment 2: Crime Control vs. Due Process

For many years, New York City suffered from very high rates of both violent and property crime. In 2001, the September 11 attack brought down the World Trade Center towers. Since then, there have been several attempted acts of terrorism as well.

In response to these difficult challenges, the New York Police Department (NYPD) implemented several new procedures, including:

  • Zero tolerance
  • Stop and frisk
  • “Mosque crawling” (undercover surveillance of city mosques)

Prepare a report in a Microsoft Word document that addresses the following points:

  • Describe each of the programs listed above.
  • Analyze whether these programs have been effective. To do this, you will need to locate crime statistics for New York City and determine whether crime and terrorism have increased or decreased.
  • Discuss how these programs relate to the issue of crime control versus due process.
  • Explain how the presence of crime or the potential for terrorism might impact New York economically.
  • Recently, the stop-and-frisk program has been suspended by a federal judge. Do you agree with this decision? Explain your reasoning.

You will need to conduct outside research in order to adequately address these points. Cite any sources you use on a separate page by using APA guidelines.

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clash of civilizations

Clash of Civilizations

Compose a 500 word essay comparing Huntington’s ‘Clash of Civilizations?’ article with one other political scientist and/or academic who has written a response to Huntington’s ‘Clash of Civilizations?’ article.

Within the introduction to Harvard Professor Samuel P. Huntington’s 1993, seminal political science article, ‘The Clash of Civilizations?’, the author noted,

World politics is entering a new phase and intellectuals have not hesitated to proliferate visions of what it will be, the end of history, the return of traditional rivalries between nation states, and the decline of the nation state from the conflicting pulls of tribalism and globalism, among others. Each of these visions catches aspects of the emerging reality. Yet they all miss a crucial, indeed a central, aspect of what global politics is likely to be in the coming years.

It is my hypothesis that the fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. Nation states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future. (Huntington, 1993)

Huntington’s full article can be found here. Since Huntington’s article was published in 1993 many political scientists and/or academic have written in response to Huntington’s thesis – either agreeing or disagreeing with the Harvard professor’s ideas.

However, since the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. soil, Huntington’s thesis has renewed academic discourse.

Reference

Huntington, S. P. (1993). The Clash of Civilizations?. Foreign Affairs, 72(3), 22.

Within a 500 word essay please include

  • An introduction.
  • Provide a brief summary of Huntington’s thesis.
  • Compare and contrast Huntington’s arguments with one other political scientist and/or academic.

 

  • Support your answer(s) with information obtained from the text and with Huntington’s and the other political scientist and/or academic’s articles.
  • How do you understand these two, competing or aligned articles within America’s war on terror?
  • A conclusion.
  • Correct grammar and syntax.
  • APA Format.

The Assignment should be at least 500 words, and must use and cite the text and primary documents as sources. Cite the work internally and in full reference at the end, following APA style guidelines. Citation is important to build the definitions, demonstrate your research, and to make it clear which ideas are yours and which are from the source.