Writing Assignment #5 Briefing Paper

Summary of the Assignment:

• Task: In this paper, you will write a briefing paper that provides information about a specific problem in an industry or field of study( Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in certain segments of the financial services industry). The paper will also include a possible solution to the problem.

The problem can be a technical problem, a logistical problem, a human resource problem, a performance problem, or any other issue that the industry or field is dealing with.

You will respond to a discussion topic in week 3 about potential topics for the briefing paper, and you will post a memo to your instructor in a discussion topic in week 5 about your topic for the briefing paper. Your instructor should approve of the topic before you submit your first draft of the briefing paper.

• Length: 1200-1500 words, single-spaced

• Graphics: at least two graphics. The graphics can be original, or they can be borrowed from other sources, with the sources cited in APA format

• Format in Citing and Listing Sources: APA 7th edition

• Number of Sources: five or more sources, at least three of which have to be obtained through OneSearch

Brief Description of the Briefing Paper:

In the workplace, often employees are asked to write a briefing paper to higher-level

administrators on a problem in their particular industry. The paper will also present some

potential solutions to the problem.

Some examples are as follows:

• An employee working in the cybersecurity field might be asked to write a briefing paper

on the security problems in using Internet of Things (IoT) devices for smart cities. The

paper might make the point for blockchain technology as a solution to this problem.

• An employee working in the human resource management field might be asked to write a

briefing paper on the problem of keeping employees engaged while they work remotely.

The paper might argue that monthly town hall meetings on Zoom and some small face-to-

face gatherings among employees who live in close proximity are a potential solution to

this problem.

• An employee working at a community college or university might be asked to write a

briefing paper on the problems of helping working students succeed in college as they

navigate their demanding schedules. The paper might argue that flexible due dates on

assignments is a potential solution to this problem.

• An employee in the information technology field might be asked to write a briefing paper

on better ways to train employees on how to detect phishing scams in email messages at

work. The paper might argue that infrequent online cybersecurity training is ineffective

and that quarterly, face-to-face training sessions are needed as a solution to this problem.

Strategies to Consider for the Briefing Paper:

Please follow these guidelines:

Write to an audience in a particular industry or field with a clear problem to solve. The

briefing paper can have a fairly broad audience, but the paper should focus on a particular

problem that individuals are experiencing.

For example, you could write a briefing paper on better ways of training employees to detect

phishing scams. The audience would be a broad range of managers and IT professionals.

However, the problem they all share would be clear: Employees have fallen for phishing email

scams, and this trend has allowed hackers to access confidential data.

You could write a briefing paper on why blockchain technology should be used to improve

security for smart cities. The audience would be a broad range of municipal leaders, both in IT

and in administrative areas of city government. However, the problem they all share would be

clear: With smart cities on the rise, the technology used in smart cities leaves residents

vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks.

You could write a briefing paper on better ways of helping working students succeed in

community college. The audience would be a broad range of community college administrators.

However, the problem they all share would be clear: Current approaches to teaching working

adults in community college are not helping a significant number of students succeed as they

pursue their degrees.

Integrate research, both to demonstrate the existence of the problem and to illustrate the

efficacy of the solution.

How to Organize the Briefing Paper: Please include the following sections in your briefing paper:

• Executive Summary

• The Problem

• A Potential Solution

• Summary

• References

In the Executive Summary, summarize your research and your purpose in no more than 250 words. The

executive summary should be a stand-alone document. It should be written in such a way that a busy

executive could read the executive summary and have an overall understanding of what the paper is about

without reading the rest of the paper.

In the The Problem section, you will describe the problem in the industry and why current approaches

are not working to solve it. For example, if you are writing a briefing paper about a new way to train

employees on how to detect and ward off phishing scams, you would review what training procedures are

being conducted now by most companies to help them detect and ward off phishing scams. You could

show the challenges or problems that the current training program has. You might show that employees

are still falling prey to phishing scams despite this training, or that employees find the training

uninspiring, boring, and routine.

In this section of the briefing paper, your use of sources will be important. You should integrate research

to show that the problems you have identified exist. For example, in the situation described above, you

would need sources to give evidence that employees find training ineffective.

In the A Potential Solution section, you will describe a new approach to addressing the problem you

have identified.

For example, if you are writing a briefing paper about a new way to train employees on how to detect and

ward off phishing scams, you would show why a new approach to training employees on phishing scams

would be more effective than the current approaches. Perhaps the current approaches are boring online

tutorials, and you are proposing exciting onsite training sessions complete with scenarios, role-playing,

and group work.

You would want to integrate research to show that your new approaches might be superior. For example,

you might cite a study that indicates that online tutorials are boring and that employees want more

interaction. Overall, the more research, the more persuasive your argument will be.

In the Summary section, you briefly review what the problem is, how the research shows that is is a

problem, and what the potential new approach is. This section should not be more than 200 words.

In the References, you will list your sources that you cited in the paper. You will list them in APA 7th

edition format.

You are required to have at least five sources for your paper. In addition, at least three of them are to be

from scholarly journals or from credible trade journals. This means that you will want to make use of the

UMGC Library OneSearch function, which is demonstrated in the class.

Length of the Paper:

Your briefing paper should be 1200-1500 words in length. The paper should be single-spaced.

You are required to use at least five sources, with at least three of them coming from scholarly or

credible trade journals.

Graphics:

Your briefing paper should incorporate at least two graphics. Graphics can include tables, charts,

or graphs showing some research findings. They can also be pull quotes that draw readers’

attention to an argument.

For example, using the situation described previously, you could integrate the following:

• a table that illustrates what percentage of companies use online tutorials to train their

employees on phishing attacks

• a graph that shows how training on phishing has increased while successful phishing

attacks have also increased, thus demonstrating the ineffectiveness of the training.

• a pull quote that highlights a point made by one of your sources on the ineffectiveness of

current training methods

Due Date:

Your instructor will notify you of the due date. You will write a first draft, your instructor will

comment on the first draft, and you will submit a second draft using the comments as your guide.

Blockchain for Smart Cities: A Potential Solution to a Security Problem

Student

Briefing Paper

WRTG 393

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Executive Summary

The emergence of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies has given rise to the concept of the

smart city. Cities have varied services and functions that demand a precise set of controls. Smart

cities control the usage of these services through IoT technology. Connecting such services and

functions through the use of IoT technology allows city services to be more efficient. For

example, cities can have smart electrical grids that render improved efficiency as they control the

loads at different times of the day through IoT technology. Cities can have smart parking meters,

allowing residents to pay for parking with IoT technology through their smartphones rather than

with coins.

However, using IoT technology in this way means more security vulnerabiliites. Hackers can

gain access to personal data through IoT devices. The reason that hackers can access the system

is that different IoT devices are developed by various manufacturers, different firmware is

involved in their construction, and various sensors, scanners, and surveillance instruments are

used by IoT devices. This plethora of standards causes vulnerabilities when IoT devices are

connected to cities’ infrastructure. As a result, opportunities for cyber criminals abound.

Blockchain technology offers a promising security solution for smart cities in connecting IoT

devices. Blockchain technology is decentralized, as opposed to traditional third-party networks

that require a central authority for oversight. The decentralized nature of blockchain technology

renders it more secure than traditional third-party platforms. Blockchain technology is a

promising solution to the security vulnerabilities that smart cities introduce.

The Problem

A smart city, according to Shea (2020), is "a municipality that uses information and

communication technologies (ICT) to increase operational efficiency, share information with the

public and improve both the quality of government services and citizen welfare" (par. 1). The

concept of the smart city has emerged for various reasons. Population growth in cities is one

factor. It is estimated that more than 68% of the world’s population will live in cities by the year

2050 (Vuppuluri, December 3, 2020), leading to the need for more efficient services, more

seamless forms of payment, and more sustainable development in cities. Furthermore, according

to Bhushan, Khamparia, Sagayam, Sharma, Ahad, and Debnath, (2020), the need for

sustainability is an important factor in the rise of smart cities as energy distribution, and natural

resource usage need to be applied in efficient ways.

IoT technology is crucial for the development of efficient, smart cities. IoT technology and

wireless communication have allowed cities to interconnect devices and transmit data efficiently.

With this technology, a resident can rent a bicycle, pay a parking meter, and obtain traffic

information all by using an app on a smartphone. Electric grids can be contolled wirelessly to

improve efficiency. Sewer-line routing can feature sensors that communicate with each other and

redirect water flow to prevent flooding. These are but a few of the services that IoT technology

can improve for city residents.

However, as noted in the Waltonchain white paper (2018), the current arrangement for IoT

technology involves various stakeholders whose relationship with one another is uncertain at

best. With various stakeholders collaborating with their IoT devices, one IoT service provider is

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needed to make sure that trust is established. The Whaltonchain white paper notes that this

“significantly reduces the true commercial value of the Internet of Things applications” (p. 2).

Moreover, Gilder (2018) outlines the security problems with a central service provider:

Centralization tells thieves where digital assets are most valuable and where they are. It

solves their most difficult problems. Unless power and information are distributed

throughout the system peer to peer, they are vulnerable to manipulation and theft from

the blenders at the top (p. 49).

Figure 1 demonstrates the traditional management of IoT services. The third party overseeing the

IoT hub represents a centralized management of the IoT services. As noted above, this model is

ripe for hackers to attempt to break in and access personal information.

Adapted from Pauw, C. (2018) How significant is blockchain in Internet of Things? Cointelegraph.

https://cointelegraph.com/news/how-significant-is-blockchain-in-internet-of-things

Overall, smart cities are more efficient for residents, but also more vulnerable to hackers. The

traditional model of connecting IoT devices leaves municipalies at risk for data breaches.

A Possible Solution

Blockchain technology decentralizes the control of IoT infrastructure and creates a more secure

connection through which IoT devices can communicate.

In blockchain technlology, the terms hash, block, and blockchain are pivotal.

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• A hash is like a fingerprint is to a human being. It is a 256-bit number that must start with

zeroes. The hask identifies the block and its contents, just as a fingerprint identifies a

human being.

• A block is a record. It can be compared to a page of a ledger. It contains a collection of

data, a 32-bit number called a nonce, and a hash.

• A blockchain is a chain of blocks, a distributed ledger. Each block points backwards to

the block before it. This linking of the blocks keeps the blockchain secure in that it is

next to impossible to alter the data inside existing blocks in a blockchain.

Hassan (2020) points out the connection between the hash and the block, noting that hashing is

fundamental to blockchain technology because the header of the block features the hash of the

current and the previous block. Thus, stored hashes are used to create the blockchain.

Therefore, in a blockchain, the further one goes back in time, the harder it is to make a change.

If a system is operated on a blockchain technology, the system will resist change. This enhances

the integrity of the system. Kotow (2019) explains this concept:

… the hash of a previous block in a sequence is a tamper-proof sequence because as a

function of the design, a hash is very sensitive. So, to change any variable of any one of

the hashes in a given block would cause a domino effect, altering all of the previous

transactions in the block.

A comparison can be made to a Google Doc. When a Google Doc is shared among several

people, everyone can make modifications to the Google doc, and all modifications are recorded.

This process is similar to what occurs in a blockchain. In a blockchain, encrypted blocks of data

are chained together. The ledger of changes in the blockchain are transparent so that all viewers

can verify the integrity of the document.

Lage (2019) notes the security inherent in this system, pointing out that a hacker, in order to

modify one transaction in the blockchain, would have to modify each subsequent block in the

chain as well, resolve inconsistencies in every block, and then appeal to all participants in the

blockchain that this new blockchain is authentic and maintains integrity. Lage maintains that the

sheer amount of computational work and skill and the electrical power required to conduct this

operation renders it next to impossible. The decentralized, participatory nature of blockchain

technology is why advocates of blockchain technology argue that it is inherently secure.

Figure 2 demonstrates the decentralized nature of IoT networks in a blockchain framework. With

blockchain technology, no centralized monitoring is necessary. Data is decentralized, and the

system is difficult for hackers to break into.

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Figure 2

Internet of Things through Blockchain

Taken from Van Dem Dam, R. (2015). Rebooting the IOT – ACC Conference.

Blockchain is often associated with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. The reason for this

association is that blockchain technology was introduced by Nakamato in 2008 as a form of

decentralized data sharing in the adoption of cryptography technology (Ferrag et al., 2018).

However, in recent years blockhain technology has been applied to and considered for other

applications, including Internet of Things devices, intelligent transportation, and precision

agriculture, to name a few (Ferrag et al., 2018).

Advocates of blockchain technology maintain that the ability of all parties to verify data, instead

of a centralized party making sure that the data maintains its integrity, is a key component to the

appeal of blockchain technology. Referring back to Lage’s (2019) point, it is nearly impossible

to hack a blockchain because of the hashing properties inherent in the system, the computational

skill and time involved, and the electrical power demanded.

Summary

Blockchain technology represents an extremely promising network architecture for smart cities.

As urban centers seek to enhance services for their residents, increase their sustainability, and

adopt innovative IoT-based solutions, the decentralized features of blockchain demonstrates

advantages over the traditional centralized networking systems. As cities increasingly rely on

interconnected IoT devices, the need for trust among these devices, and the manufacturers that

produce them, increases.

Blockchain technology, according to many observers, is inherently more secure than centralized

systems and has the advantages of being more efficient because of its seamless communication.

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References

Bhushan, B., Khamparia, A., Sagayam, K. M., Sharma, S. K., Ahad, M. A., & Debnath, N. C.

(2020). Blockchain for smart cities: A review of architectures, integration trends and

future research directions. Sustainable Cities and Society, 61.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2020.102360

Ferrag, M. A., Derdour, M., Mukherjee, M., Derhab, A., Maglaras, L., & Janicke, H. (2018).

Blockchain technologies for the Internet of Things: Research issues and challenges. IEEE

Internet of Things Journal, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.1109/JIOT.2018.2882794

Gilder, G. (2018). Life after google. The fall of big data and the rise of the blockchain economy.

Regnery Gateway.

Hassan, M. U., Rehmani, M. H., & Chen, J. (2019). Differential privacy in blockchain

technology: A futuristic approach. Journal of Parallel & Distributed Computing. 145:50-

74. doi:10.1016/j.jpdc.2020.06.003

Kotow, E. (February 26, 2019). What is blockchain hashing? https://hedgetrade.com/what-is-

blockchain-hashing/

Lage, O., de Diego, S., Urkizu, B., Gómez, E., & Gutiérrez Agüero, I. (2019). Blockchain

applications in cybersecurity. In C. Thomas, P. Fraga-Lamas, & T.M. Fernandez-

Carames (Eds.) Computer Security Threats. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90061

Pauw, C. (2018) How significant is blockchain in Internet of Things? [Online image].

Cointelegraph. https://cointelegraph.com/news/how-significant-is-blockchain-in-internet-

of-things

Shea, S. (July, 2020). Smart city. https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/definition/smart-

city

Van Dem Dam, R. (2015). [Online image]. Rebooting the IOT – ACC Conference.

Vuppuluri, P. (December 3, 2020). Investing in innovation: The rise of the smart city. Forbes.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2020/12/03/investing-in-innovation-

the-rise-of-the-smart-city/?sh=58b4c5e75ba6

Waltonchain, (2018). Waltonchain white paper V 1.0.4. The Waltonchain Team.

https://whitepaper.io/document/30/waltonchain-whitepaper

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