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Program Capstone in IT (ITCO498-1801A-01)
UNIT 5 IP ASSIGNMENT DETAILS
Scenario
A former dot com company, Verbania, Inc., shut down in 2001 because of the Internet bubble
burst. It is attempting to reinvent and launch itself once again. It is looking for a complete
information technology (IT) solution that includes hardware, software, networking, and security,
among other requirements. Verbania’s core product will be a social networking Web site and
mobile application that rivals the big names that currently represent social media. It is attempting
to find the best features and consolidate them into its product. The company is looking to
establish its headquarters in the Silicon Valley region in California. The executives at Verbania
are looking for your company to propose a solution that will endure future Internet trends.
The basic user requirements for the social networking solution must include but are not limited
to the following:
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Creating an account and a profile
Creating discussion forums and posting
Search capability for people
Gaming component
Calendar component for reminders
Instant messaging and Voice Over Internet protocol (VOIP)-type calling between friends
Secure account and email feature
Availability seven days a week
The basic company requirements for the social networking solution must include but are not
limited to the following:
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Collect, store, back up, and mine user data to better understand users.
Integrate collected data with customer relationship management (CRM) to improve
business and customer support processes.
Analyze user patterns, behavior, and generated traffic to present to advertisers.
Requested functionality for the social networking application includes the following:
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Account setup and log-in functionality
Creating a profile
Adding or removing friends
Posting to a discussion area Assignment Details
Assignment Description
New Content for Week 5: System Implementation and Maintenance
Individual Project Submission – Submit to the Unit 5 IP Area
The Verbania project is nearing completion. The solution is nearly ready for implementation. As
a highly valued member of the team, you alone have been selected to develop the
implementation plan. This implementation plan must identify what will be addressed regarding
maintenance. Your final task is to create the following:
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Executive summary
Implementation plan (plus training)
A set of maintenance tasks
Final Insights of Capstone Project
Executive Summary
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Compose a high-level summary of the Systems Implementation Plan that you are
presenting to Verbania. The purpose of this section is to provide your client with an easyto-read description of the project, describing what it will mean for the company.
Final Insights From Capstone Project
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Describe how the team successfully collaborated to develop a cohesive and
comprehensive solution.
Identify the best practices, techniques, and technologies employed throughout the
process.
Specify benefits to Verbania resulting from this solution.
Discuss your areas of strengths while contributing to this project.
Summarize areas of growth uncovered during this capstone project.
System Implementation and Maintenance Framework
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List system implementation milestones that Verbania can expect for this project.
Provide user training needs and specific training information.
List the required maintenance routines or security measures that will ensure the long term
success of the solution.
Prepare 3–4 pages covering details regarding system implementation and maintenance
framework. Insert this information into Section Five of the template. Submit the complete
document containing all elements of the activities as an individual assignment.
Submit Executive Summary, Final Insights and your Systems Implementation Plan to your
instructor. You may use the template provided during unit 1.
This assignment will also be assessed using additional criteria provided here.
Please submit your assignment.
For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course
materials.
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Running head: PROGRAM CAPSTONE IN IT
Program Capstone In IT (ITCO498-1801A-01)
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
University Affiliation
Date Of Submission
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PROGRAM CAPSTONE IN IT
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Introduction
Technological advancement has led to both benefits and disadvantages. The most
affected area is the Technological sector, especially for companies that offer online services
such as website access. In this discussion, I will focus on the Verbania scenario and offer
various ways and recommendations on how the company can improve the security of its site
access. I will focus on both hardware and software related security threats. I will offer
explanation or reasons relating to my selected choices. Again, I will offer an explanation of
the relationship that exists between Information Technology policy and the selected
mechanisms for protecting the company’s website.
Background of the security issues affecting the company
Verbania Inc. is a company that is specializing on technology and is after enabling the
clients to approach the right strategies that would empower them to concoct a record that
would enable them to access the social site. Therefore, the company wants to actualize a few
measures that will influence the enrolment to process for new clients as simple as could be
allowed.
The social site intends to achieve various factors such as making it workable for
individuals to make seeks on the web. The pursuit usefulness must be overhauled. This
regularly comes to fruition because of the data that the clients can be in a position to get to
once they utilize the online stages. In addition, some representation of the date-book part
must be led in Trello. Moreover, customers ought to be in a position to approach texting and
additionally twenty four hour accessibility of the site in any given day. What's more the data
that is traded online must be secure on account of the security includes that will have been set
up (Borgs et al., 2014).
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With such form of operations, the company is exposed to a high levels of security
risks, and therefore, there is need to come up with effective security measures for both the
hardware and the software.
Hardware threats and possible solutions
Hardware security issues are easily detected as opposed to the software threats. The
identified hardware threats relative to the Verbania Inc. scenario include;
Physical threats
These are security issues relating to adoption of the wrong website components, use
of incomplete or irrelevant devices, little knowledge relating to the operations of the system
etc. Such factors have got the effect of exposing the site to physical threats. The security
issues can either be intentional or accidental. Appropriate security measures need to be
established in order to deal with such threats.
Proposed solutions to the physical threats
To address this type of security threat, there is need for the company to make sure that
it purchases branded and genuine equipment. This is critical as it will minimize breakdowns
during operations. Again, there is need to hire experienced individuals who have adequate
knowledge relating to the system. With such staff, they will be able to know how to protect
system from physical access as well as solving any identified issues. Consoles cables should
be removed upon use as well as making sure that administrative interfaces have been logged
off by the respective staff. Ensure that the computers are accessed only by the required
personally, use of CCTV cameras to monitor the premises and restricting unauthorized access
to the area where the website is operated from. Allowing physical access to the website
hosting room leads to security issues.
Maintenance
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This results from improper planning. The security issues in this case relate lack of
spare parts for the machines running the website, failure to label the used components well
amongst many others. In the event the computers are not well maintained, regular
breakdowns will occur hence interfering with the site access.
Proposed solutions to Maintenance the security issues
The system hosting the system defiantly is complicated. To make sure that the site
runs well, the cables used as well as the other components must be properly labelled, offer
security to cables and have adequate spare parts in ready to deal with any occurring issues.
Power threats
People need to access the website and the gaming facilities anytime they want.
Having irregular power supply will interrupt the functioning of the system, hence interfering
with the site access. This may even end up damaging the website.
Proposed solutions to the Power threats
The company should use Uninterruptible Power Supply sources so as to power the
machines hosting the website. Automatic Backup generators must be in standby to offer
power when the electric power is not there. Such recommendations will make sure that
people have got access to website anytime, anyplace.
Software security issues
Confidentiality
As we have seen, the company wants user to create accounts with them. By so doing,
the users are expected to provide their correct information such as phone numbers, official
names, mail and physical addresses. The company have got the roe of keeping such
information safe from eavesdropping.
Solution to confidentiality security threats
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The company should have authorized individuals who should be dealing with such
data. The individuals should be held liable, responsible and accountable for any unauthorised
access to clients’ personal information. Again, the date should be encrypted so as to make
sure that no other individuals can access it. Clients should have logins and other credentials
for cessing their respective accounts.
Integrity
The provided information by the clients should not be altered for malicious purposes
or any other intentions. One of the famous software attack under this form of security threat
is known as MiTM (Man in the middle attacks).
Solution to the integrity security threat
The company should make sure that it offers data hashing so as to secure the
information offered by the clients such; placed bets and won amounts (in the case of the
gaming services) as well as the account profile data. Such solution will make the clients
comfortable with their services.
Availability
This again falls under the software attacks. One of the greatest software attack here is
the DoS (Denial of service attacks). In this case, clients are exposed to hurting messages such
as, “ERROR 404”, “SERVICE NOT FOUND”, “THE SERVICE IS DOWN”,
“REQUESTED SERVICE UNAVAIABLE” etc.
Solution to the availability security threat
There is need for Verbania Inc. to establish user rate limit as well as firewalls so as to
make sure that their clients don’t meet such listed errors when they want to access the website
or to play games online.
Relationship existing between Information Technology policy and the selected mechanisms
for protecting the company’s website
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Information Technology policy touches several areas which have been captured
effectively in the proposed solutions for addressing the security issues. The policies include;
data or log retention, creation retention as well as privacy of DHCP logs, the user accounts
passwords, staff access to confidential data as well as user accounts policies amongst many
others. The offered solutions have incorporated all these policies (Scott, 2017).
Conclusion
Technology is one of the risky business one can think of underrating. The business is
exposed to both hardware and software threats. The software cover over 90% of the potential
risks. It is always advisable for organizations to consider the potential security threats and
form solutions in accordance to the established polices under the Information Technology.
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References
Scott, J. (2017). Social network analysis. Sage.
Tucker, C. E. (2014, September). Social networks, personalized advertising, and privacy
controls. American Marketing Association.
Information systems and Technology; https://ist.mit.edu/about/it-policies
Network Security Threat and Solutions, retrieved from;
https://www.computernetworkingnotes.com/ccna-study-guide/network-securitythreat-and-solutions.html