Discussion Forum Instructions:

Each week, you will be expected to participate in online classroom discussions pertaining to topics discussed during our weekly chapter readings and PowerPoint reviews. This discussion (including meaningful individual responses to other postings from fellow classmates) must be no less than 150 words and is worth 30 points.

Please see attached rubric for further expectations regarding how this activity will be reviewed and graded.

Online Discussion Forum Rubric-1.docx  Download Online Discussion Forum Rubric-1.docx 

Due Date (Both individual posting plus meaningful responses to fellow classmate’s postings):

23 January 2022 by 11:59 pm.

Task:

Please choose from one of the following questions listed below and provide your response accordingly. Additionally, please provide meaningful responses to postings submitted by fellow classmates.

NOTE: You DO NOT need to answer all questions listed below, only respond to one question of your choosing from the options below. Multiple questions have been listed in an attempt to provide some variety in responses. Then, once you have posted your own response to one of these questions, please provide a meaningful peer response to at least one of your classmate’s postings. Feel free to add additional comments outside what is required.

QUESTION 1:

After reading the attached publication below titled "Towards a Framework for Post-Terrorist
Incident Communications Strategies," authored by Alastair Reed and Haroro Ingram, provide your thoughts and/or discuss what you learned about the following:

• Regarding social media outlets, how can these type media benefit both terrorist actors and first responders, and in your opinion, which group (terrorist actors or first-responders) do you think is doing a better job of utilizing social media outlets as a tactical communication tool/force multiplier?  AND

• In your opinion, what kind of impact can social media communications, by the public, have on post-incident response, especially in the aftermath of major crises such as terrorist attacks, active shooter situations, and/or other similar events?

Article:

ICCT – Reed and Ingram Paper – Framework for Post-Terrorist Incident Communication (09 Aug 2019).pdf  Download ICCT – Reed and Ingram Paper – Framework for Post-Terrorist Incident Communication (09 Aug 2019).pdf 

QUESTION 2:

As noted in our textbook (p. 123 – Section 5-2a), the authors reference comments made by Mallesh and Wright in 2011 stating:

“There are frightening scenarios for catastrophic failure. For example, if a terrorist organization could infiltrate the banking or investment sector of the economy, a program could conceivably start draining accounts. This would create an economic crisis. In another scenario, imagine a major switching station on the power grid of a large metropolis. If the computer program running the station were attacked, the station could be the source of a catastrophic failure. As other portions of the grid picked up the slack from the downed station, they would find circuits overloading and could begin shutting down. It is conceivable that a large segment of the country could be without power for days. Finally, suppose that a malicious program were to enter a nuclear power plant. It is possible that the offending virus could cause a meltdown and explosion. Technological societies are vulnerable to such cyberattacks.”

After reading the additional articles attached below, please provide a response to the following question:

In your opinion, which of the following cyber-attack scenarios would have the biggest impact or threat on America and why?

• Attacks on financial banking systems?
• Attacks on major power grids?
• Attacks on nuclear power plants?

Article 1: 

HBR Article on Cyber Attacks and Financial Security by Paul Mee and Til Schuermann (14 Sep 2018).pdf  Download HBR Article on Cyber Attacks and Financial Security by Paul Mee and Til Schuermann (14 Sep 2018).pdf 

Article 2: 

Key Takeaways – Infrastructure Cybersecurity and the US Electrical Grid by Senetor Roy Blunt (16 Jul 2021).pdf  Download Key Takeaways – Infrastructure Cybersecurity and the US Electrical Grid by Senetor Roy Blunt (16 Jul 2021).pdf 

Article 3: 

Cyberattacks on Nuclear Power Plants – How Worried Should We Be by Page Stoutland (19 Mar 2018).pdf  Download Cyberattacks on Nuclear Power Plants – How Worried Should We Be by Page Stoutland (19 Mar 2018).pdf 

Nuclear Sector Cybersecurity Infographic.pdf  Download Nuclear Sector Cybersecurity Infographic.pdf