The Cybersecurity job of Network security specialist has many different avenues where social science is intergraded into the position because most networks are made to be a social network as a means of communication in an organization and even in society. Network security is not just about identifying and defending against hackers trying to get into the network. It is about creating a workplace that knows how to prevent such attacks from happening through training and being informed. (VelvetJobs, 2022) They are to “lead the identification of opportunities and development of recommendations to eliminate risks.” The job requires them to reduce the risk of network attacks not just from outside the network but from within. Things discussed in class were about people needing to be informed and trained to prevent their information from being stolen. This is a job of a network security specialist. Social science is how we know what human behaviors can put our data at risk, such as posting information on the web that can seem harmless but can turn into something harmful for a business, like taking a picture with your computer screen in the shot with sensitive information showing on the screen or saying something that should not be said. Criminological research is needed to be understood by the specialist so they can come up with methods and strategies to help prevent potential security breaches. Because most network security breaches start from within a company, and some are white-collar crimes which is why a Network security specialist needs to look at all possible ways a breach can happen.
Social media websites can also cause problems for any business or employees. (KumarSharmaaEnvelope et al., 2017) Because of how big some social networks are, like Facebook, Twitter or ticktock, it makes them more vulnerable to attacks such as malware, phishing, or viruses. Employees must be trained on password protection and how to differentiate between fake emails and websites. They need to know what is safe to post on social media and what is not. A Network Security specialist must ensure their business is safeguarded from these attacks by having good software protection and updated systems and employees trained to use these sites without breaching security. The career of a Network security specialist depends on social science to effectively protect their network from any possible attack. They need to spot potential breaches and devise a way to defend against them before they become a problem.
The weakest link in any network security chain is human beings. (Holbrook et al., 2012) Emily Holbrook states, “we need to understand how individuals react differently to risks and the controls to mitigate risks.” In conclusion, social science is a necessity for any security job; whether it be in real life or online human behavior is the cause of these crimes, and to defend against them, we must understand how people behave that do these crimes so we can see the problem maybe before it happens and protect against it or minimize it. That is why a Network security specialist needs to be well-versed in social science.
References
VelvetJobs. (2022, October 27). Network Security Specialist job description. Network Security Specialist Job Description | Velvet Jobs. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.velvetjobs.com/job-descriptions/network-security-specialist
Holbrook, E., Holbrook, E., 14, H. on J., 14, E. H. on J., 14, M. B. on J., 15, J. W. on J., 21, T. S. on J., Ahrens, S., & 26, J. I. M. K. O. S. K. A. N. on J. (2012, June 12). Security and Risk Management as a Social Science. Risk management monitor. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.riskmanagementmonitor.com/security-and-risk-management-as-a-social-science/
KumarSharmaaEnvelope, P., HyukParkaPersonEnvelope, J., Laere, O. V., Ramzan, N., Nauman, M., Moghimi, M., Imran-Daud, M., González-Manzano, L., Krombholz, K., Pang, J., Noh, G., Katz, G., Ahmed, F., Wang, D., Patsakis, C., Asam, A. E., Aggarwal, A., Squicciarini, A. C., Wang, A. H., … Zhu, H. (2017, August 23). Social Network Security: Issues, challenges, threats, and solutions. Information Sciences. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020025517309106