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November 7, 2025

Network Security Design

The process of implementing security frequently opens one’s eyes to other forms of security not previously considered. In this two-part assignment, you should experience just that. This assignment focuses on a model of implementing security in layers, which, in many cases, requires a network that is designed accordingly.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

Recommend best security practices to achieve business objectives based on risk assumptions.

Instructions

Design a network that incorporates the following:

One corporate site (Chicago).
- All servers exist here (web server, file server, print server, mail server, FTP server).
- Connection to the Internet (50 MBps).
- 300 employees who only need access to local corporate resources and the Internet.
One remote site (8 miles away).
- 20 employees who need access to all resources at corporate, plus the Internet.
- Connection to the Internet (3 MBps).

Part 1

Use Microsoft Visio or an open-source alternative, such as Dia Diagram Editor, to:

Create a network diagram with defense in depth in mind, citing specific, credible sources that support the design and depicting at least four-fifths of the following:
- All necessary network devices (routers, switches and/or hubs, firewalls, VPNs, proxies, and others).
- The interconnections between network devices.
- Connections to end-user (client) devices (desktops, laptops).
- Connections from the Internet cloud to the network input.

Part 2

Write a 6-10 page paper in which you:

Describe the flow of data through the network, citing specific, credible sources.
- Assume data begins at the remote site.
- Data flow may be monitored by an IDS.
Explain all three elements of the CIA triad and how isolating by network functions helps deliver a layered approach, citing specific, credible sources that support your assertions and conclusions.
Support your main points, assertions, arguments, or conclusions with at least four specific and credible academic sources synthesized into a coherent analysis of the evidence.
- Cite each source listed on your source page at least one time within your assignment.
- For help with research, writing, and citation, access the library or review library guides.

This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance, including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library site for all supports. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Submission Requirements

Import completed diagrams or charts into your paper before submitting your work.

• Create a network diagram with defense in depth in mind, citing specific credible sources that support the design and depicting required devices and interconnections,
• Describe the flow of data through the network assuming data begins at the remote site (data flow may be monitored by an IDS),
• Explain all three elements of the CIA triad and how isolating by network functions helps deliver a layered approach citing specific credible sources,
• Support main points/arguments with at least four credible academic or industry sources cited at least once,
• Import completed diagrams or charts into your paper before submitting,

November 7, 2025

Qualitative Study Plan

By Academic Wizard Blog

Qualitative Study Plan

In completing this assignment, you will design a general plan for a qualitative research study. Think of a topic that interests you and consider how you might study the topic with one of the qualitative research approaches about which you learned this week. Download the template and submit the completed form for this assignment.

The form includes the following sections:

Topic: In three to five sentences, identify and explain the study’s topic. This information should be clear and concise and written in a way that allows readers to understand the general topic of the study.
Purpose Statement: Write a purpose statement appropriate for a qualitative study. In completing this item, choose a qualitative research approach, consider who your participants will be, and identify what you want to know about them. Your purpose statement should be a single sentence and follow the Creswell and Creswell (2023) model presented below.
- “The purpose (or study aim) of this ___________ (qualitative study or more specifically a qualitative approach, such as ethnography, case study, or other type) study is (was? will be?) to ___________ (understand? explore? develop? generate? discover?) the ___________ (central phenomenon being studied) for ___________ (the participants, such as the individual, groups, or organizations) at ___________ (research site)” (Creswell & Creswell, 2023, p. 127).
Research Questions: Write two research questions for the qualitative study you are designing. Remember the purpose of qualitative research is not to test hypotheses, but to explore phenomena and the lived experiences of participants. In writing your research questions, be sure to use open-ended questions that can be explored through the analysis of qualitative data. Below are some examples of qualitative research questions.
- In what ways do peer mentors influence persistence in first-generation college students from Appalachia?
- How do servant leadership behaviors in supervisors influence employee job satisfaction in nurses working in rural hospitals?
- In what ways do gaming technology and incentives influence safe driving practices in teen drivers?
- How does principal leadership impact teacher retention in low-income rural schools?
Qualitative Research Methodology: In three to five sentences, identify and describe the qualitative research method best suited to answer your research questions. Cite from the course text to justify your methodological selection. Examples include case study, phenomenology, narrative analysis, grounded theory, etc.
Participant Inclusion Criteria: List the inclusion criteria for participants from whom it would be appropriate to collect data for the study. Think about the characteristics participants need to possess to provide the qualitative data needed to answer the research questions. An example is provided below.
- The study will include participants who meet the following inclusion criteria:
  - Currently employed as a nurse in a hospital located in a rural community in the United States;
  - Have worked for the same supervisor for at least one year; and
  - Not employed in a supervisory role.
Sources of Data and Data Collection Methods: In three to five sentences, identify and discuss the source(s) of data that would be needed to answer the research questions and how you might approach collecting the data. Your data must be qualitative and appropriate for the planned methodology. For example, if you are studying patient experiences with pain management care using a phenomenological approach, you might use semi-structured interviews with individual patients. If you are studying the impact of a support group for patients struggling with addiction using a case study approach, you might use semi-structured interviews with individual patients, observations during support group meetings, and patient medical data.

Note:

plagiarism check required, APA7 format, include References, within 8hrs

– The submission demonstrates doctoral-level proficiency in organization, grammar, punctation, and style. The submission is well-written, and ideas are well-developed and explained with an appropriate level of detail.

– While this assignment is on a less formal and smaller scale, the use of a template for this assignment is intended to prepare you for the future tasks of completing a topic approval request and preparing an IRB application. Please do not alter the form or delete instructions; please submit the original form with your responses added as noted. If you use outside sources for this assignment, be sure to appropriately cite your sources and include them on the References page. The course text is already included as a reference and should be cited in the Qualitative Research Methodology section.

• Topic: In three to five sentences identify and explain the study’s topic,
• Purpose Statement: Write a purpose statement appropriate for a qualitative study using the Creswell and Creswell (2023) model,
• Research Questions: Write two open-ended qualitative research questions,
• Qualitative Research Methodology: In three to five sentences, identify and describe the qualitative research method best suited to answer your research questions,
• Participant Inclusion Criteria: List the inclusion criteria for participants from whom it would be appropriate to collect data,

November 7, 2025

Gas Price Analysis

By Academic Wizard Blog

Gas Price Analysis

AAA reported that the average price of regular gasoline in California during the third week of October 2025 was $4.62 per gallon (gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA). The data in the Excel sheet linked below show the price per gallon of regular gasoline for 30 randomly selected stations in Orange county. Do the results from the sample indicate that the average Orange county gas price is lower than the state average? Explain.

Orange County Gas Prices – October 2025.xlsx Download Orange County Gas Prices – October 2025.xlsx

Calculate the mean and standard deviation of the sample – show your calculations. Give an explanation as to what this means in relation to this problem. In other words, how would you explain what these numbers mean to someone who does not understand statistics?
Calculate the first, second, and third quartiles as well as the interquartile range – show your calculations. Give an explanation as to what this means in relation to this problem.
Construct the 95% confidence interval to 2 decimal places (make sure to include whether you used z or t) – show your calculations. Give an explanation as to what this means in relation to this problem.
Describe the similarities and differences between the interquartile range and confidence interval calculated.
Formulate your null and alternative hypotheses.
Assume a level of significance of α = 0.05.
Calculate the test statistic. Be sure to include whether you used z or t.
Calculate either the critical value or the p-value.
Do the results of your hypothesis test indicate that the average Orange county gas price is lower than the state average? Be sure to address how your results from the above analyses lead to your decision to either reject or fail to reject your null hypothesis.
Use at least one reference (open resource, newspaper, or textbook).

Formatting Guidelines

12-point Times New Roman font
Double-spaced
1-inch margins
An APA running head – shortened title, all caps limited to 50 characters, in the upper left corner of each page
Page number at the top right of each page
A title page with the paper’s title (no more than 12 words in length) your name professor’s name department and the name of the university.
- • Calculate the mean and standard deviation of the sample – show your calculations,
- • Calculate the first second and third quartiles as well as the interquartile range – show your calculations,
- • Construct the 95% confidence interval to 2 decimal places (include whether you used z or t) – show your calculations,
- • Describe the similarities and differences between the interquartile range and confidence interval calculated,
- • Formulate your null and alternative hypotheses,

November 7, 2025

Firewall Best Practices

By Academic Wizard Blog

Firewall Best Practices

There are many recommendations, guidelines, and best practices for firewall management. Some argue that an operating system’s host firewall software may offer sufficient security. Therefore, they suggest, all options should be evaluated before discounting the operating system’s host firewall software.

List and explain five typical firewall guidelines or best practices. Select two of the best practices that you feel are more important than the others.
Evaluate the Windows 7 or Windows 10 host firewall and one other operating system’s host firewall. Select the host firewall that you feel is superior and provide the rationale for your selection.
Discuss the inherent risk associated with relying solely on the host firewall for security and provide the rationale for your position.
- • List and explain five typical firewall guidelines or best practices,
- • Select two of the best practices that you feel are more important than the others,
- • Evaluate the Windows 7 or Windows 10 host firewall,
- • Evaluate one other operating system’s host firewall,
- • Select the host firewall that you feel is superior and provide rationale,
Comprehensive General Answers

✅ Five Typical Firewall Guidelines & Best Practices

1️⃣ Principle of Least Privilege
Allow only the minimum required ports, applications, and traffic necessary for business operations. This limits the attack surface and reduces exposure to threats.

2️⃣ Regular Rule Review and Auditing
Firewall configurations should be reviewed periodically to remove outdated rules, identify redundant entries, and ensure alignment with current security policies.

3️⃣ Segmentation of Network Zones
Firewalls should divide networks into security zones (e.g., internal, external, DMZ). This prevents full access if a breach occurs and improves monitoring of sensitive areas.

4️⃣ Logging and Monitoring
Firewalls must record access attempts and traffic behavior. Continuous monitoring helps detect suspicious patterns, failed intrusion attempts, or misconfigurations.

5️⃣ Timely Updates and Patch Management
Firewall software and firmware must be updated to protect against vulnerabilities and newly emerging threats.

⭐ Two Most Important Best Practices

1️⃣ Principle of Least Privilege
Because wide-open network access increases the likelihood of exploitation, restricting traffic is the strongest first line of defense.

2️⃣ Logging and Monitoring
Real-time visibility into network activity allows security teams to quickly detect and respond to breaches before they escalate.

(These two directly prevent intrusions and help detect malicious actions as early as possible.)

🔎 Evaluation of Host Firewalls

Windows 10 Host Firewall
- Integrated into the OS with Windows Defender Firewall
- Features:
  - Granular inbound/outbound rule control
  - Integrated with Windows Security Center
  - Supports domain, private, and public profiles
  - Strong event logging within Event Viewer
  - Group Policy management for enterprise environments
- Weakness:
  - Complex interface for inexperienced users
  - Limited intrusion detection capabilities compared to dedicated appliances
macOS Host Firewall
- Included in macOS with Application-Level Firewall
- Features:

November 7, 2025

Healthcare Fraud Case

By Academic Wizard Blog

Healthcare Fraud Case

Compliance is a comprehensive program that helps institutions and their employees conduct operations and activities ethically; with the highest level of integrity, and in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. To have an effective compliance program, an organization must establish and maintain an organizational culture that “encourages ethical conduct and a commitment to compliance with the law.”

Using the Office of Inspector General website ( https://oig.hhs.gov/) or the Federal Bureau of Investigations Health Care Fraud website ( https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/white-collar-crime/health-care-fraud), select a recent healthcare fraud case to review and share with your peers. Develop an 8 – 10 page white paper that provides a succinct overview of the healthcare finance fraud committed, including the details specified below.

In your review, please consider and include the following:

· The name of the organization

· Identify the parties involved

· Discuss the events that occurred

· Identify if the events that occurred is a violation of one federal laws discussed in this week’s content.

· What penalties were levied and enforced

· Provide a summary of lessons learned and measures that you believe could have been put in place to avoid this outcome.

Note: the paper should include references and be in a format suitable for professional delivery to an executive audience. The Finance Fraud Case White Paper is due no later than NLT 11:59 on Day 7.

Once you have completed your paper, upload it here, but also post it into the discussion forum for review by your peers. Peer review comments are not required this week, but you are encouraged to review your peers’ work for educational purposes. Healthcare Fraud Case

• The name of the organization,
• Identify the parties involved,
• Discuss the events that occurred,
• Identify if the events that occurred is a violation of one federal laws discussed in this week’s content,
• What penalties were levied and enforced,

Comprehensive General Answer

A healthcare fraud case typically involves a medical organization or provider engaging in unlawful practices to obtain financial gain from federal healthcare programs such as Medicare or Medicaid. Fraud can include billing for services not provided, falsifying medical records, receiving kickbacks for referrals, or performing medically unnecessary procedures solely for reimbursement.

November 6, 2025

CSF Program Steps

By Academic Wizard Blog

CSF Program Steps

What kind of steps would you take to illustrate how an organization could use the Cybersecurity Framework to create a new cybersecurity program or improve an existing program. What are some of the key messages and ideas that you will take away from this course? What surprised you about the class? In your opinion, what has changed? How might that move forward into your professional practice?

Course Textbook(s) Lewis, T. G. (2020). Critical infrastructure protection in homeland security: Defending a networked nation (3rd ed.). Wiley. https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781119614562

• What steps illustrate how an organization could use the Cybersecurity Framework to create or improve a cybersecurity program,
• What are key messages and ideas taken away from this course,
• What surprised you about the class,
• What has changed in your opinion,
• How might that move forward into your professional practice

Comprehensive General Answer

The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) provides organizations with a structured approach to building or improving cybersecurity readiness. To create or enhance a cybersecurity program, the following practical steps can be applied:

✅ Steps to Use the Cybersecurity Framework

Identify Current State
- Conduct a risk assessment and inventory systems, data, and critical infrastructure.
- Understand business context and asset dependencies.
- As Lewis (2020) emphasizes, understanding interdependencies in critical infrastructure is essential for national and organizational resilience.
Define Target State
- Set security goals using CSF’s functions:
  Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover
- Determine acceptable risk and compliance requirements.
Gap Analysis
- Compare current capabilities against the desired future state.
- Prioritize gaps that pose the most significant operational or national security risks.
Develop and Implement Action Plans
- Allocate resources, define responsibilities, and apply layered defenses.
- This aligns with best practices for defending networked systems against cascading failures (Lewis, 2020).
Monitor, Measure, and Improve
- Continuously assess controls and update based on evolving threats.
- Conduct incident response exercises and recovery planning validation.

These steps allow organizations to mature their cybersecurity posture in a structured and repeatable way.

🌟 Key Messages & Ideas from the Course

Critical infrastructure is deeply interconnected, meaning a failure in one system can trigger multidomain consequences (Lewis, 2020).
Cybersecurity requires both technical and strategic decision-making, not just firewalls and encryption.
Public-private collaboration is essential to defend a networked nation.
Threats evolve rapidly—security programs must be adaptive and ongoing.

😮 What Surprised Me

The extent to which non-technical elements (policy, human behavior, economic incentives) influence cybersecurity success.
How a single weak link in infrastructure can impact national security, not just a single business.
The massive role of homeland security agencies in supporting private-sector defense.

🔄 What Has Changed

I now view cybersecurity not only as an IT function but as strategic risk management.
My perspective shifted from reactive approaches to proactive resilience.
I recognize cybersecurity as a shared responsibility across sectors and personnel levels.

🚀 Impact on Professional Practice

Going forward, I will:

✔ Promote adoption of structured frameworks like NIST CSF
✔ Emphasize risk-based prioritization instead of checklist compliance
✔ Advocate for layered defenses and incident readiness
✔ Encourage organizational culture that treats cybersecurity as mission-critical

This course has reinforced the importance of cybersecurity in protecting national assets and sustaining operational resilience.

November 6, 2025

Contract Selection

By Academic Wizard Blog

Contract Selection

Choose a project with a relatively simple description (building a LAN, designing a web page, inventing a new communication device, etc.). Which type of contract structure (Fixed total price, Fixed unit price, Fixed price with incentive, Fixed fee with price adjustment) and what procurement documents (Request for Proposal, Invitation for Bid, Request for Quotation/Proposal) would you recommend for this project and why?

• Choose a project with a relatively simple description (building a LAN designing a web page inventing a new communication device etc.),
• Which type of contract structure (Fixed total price Fixed unit price Fixed price with incentive Fixed fee with price adjustment) would you recommend for this project,
• What procurement documents (Request for Proposal Invitation for Bid Request for Quotation/Proposal) would you recommend for this project,
• Why would you recommend this type of contract structure,
• Why would you recommend these procurement documents

Comprehensive General Answer

A suitable project example for this assignment is building a Local Area Network (LAN) for a small office with approximately 30 users. The project scope includes installing network cabling, switches, wireless access points, and testing for connectivity and performance. The requirements are clear, standardized technologies are used, and the work can be estimated with reasonable accuracy.

For this type of project, the best contract structure would be a Fixed Total Price contract. This contract type sets a predetermined cost for the entire project and is ideal when the scope, schedule, and deliverables are well-defined. Building a LAN has predictable labor and equipment needs, so the vendor can provide accurate pricing before the project begins. This also puts more financial responsibility on the contractor while protecting the buyer from cost overruns.

The most appropriate procurement document for this type of project would be an Invitation for Bid (IFB). An IFB is used when the buyer has clearly defined requirements and the selection decision is primarily based on price rather than vendor creativity or complex solution proposals. Since network installation follows known standards such as Ethernet, structured cabling categories, and placement guidelines, detailed specifications can be provided in advance, and vendors can price competitively.

Alternatively, a Request for Quotation (RFQ) could also be suitable if the buyer needs specific price quotes on individual components and labor services. However, the IFB is often preferred when awarding a complete turnkey installation based on lowest bid.

In summary, the LAN project’s defined scope, fixed deliverables, and reliance on standard materials make a Fixed Total Price contract both low-risk and cost-effective for the buyer. The Invitation for Bid approach supports competitive pricing while ensuring vendors meet required technical specifications.

November 6, 2025

Defense-in-Depth

By Academic Wizard Blog

Defense-in-Depth

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

Recommend best security practices to achieve business objectives based on risk assumptions.