Topic Proposal By Ankit Patel

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Ankit Patel Professor Malcolm Campbell UWRT 1104 4 February 19

Extended Inquiry Project Topic Proposal: The Study of Importance in Computers

Introduction/Overview The topic that interest me is Computer Science and we will be focused on looking at how Software Development and Cybersecurity and how one subject can be helpful and used on a day to day basis and then the other which could fall into the line of threat. Computer science is the study of everything about computers from theory to engineering that forms the basic elements of computers. Without it there would be no need for society to own personal computers or smartphones. Even though computer science covers many aspects, such as artificial intelligence, numerical analysis and bioinformatics it all takes years of experience. Let’s take a brief overview on the history of the computer. A website that I used “Brief History of Computer” gave me great background knowledge. The first computer was built in 1937 and could only perform a single task with no operating system. The first commercial use of computers was in 1951 and IBM started using computers in 1953 that used many different programming languages, had memory as well as operating systems. IBM also introduced the first personal computer in 1981 and around 1984 the Macintosh by Apple was made available to the public. All the advancements made in computers from 1937 to present day would not have been possible without people interested in computer science.

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Software development has made an impact on computers and how we use them on a day to day basis. Just looking at the changes from ten years ago to now makes the future brighter in software development world. We’re living in a age where many everyday things are run by using a code of some sort such as smartphones, home security and everyday personal computers. Without coding, which is what software development is all about, devices would not be able to function properly. There has been a tremendous increase in development tools and services available for new programmers to acquire. These tools are available, not only for the advanced coders, but those just beginning. There are many opportunities for developers in the coming years. Many people would be lost without social media communication apps or Amazon Echo, Google Home and Home pod to answer questions quickly. These are going to become more popular in the future because thousands of apps are being developed daily by developers becoming more familiar with intelligent bot building. Eventually there will be no need to open up individual applications in your smartphone to retrieve data / information without it having to remind you all the time. Software development might sound complicated to some people but without it there would be no point in owning a personal computer or smartphone. Cyber security has been under attack for the past few years. Some people feel not enough is being done to protect the individuals and companies that rely on computers every day. Scammers like to use their own programs to prey on unsuspecting people on their devices. One such an example is malicious advertising where computer users are told they have won a prize and open up the suspicious link. Unbeknown to them this is when their computer becomes infected with a virus. Malvertising used to be found mainly on desktops but now is very prevalent in all devices including smartphones. Another type of security breach that has become a problem for city and counties computer systems is known as ransomware. This is a type of

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software that prohibits access to personal data unless a ransom is paid. An attack in Atlanta hit five out of thirteen agencies forcing approximately eight thousand workers to be offline and in Baltimore a ransomware attack shut down their 911 emergency system. Even though there are many concerning computer crimes, most of them do not address ransomware. Some states such as Connecticut, Texas, California and Wyoming have made the use of ransomware software a crime. Cybersecurity experts say the best way to prevent these attacks is by backing up your data and educating employees about threats. It is very important that employees of companies understand the importance of following good rules set aside by security experts. Training is a valuable asset in teaching ways to protect computers such as never sharing sensitive information or passwords with others. Password have become more complicated now and they are not as easy to hack into anymore. The way employees make sure their home computers are safe and don’t open suspicious emails, they should treat it the same at other companies. The training should be mandatory and done at least once a year. There will always be people smart enough to hack into computers, therefore, people in the cybersecurity field need to always be on top of the latest trends to prevent attacks and try to stay one step ahead of the hackers.

Initial Inquiry Question Will there be anything in the future that can top our Amazon Echo / Google Home devices that we have? Can better software be created to keep these hackers out of our servers? Will there ever be a time when the U.S. is under a cyber security attack and they can do nothing about it, to get back into their systems? Will humans know not to fall for these fake advertisements?

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My Interest in this Topic I am interested in the world of computers and in my opinion, it has made many strides for the better with the help of people interested in the many fields of computer science. In my family no one really learned how to use technology at all, so I wanted to be the first and teach them all. My computer skills that I have gained throughout my years of middle and high school have really helped a lot. The reason why I like computers in general is that because I love to help people when they are stuck. I love to do the troubleshooting part and helping them resolve their issue with whatever they are having. I want to be able to do research on how companies will try to do better with their security protection and how I can be there to keep the bad guys out from infecting one of my own computers.

Next Steps As I continue my research this semester, I will be using the UNCC's Atkins Library article section to find out more information about how to prevent hackers from getting into our systems and trying to understand the logic behind this of what makes them do these types of malicious things. I plan to visit some websites on the internet that not only shows prevention from these types of dangers but show us how these software applications can somehow backfire on us and what we can do to stay safe.