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1. The “Parallel Pandemic” in the Context of China: The Spread of Rumors and Rumor-Corrections During COVID-19 in Chinese Social Media

   https://doi.org/10.1177/00027642211003153  

   Song, Yunya; Kwon, K. Hazel; Lu, Yin; Fan, Yining; Li, Baiqi (December 2021, American Behavioral Scientist)

   Although studies have investigated cyber-rumoring previous to the pandemic, little research has been undertaken to study rumors and rumor-corrections during the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. Drawing on prior studies about how online stories become viral, this study will fill that gap by investigating the retransmission of COVID-19 rumors and corrective messages on Sina Weibo, the largest and most popular microblogging site in China. This study examines the impact of rumor types, content attributes (including frames, emotion, and rationality), and source characteristics (including follower size and source identity) to show how they affect the likelihood of a COVID-19 rumor and its correction being shared. By exploring the retransmission of rumors and their corrections in Chinese social media, this study will not only advance scholarly understanding but also reveal how corrective messages can be crafted to debunk cyber-rumors in particular cultural contexts. 

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2. Digital Forensics and Cyber Security

   Mondy, Kevin; Boonthum-Denecke, Chutima (January 2022, ADMI 2022:The Symposium of Computing at Minority Institutions)

   This report discusses Digital Forensics and Cyber-Security and different vulnerabilities that put the users at risk of compromising their sensitive data and making it available to attackers. With the raising of new threats aiming at technology, some people are not aware of hackers stealing their data. This study will discuss what Cyber-Security is and how many people are aware of what it all entails. This study will also recommendations on how to recognize attacks and learn basic terms to help inform the public. The study utilizes surveys of students from Hampton University so the authors can make the proper analysis and recommendations regarding the issue. 

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3. Piloting the Air Force JROTC Cyber Academy for High School Students

   Monica M. McGill, Sarah B. (March 2021, Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education)

   In summer 2020, the United States Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) piloted a Cyber Academy to teach cybersecurity skills and career awareness to high school JROTC cadets. Modeled after the Air Force JROTC Flight Academy, a collaborative effort between the aerospace industry and Air Force to address a national pilot shortage and increase diversity in the field, the Academy lasted 8 weeks and a diverse group of 25 cadets from 12 states participated. The Academy was led by instructors from three institutions, Moraine Valley Community College, Brookdale Community College and Madison Area College. In this experience report, we provide an overview of the curriculum and student learning ecosystem, including the shift from an in-person experience to online due to COVID-19. We present some preliminary findings based on cadets' feedback, grades, and self-efficacy. Despite being an online course that met 3-5 hours per day for 8 weeks, course retention was 96%. Although girls showed much lower cyber threat identification self-efficacy prior to the start of the course than the boys, they reported the same level of self-efficacy as the boys had post-course. We also share lessons learned from the pilot program and future plans for creating a distributed model of the Academy. 

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4. The Importance of Network Security

   Troy, Fayed; Boonthum-Denecke, Chutima (January 2023, The 2023 ADMI Symposium)

   This report will discuss the importance of network security. Network Security is important because it prevents hackers from gaining access to data and personal information. The issue in society is that users get their data stolen every day and are scared that their information is blasted out to the world. Within this paper I will talk to you about the importance of network security and how it can change your day-to-day life using cyber security. In addition, I will create a survey for computer science majors to see if network security is important. Also, I will send a survey to a DISA employee to get his perspective on this topic and his comments as well. The best method to incorporate both user input and research into this paper is to use user input to back up the research. User input will be a great addition because it gives the readers a real-world opinion on if this topic is valid. 

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5. Reflexive Control Theory in Cyber Operations

   Gyles, Sheyla; Muhammad, Jean (April 2024, The 2024 ADMI Symposium.)

   This report will discuss and explore the concept of reflexive control theory (RCT) in the context of day-to-day cybersecurity operations. Specifically, this study aims to investigate and emphasize the influential role of this trend in cyberspace while simultaneously examining the manipulative tactics employed by adversaries and RCT’s effect on the public. This report will further explain the concept of RCT and aims to promote awareness to educate the public about this topic. In the realm of cybersecurity, reflexive control serves as a potent weapon, used to allow adversaries to be able to exploit vulnerabilities, influence decision-making and essentially predict their target’s actions. This research will focus on three key concepts within reflexive control theory: Behavioral Analysis, Threat Detection and Perception Management. Furthermore, this report examines the ethical dimensions and potential risks associated with the reflexive control theory technique. These findings are intended to raise awareness and propose strategies to enhance resilience against these manipulative tactics. By meticulously synthesizing existing literature, research studies, and user surveys, this report provides a comprehensive analysis of the reflexive control theory in cyber operations. 

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