KvN-LaB

Do Gyun Kim

Howard Tinberg

Eng 11

4/18/2010

Annotating a Scholarly Article (Second Draft)
Wakefield, Robin L. "Network security and password policies." The CPA Journal 74.7 (2004): 6+. Academic OneFile. Web. 7 Apr. 2010.

In his article, Professor Robin explains about how easily computer security is breached, due to weak or short passwords. In addition, he also explains the consequences of security breach from the business manager’s perspective. Few key points from his article are that, the password must be memorized and it must be frequently changed. Second, the user must create stronger password to prevent hackers from exploiting the user’s password. This article helps not only those people who are in the large organization or complex business infrastructure where everyday computing is critical, but it also provides useful information to the everyday computer users where everyday computing requires password usage.

Although, Professor Robin explains about how weak passwords can lead to a security breach, majorly the article itself does not explains about the network security well enough. The article is majorly about consequence and prevention of weak password, it does not isolate the explanation about network security itself. Therefore, which I advice author to change the title to avoid confusion, where professional reader understands this article lacks in detail. After all, Professor Robin is PhD in accounting, and has MTA degree (The master of tax accounting) with BS in biology (bachelor degree in biology). Although, he has done a quite good job comparing human and computer discovery of password, it would have been nearly perfect if he provide source or the method how he tested his project. Furthermore, considering the fact that this article was made back in 2004, it has lack of information on how to create stronger password. Anyone from professional background can notice this weakness as you read through the article. In order to create stronger password, the password not only requires to be longer, but it also requires to use special character such as ( !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, (, ) and so on. Nevertheless, author lacks on information where he doesn’t even explain the difference between combination passwords to regular alphabetical passwords. First combination will be a lower alpha-numeric password. Second combination will be usage of capital and lower alpha-numeric password. The main advantage of using capital + lower alpha-numeric password is that it takes more computational time is needed to achieve the combination of the password. In a simpler meaning, using capital-alpha numeric will take a longer time to figure out the password. In addition to using a capital and lower alpha-numeric password, using special characters with combination of capital + alpha-numeric will generate even stronger password.

Overall, Professor Robin done a fabulous job explaining to those non-technical users on how longer password creates stronger passwords, where his approach might catch the eyes of those non-technical readers. However, it lacks on the detail of information. The article itself is far outdated by the professional standards, since he did not explain about using special and capital for alpha-numeric passwords.



# How do you feel about the paper so far? Please explain and offer evidence from the work.

This time, I have well considered point of view from the non-technical readers and made it simplest as possible. It took sure amount of time to write and re-write the writing : )

# What remains to be done? Please be precise.

I might have written too much. Nevertheless, I wanted to well explain to those non-technical readers.

# What questions do you have for readers about the piece?

Overall, do you get the idea that having a stronger password is key point to a good security? Do you? DO YOU? DOOOO YOU??? : )

Do Gyun Kim

Howard Tinberg

Eng 11

4/11/2010

Annotating a Scholarly Article (First Draft)
Wakefield, Robin L. "Network security and password policies." The CPA Journal 74.7 (2004): 6+. Academic OneFile. Web. 7 Apr. 2010.

In his article, Professor Robin explains about how security breach and password policies have a close relationship to each other. Furthermore, he also explains about how short password or blank password can lead to security breach, which he also explains a possible security infrastructure and solution to prevent security breach for large company.

Although Professor Robin explains about security breach and weak passwords, he does not well explain about network security. Most of his writing is about a possible breach from weak password not the security breach from network escalation. He should have changed his topic since article is mostly about weak password, not the network exploit. May be he used topic network security since most of the network requires a password to gain access. Also, he has lack of information of how to create stronger password. Anyone from professional point of view can notice this weakness as you read through the article; because he does well explaining longer password takes longer amount of time and effort to crack. But he does not explain about difference between using lower alpha-numeric password and capital + lower alpha-numeric password. The difference is the how stronger password becomes, if you use capital + lower alpha-numeric and + and include at least 2 special characters it would be strongest password to create. Even though password might be 8 characters, when you use capital + lower alpha-numeric password with special characters, it takes even longer amount to crack.

Nevertheless, Professor Robin well explains about how longer password creates stronger passwords, but it lacks on technical point of view, since he did not explain about using special and capital for alpha-numeric passwords.

Do Gyun Kim
Howard Tinberg
Eng 11
4/3/2010

Proposal (Second Draft)

A harmony between smoker and non-smoker

Currently, in the world there are approximately 1.2 billion smokers exist according to World Health Organization. Without any surprise our Bristol Community College (BCC) falls under this statistical calculation that would mean at least half of the student in BCC are smokers. Realizing how large numbers of students in BCC are smokers, BCC is enforcing a new policy that no one is allowed to smoke on campus area. In addition, anyone who is convicted smoking in the campus area will be subjected to a fine.

All though, I am not a smoker and I don’t have problem against this new rule. I find this rule quite unfair to those students and faculty members who are smokers in BCC. Not that I am unaware of how dangerous smoking is and its effects to a person, when especially second hand smoking is proven silent killer according to World Health Organization. Likewise, BCC administration knows this plan in effect will not get a full participation from student and faculty itself. In addition, trying to further enforce the law by giving a fine to students and faculty itself is just pushing more people to go against this rule.

Therefore, rather than prohibiting the smoking itself from campus ground, I think it would be wiser to use alternative solutions. What would be a creative solution that would make harmony between smokers and non-smokers, while having the same effect as prohibiting the smoking in the campus area? I think this can be done by creating smoking zone. It is most unique and smartest way to effectively reduce second hand smoking. For example, many times when student gets out of the library or any other faculty building, there are at least two or three people standing around entrance area like if it is a smoking zone. Now as non-smoker, this is painful situation since they have to go through that smokes while breathing the harmful stuff from cigarette.

As I observe campus area, three out of five students were actually smoking outside of entrance area of each building rather than while walking. This proves effectiveness of creating smoking zone close to entrance of each building. Because smokers do not have to bother non-smokers, smokers can freely smoke around smoking zone near building area, which they will be away from the non-smokers. While this plan is in effect, BCC administration must prohibit smoking from any other area other then the smoking zone itself. Doing this it will benefit not just to non-smokers, but it will also benefit those who are smokers, since they do not have to walk all the way to parking lot to smoke. These similar ideas were followed by in the Japan, a country that has high density of people throughout city, the unique about Japans is that they actually have a smoking zone throughout work area or though out the building structure where the smoking room is ventilated through top of the building. In fact, they do not have to go outside on cold or rainy day for smoking.
As far as I am concern about cost of creating smoking zone throughout facility, it is cost effective since our campus has so much open area at each and every building. All the administration has to do is create zone around every building with where smokers will be free to smoke in those areas only.

Nevertheless, I think this plan is far more effective then banning the smoking completely, it is just unrealistic. This plan will not only be beneficial to the non-smoker, but it will be also beneficial to those who are smokers as well. In the end, let us hope that the main source of problem has been closed down, what I meant by the source is the cigarette company that provides thousands and billions of cigarettes every day. After all, all the smokers are just victims of cigarette companies.