Copy of Topic 5: Lesson Review & Project Assignment

Topic 5: Lesson Review & Project Assignment by Owen Dubiel & Gregg Walrod

Project Assignment: Analyze a real-world cyber-attack and its impact

Scenario:

Research a recent cybersecurity attack in the news, analyze the attack method, how it was mitigated, and any impacts it had on the targeted organization. 

Objective:

Write a report detailing your findings.

Your Role:

Write a report that is written in clear, academic language. You should aim for a balance between technical detail (to demonstrate understanding of the attack and cybersecurity principles) and accessibility (so that someone without much prior knowledge could still understand the report). Providing references and citations to maintain academic integrity.

Below is an example template that can be used to report on the attack you are investigating:

Title: Name of the Cyber Attack

Introduction

• • Brief introduction to the incident.
  • Why you chose this particular cyber attack for your analysis.

Description of the Attack

• • Type of the attack.
  • Date and location of the attack.
  • Entities involved (who was the attacker, who was the victim).
  • The aim of the attack (e.g., data theft, disruption of service, monetary gain, etc.)

Technical Details

• • Detailed description of how the attack was carried out.
  • The specific vulnerabilities or weaknesses that were exploited.
  • Any technologies, tools, or techniques that were used by the attackers.

Impact of the Attack

• • Description of the attack’s immediate impact (e.g., data breach, service disruption, financial loss, reputational damage).
  • Description of the long-term impact of the attack, if any (e.g., changes in laws or regulations, long-term financial loss, impact on the company’s market position).

Preventive Measures and Mitigations

• • Discussion on how the attack could have been prevented.
  • What security controls or practices could have been in place to mitigate the risk or impact?
  • Steps the victim(s) took in response to the attack, including incident response actions and any security practices or policies changes.

Lessons Learned

• • Key takeaways from the attack.
  • Broader lessons for cybersecurity practice (what other organizations can learn from this incident).

References

• • List all your sources of information in a proper citation format.

Appendix (Optional)

• • Any additional information, diagrams, or supporting material that contributes to understanding the incident.

Submission:

Upload the completed report in doc or pdf format below.