TASK Humans are social creatures – it is one of our defining…
TASK
Humans are social creatures – it is one of our defining qualities within the animal kingdom. In the hyperconnected world of the 21stcentury, we indulge our desire to connect and collaborate with our fellow humans via social media. As more of our lives move online, so too do the threats to our livelihoods and our privacy. Criminals have always sought gain through the exploitation of human weakness, and today’s cybercriminals use our digital footprint to improve their chances of success. As a security professional, you will need to understand and address both the technical and non-technical weaknesses that threaten the information you are charged with protecting.
For this assessment task, you will write an essay on the following:
Social Engineering: The Hidden Cost of Being Social
The primary ideas you should address in this essay are:
A comprehensive definition and description of social engineering
What makes social engineering so effective?
How does our use of social media contribute to the success of social engineering?
What technical and administrative techniques can be deployed to mitigate the threat of social engineering?
Notes
Refer to the suggested structure below and ensure that you address all the criteria. Note that the suggested headings and suggested proportion of the word count are provided as a guide to your essay structure; you are not required to strictly follow this format
Introduction
The introduction sets the scene for the whole essay. The purpose of the introduction is to identify the topic, your point of view and the main reasons for your response. Generally, approximately 10-15% of the allocated word count.
This section will often contain the following points:
Introduce the topic.
Give background or context to give relevance to the discussion.
State the main point or purpose of the essay.
Preview the subtopics or themes.
Body
Paragraphs in the body of the essay show your discussion of the main ideas supporting your position or response to the question. Ideas from the scholarly literature give credibility and weight to your argument. Generally, approximately 70-80% of the allocated word count.
Each paragraph should link with the previous paragraph and may include:
A topic sentence: a statement of the main idea of the paragraph.
Explanation or supporting evidence from the scholarly readings.
Further evidence from your reading to deepen your discussion.
Application of ideas to a scenario or using an example.
Your comments on, discussion and evaluation of these ideas.
A concluding sentence that brings the paragraph to a close.
Conclusion
The purpose of the conclusion is to summarise and make final evaluative comments. It is important to refer to the essay questions. Generally, approximately 10-15% of the allocated word count.
This paragraph includes:
A summary of the main ideas presented in the essay.
Confirmation of any thesis included in the introduction.
Final evaluative comments on the relative importance of the arguments.
Comments on the ongoing significance of the topic as an issue that needs further discussion or investigation.
DO NOT introduce any new content at this point.
