2nd Semester, A.Y.

2024-2025
MODULE 1
The Netiquettes and Computer Ethics
Overview
The Netiquette and The Computer ethics discusses about the ethical issues in the field of computer. May it
be in online or practicing in professional.

I. Objectives
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
• Discuss the importance of being a responsible netizen by following the rules of common courtesy online
and the informal “rules of the road” of cyberspace.
• Discuss the difference between privacy and security.
• Explain various risks to internet privacy

II. Lecture

Netiquette
What is Netiquette?
What is Netiquette? Simple stated, it’s network etiquette – that is the etiquette of cyberspace and “etiquette”
means the forms of required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be required in social or official
life. In other words, netiquette is a set of rules for behaving properly online.
Netiquette, or network etiquette, is concerned with the "proper" way to communicate in an online
environment. Consider the following "rules," adapted from Virginia Shea's the Core Rules of Netiquette,
whenever you communicate in the virtual world.
When you use e-mail, instant messenger, video calls, or discussion boards to communicate with others
online, please be sure to follow the rules of professional online communications known as netiquette.
These rules will help you communicate with instructors, classmates, and potential employers more
effectively and will help prevent misunderstandings.

REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE – Even though you may be interacting with a computer screen, you are
communicating with a real person who will react to your message. Make a good impression - treat others
with the same respect that you would like to receive and avoid confrontational or offensive language.

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To help convey meaning when creating messages, it is sometimes acceptable to include appropriate
emoticon symbols, such as a smiley face :) However, for professional communications these would be
inappropriate.

AVOID SLANG, ACRONYMS, AND TEXT TALK – Communicating effectively in college and business
environments require the use of correct terminology, spelling, and grammar that can easily be understood.
For example, use “your” instead of “ur”.

AVOID “SCREAMING” IN TYPED MESSAGES – Typing an entire message using all capital letters is known
as “screaming”. It is distracting and generally frowned upon in professional environments. It is better to draw
emphasis to selected words or phrases by: using italic or bold text; using a different color for text or
background color; or denoting emphasis using special characters (Example: **Important**).

PROOFREAD YOUR MESSAGES BEFORE SENDING THEM – Proofreading your

messages before you send them is a best practice for effective and efficient communication. Strive to make
your communications concise and free of any:
• Spelling and grammar errors
• Confusing terms or phrases that could be misunderstood
• Errors of omission, such as missing content or recipients
• Errors in accuracy of information
EXERCISE GOOD JUDGMENT WHEN SHARING INFORMATION WITH OTHERS ONLINE – E-mail and
chat messages that you send or receive are considered private and should not be forwarded or copied to
others without gaining the consent of all involved participants. In general, messages posted to discussion
boards and social media sites can be read by the public. You may never know who might read or share what
you post. It is a good practice to always ask a post’s author for permission before sharing a post with other
parties.
• To protect your privacy and safety, do not share online any sensitive personal information such as:
- Your home address or phone number
- Personal conversations
- Social plans, such as vacations
- Financial information
- Usernames, passwords, or hints
- Anything personal that you would not want shared by others over the Internet

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 • If the material you share with others online came from another source, make every effort to gain
permission from the original author or copyright holder. Copying someone else's work and passing
it off as your own is plagiarism. It damages your reputation and could subject you to serious academic
and legal consequences.

RESPECT DIVERSITY IN VIEWPOINTS - Be constructive and respectful when sharing

opinions, beliefs, and criticisms, or responding to those of others in the conversation.
• When sharing a viewpoint that differs from someone else’s, it is a best practice to first acknowledge
the other person by briefly restating what he or she said, but in your own words. This lets the person
know that you are listening and trying to understand them.
• When presenting an opinion or criticism, it is helpful to use phrases that identify to whose point of
view you are referring. If the opinion is yours, you can begin with the phrase “In my experience” or
“In my opinion”. If it is a viewpoint of someone else, make sure you identify that in your message
(Example: “According to Eric Ericson,” or “The president believes”).

The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

Introduction
The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics, established by the Computer Ethics Institute, serve
as guidelines to promote responsible and ethical behavior when using computers and technology. These
commandments address various aspects of ethical computing, including privacy, respect, responsibility, and
the consequences of unethical actions. Understanding these principles helps IT students develop a strong
ethical foundation in their professional and personal use of technology

The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
o This commandment prohibits using technology to inflict harm on others, whether through
cyberbullying, hacking, spreading viruses, or other malicious activities. Computers should
be used as tools to enhance productivity and communication, not as weapons to cause
damage.
o Example: Using a computer to harass someone online, engage in cyberstalking, or creating
malware violates this ethical rule. Individuals must ensure that their online actions do not
contribute to psychological harm or financial losses for others.
2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people’s computer work.
o Avoid disrupting, sabotaging, or altering others' digital tasks, whether intentionally or
accidentally. Every individual has the right to work efficiently without external disruptions.

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 o Example: Deleting someone else’s work, launching DoS (Denial of Service) attacks, or
manipulating files without permission. This applies to students tampering with classmates'
assignments or IT professionals disrupting business operations.
3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people’s computer files.
o Unauthorized access to someone’s personal or professional data is unethical and often
illegal. Respecting others' digital privacy is crucial in maintaining trust and security.
o Example: Hacking into someone's email, accessing confidential files without permission, or
spying on private messages. Even casually checking someone’s phone or work files without
consent violates privacy rights.
4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
o Theft in the digital world includes stealing money, intellectual property, and personal
information. Engaging in fraudulent activities through computer systems is both unethical
and punishable by law.
o Example: Pirating software, hacking into bank accounts, engaging in identity theft, or
stealing customer data from business databases. These crimes can lead to severe financial
and legal repercussions.
5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
o The internet is often misused to spread misinformation, defame individuals, and commit
fraud. Ethical computer usage demands honesty and integrity in all online interactions.
o Example: Posting false reviews to damage a competitor’s reputation, spreading fake news,
or forging documents using digital tools. Digital users should verify information before
sharing it and avoid participating in online deception.
6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid.
o Copyright infringement is a serious issue in the digital world. Using or distributing
unauthorized copies of software violates intellectual property rights and can harm software
developers and companies.
o Example: Downloading cracked software, using unlicensed copies of Microsoft Office, or
illegally streaming movies and music. Respecting intellectual property laws supports
innovation and fairness in the digital industry.
7. Thou shalt not use other people’s computer resources without authorization or proper
compensation.
o Unauthorized use of computing resources, such as company servers, bandwidth, or cloud
services, is unethical. Accessing digital assets without permission can compromise security
and result in financial losses.

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 o Example: Using someone else’s Wi-Fi without permission, accessing corporate data
systems without approval, or exploiting cloud services meant for paid users. Ethical
computing ensures fair and responsible use of digital resources.
8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people’s intellectual output.
o Plagiarism and intellectual property theft are unethical and can have legal consequences.
Digital users should always give proper credit to the original creators of content, software,
and research.
o Example: Copying and pasting content from the internet without credit, using someone else's
code without permission, or publishing someone else's work as your own. Ethical behavior
involves properly citing sources and seeking permission when necessary.
9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you write or the system you
design.
o Consideration of social and ethical implications is crucial for IT professionals. Technology
should be developed and implemented responsibly to prevent harm and promote positive
societal impacts.
o Example: A software developer should ensure that their program does not promote
discrimination, privacy invasion, or unethical surveillance. Social media algorithms should
be designed to prevent misinformation and ensure fair representation.
10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for fellow
humans.
• Digital interactions should be respectful, uphold human dignity, and encourage positive engagement.
Avoiding hate speech, cyberbullying, and unethical online behavior is essential for fostering a safe
online community.
• Example: Engaging in constructive discussions instead of online harassment, supporting inclusivity
in tech communities, and promoting responsible social media use.

Cybercrimes
What is Cyber?
It is the Characteristics of the culture of computers, information, technology and virtual reality.

Cybercrime is defined as a crime in which a computer is the object of the crime (hacking, phishing, spamming
and child pornography) is used as a tool to commit an offense.
Cybercriminals may use computer technology to access personal information, business trade secrets or
use the internet for exploitative or malicious purposes.

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Republic Act No. 10175 Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is a law in the Philippines approved on
September 12,2012 which aims to address legal issues concerning online interactions and internet.
Republic Act No. 10173 Data Privacy Act of 2012 is an act protecting individual personal information.

COMMON FORMS OF CYBERCRIMES:

a. Copyright
The exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary,
artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same.
Copyright infringement is the violation, piracy or theft of a copyright holder's exclusive rights through the
unauthorized use of a copyrighted material or work.

b. Plagiarism
An act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without
authorization.

c. Computer Addiction
• Offline: generally used when speaking about excessive gaming behavior, which can be practiced both offline
and online.
• Online: Also known as “Internet Addiction”, gets more attention in general from scientific research than
offline computer addiction, mainly because most cases of computer addiction are related to the excessive
use of the Internet.
*Virtual Self -The persona you create about yourself virtually.

CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES
a. Hacking
• Unauthorized access of or interference with computer systems, servers, or other information and
communication systems
• Unauthorized access to corrupt, alter, steal, or destroy electronic data using computers or other information
and communication systems without the computer or system owner’s knowledge and consent
• The introduction of computer viruses resulting in the corruption, alteration, theft, or loss of such data

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• Illegal Access
• Illegal Interception
• Data Interference
• System Interference
• Misuse of Devices
• Infection of IT Systems with Malware – if the act is committed against critical infrastructure of the Philippines
the, penalty is between 12-20 years reclusion temporal
• Six years up to twelve years of imprisonment also known as prison mayor.

b. Computer-related forgery, fraud and/or identity theft

• An attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit
card details and (indirectly money), often for malicious reasons.
• Phishing
• Pharming
• Spam
• Maximum of Php 200,000 fine or prison mayor

c. Electronic theft
• Illegal Downloading
• Obtaining files that you do not have the right to use from the internet.
• Digital Piracy
• Practice of illegally copying and selling digital music, video, computer software, etc.
• Copyright Infringement
• Penalty of Php 50,000 – 500, 000 and or prison mayor

d. Cyberbullying
• The use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending a message
of an intimidating or threatening nature.

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• The Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (RA 10627)

e. Cybersex
• Willful engagement, maintenance, control, or operation, directly or indirectly of any
lascivious exhibition of sexual organs or sexual activity with the aid of a computer
system for favor or consideration.
• There is a discussion on this matter if it involves “couples” or “people in relationship”
who engage in cybersex.
• Penalty at least Php 200,000 and or prison mayor

f. Child Pornography
• Is a form of child sexual exploitation.
• Unlawful or prohibited acts defined and punishable by Republic Act No. 9775 or the Anti- Child Pornography
Act of 2009, committed through a computer system.
• Penalty of 12-20 years of imprisonment or reclusion temporal
g. Cyber Defamation
• Is an unprivileged false statement of fact which tends to harm the reputation of a person or company.
• Penalty of 6-12 years of imprisonment or prison mayor.

Internet Threats

Hacking
Hacking is a term used to describe actions taken by someone to gain unauthorized access to a computer.
The availability of information online on the tools, techniques, and malware makes it easier for even non-
technical people to undertake malicious activities.
The process by which cyber criminals gain access to your computer.

What it can do:

• Find weaknesses (or pre-existing bugs) in your security settings and exploit them in order to access your
information.

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• Install a Trojan horse, providing a back door for hackers to enter and search for your information.

Malware
Malware is one of the more common ways to infiltrate or damage your computer.
Malicious software that infects your computer, such as computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware,
and adware.

What it can do:

• Intimidate you with scareware, which is usually a pop-up message that tells you your computer has a
security problem or other false information.
• Reformat the hard drive of your computer causing you to lose all your information.
• Alter or delete files.
• Steal sensitive information.
• Send emails on your behalf.
• Take control of your computer and all the software running on it.

Pharming
Pharming is a common type of online fraud.
A means to point you to a malicious and illegitimate website by redirecting the legitimate URL. Even if the
URL is entered correctly, it can still be redirected to a fake website.

What it can do:

• Convince you that the site is real and legitimate by spoofing or looking almost identical to the actual site
down to the smallest details. You may enter your personal information and unknowingly give it to someone
with malicious intent.

Phishing
Phishing is used most often by cyber criminals because it's easy to execute and can produce the results
they're looking for with very little effort.
Fake emails, text messages and websites created to look like they're from authentic companies. They're sent
by criminals to steal personal and financial information from you. This is also known as “spoofing”.
What it does:

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• Trick you into giving them information by asking you to update, validate or confirm your
account. It is often presented in a manner than seems official and intimidating, to
encourage you to take action.
• Provides cyber criminals with your username and passwords so that they can access your accounts (your
online bank account, shopping accounts, etc.) and steal your credit card numbers.

Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malware that restricts access to your computer or your files and displays a message
that demands payment in order for the restriction to be removed. The two most common means of infection
appear to be phishing emails that contain malicious attachments and website pop-up advertisements.
What it can do:
• There are two common types of ransomware:
• Lockscreen ransomware: displays an image that prevents you from accessing your computer
• Encryption ransomware: encrypts files on your system's hard drive and sometimes on
shared network drives, USB drives, external hard drives, and even some cloud storage drives, preventing
you from opening them
• Ransomware will display a notification stating that your computer or data have been locked and demanding
a payment be made for you to regain access. Sometimes the notification states that authorities have detected
illegal activity on your computer, and that the payment is a fine to avoid prosecution.

What you can do:

• Do not pay the ransom. These threats are meant to scare and intimidate you, and they do not come from a
law enforcement agency. Even if you submit payment, there is no guarantee that you will regain access to
your system.
• If your computer has been infected (i.e. you are unable to access your computer or your files have been
encrypted), contact a reputable computer technician or specialist to find out whether your computer can be
repaired and your data retrieved.
• In order to lessen the impact of a ransomware infection, be sure to regularly back-up your data with a
removable external storage drive. It's possible that your files might be irretrievable; having an up-to-date
backup could be invaluable.

Spam

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Spam is one of the more common methods of both sending information out and collecting it from
unsuspecting people.
The mass distribution of unsolicited messages, advertising or pornography to addresses which can be easily
found on the Internet through things like social networking sites, company websites and personal blogs.
What it can do:
• Annoy you with unwanted junk mail.
• Create a burden for communications service providers and businesses to filter electronic messages.
• Phish for your information by tricking you into following links or entering details with too good- to-be-true
offers and promotions.
• Provide a vehicle for malware, scams, fraud and threats to your privacy.

Spyware (Spyware & Adware)

Spyware and adware are often used by third parties to infiltrate your computer.
What it is:
Software that collects personal information about you without you knowing. They often come in the form of a
‘free' download and are installed automatically with or without your consent. These are difficult to remove and
can infect your computer with viruses.
What it can do:
• Collect information about you without you knowing about it and give it to third parties.
• Send your usernames, passwords, surfing habits, list of applications you've downloaded, settings, and even
the version of your operating system to third parties.
• Change the way your computer runs without your knowledge.
• Take you to unwanted sites or inundate you with uncontrollable pop-up ads.

Trojan Horses
A Trojan horse may not be a term you're familiar with, but there's a good chance you or someone you know
has been affected by one.
A malicious program that is disguised as, or embedded within, legitimate software.
It is an executable file that will install itself and run automatically once it's downloaded.
What it can do:
• Delete your files.

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• Use your computer to hack other computers.
• Watch you through your web cam.
• Log your keystrokes (such as a credit card number you entered in an online purchase).
• Record usernames, passwords and other personal information.

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 2nd Semester, A.Y. 2024-2025
MODULE 2
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL CHANGES

I. Objectives
At the end of this module, learners are expected to:
• Identify what are the current and emerging trends in technology;
• Understand how technology affects culture and society trough through the different advancements in
technology;
• Asses the positive and negative effects of said advancement
• Explain the role of ICT in social change.

II. Lecture

Internet of Things
The "Internet of things" (IoT) is becoming an increasingly growing topic of conversation both in the workplace
and outside of it. It's a concept that not only has the potential to impact how we live but also how we work.
But what exactly is the "Internet of things" and what impact is it going to have on you, if any?

Lightbulbs, along with refrigerators, coffee makers, microwave ovens, baby monitors, security cameras,
speakers, televisions, and thermostats have, in the past few decades, transformed from ordinary objects into
conduits for the future. Embedded with sensors that see, hear, and touch the world around them, they can
turn physical information into digital data. Collectively, these devices — and there are billions of them around
the world—make up the “internet of things.”

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Just about anything with network connectivity belongs to the internet of things, from security cameras and
speakers to smart watches and denim jackets. In the “smart home,” these internets enabled gadgets liberate
us from our chores, give us back some of our time, and add a dash of novelty to ordinary experiences.
(“Alexa, turn on the disco lights.”) But the internet of things is about more than just using your voice to preheat
the oven or using your phone to turn off the lights.
The real promise of the internet of things is making our physical surroundings accessible to our digital
computers, putting sensors on everything in the world and translating it into a digital format.
Internet-connected objects could be the key to unlocking predictions about everything from consumer
behavior to climate events, but those same objects could invite hackers into personal spaces and leak
intimate data. Depending on who you ask, the growing internet of things either represents the promise of
technology—the thing that will reinvent modern life as we know it—or that which will be our technological
undoing.

How IoT works

An IoT ecosystem consists of web-enabled smart devices that use embedded systems, such as processors,
sensors and communication hardware, to collect, send and act on data they acquire from their environments.
IoT devices share the sensor data they collect by connecting to an IoT gateway or other edge device where
data is either sent to the cloud to be analyzed or analyzed locally. Sometimes, these devices communicate
with other related devices and act on the information they get from one another. The devices do most of the
work without human intervention, although people can interact with the devices -- for instance, to set them
up, give them instructions or access the data.

The connectivity, networking and communication protocols used with these web-enabled devices largely
depend on the specific IoT applications deployed.
IoT can also make use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to aid in making data collecting
processes easier and more dynamic.

Why IoT is important

The internet of things helps people live and work smarter, as well as gain complete control over their lives.
In addition to offering smart devices to automate homes, IoT is essential to business. IoT provides businesses
with a real-time look into how their systems really work, delivering insights into everything from the
performance of machines to supply chain and logistics operations.
IoT enables companies to automate processes and reduce labor costs. It also cuts down on waste and
improves service delivery, making it less expensive to manufacture and deliver goods, as well as offering
transparency into customer transactions. As such, IoT is one of the most important technologies of everyday
life, and it will continue to pick up steam as more businesses realize the potential of connected devices to
keep them competitive.

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How Does This Impact You?
The new rule for the future is going to be, "Anything that can be connected, will be connected." But why on
earth would you want so many connected devices talking to each other? There are many examples for what
this might look like or what the potential value might be. Say for example you are on your way to a meeting;
your car could have access to your calendar and already know the best route to take. If the traffic is heavy
your car might send a text to the other party notifying them that you will be late. What if your alarm clock
wakes up you at 6 a.m. and then notifies your coffee maker to start brewing coffee for you? What if your office
equipment knew when it was running low on supplies and automatically re-ordered more? What if the
wearable device you used in the workplace could tell you when and where you were most active and
productive and shared that information with other devices that you used while working?
On a broader scale, the IoT can be applied to things like transportation networks: "smart cities" which can
help us reduce waste and improve efficiency for things such as energy use; this helping us understand and
improve how we work and live. The reality is that the IoT allows for virtually endless opportunities and
connections to take place, many of which we can't even think of or fully understand the impact of today.

IoT Through the Years

1990
John Romkey creates the first IoT device: a toaster that he controls with his computer

1999
Kevin Ashton coins the term “internet of things” to describe the eyes and ears of a computer

2000
LG introduces its first connected refrigerator with a $20,000 pricetag

2008
The world’s first IoT conference is held in Zurich, Switzerland

2010
Tony Fadell founds Nest, maker of the smart thermostat

2013
Oxford Dictionary adds the term “internet of things”

2014
Amazon introduces the Echo speaker, along with the Alexa voice assistant—a new way to control the smart
home
2016
The Mirai botnet infects over 600,000 IoT devices with malware

2020
The number of internet-connected devices, by some estimates, exceeds 20 billion

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IoT benefits to organizations
The internet of things offers several benefits to organizations. Some benefits are industry-specific, and
some are applicable across multiple industries. Some of the common benefits of IoT enable businesses to:
• monitor their overall business processes;
• improve the customer experience;
• save time and money;
• enhance employee productivity;
• integrate and adapt business models;
• make better business decisions; and
• generate more revenue.

IoT encourages companies to rethink the ways they approach their businesses and gives them the tools to
improve their business strategies.
Generally, IoT is most abundant in manufacturing, transportation and utility organizations, making use of
sensors and other IoT devices; however, it has also found use cases for organizations within the agriculture,
infrastructure and home automation industries, leading some organizations toward digital transformation.

IoT can benefit farmers in agriculture by making their job easier. Sensors can collect data on rainfall, humidity,
temperature and soil content, as well as other factors, that would help automate farming techniques.

The ability to monitor operations surrounding infrastructure is also a factor that IoT can help with.

Sensors, for example, could be used to monitor events or changes within structural buildings, bridges and
other infrastructure. This brings benefits with it, such as cost saving, saved time, quality-of-life workflow
changes and paperless workflow.

A home automation business can utilize IoT to monitor and manipulate mechanical and electrical systems in
a building. On a broader scale, smart cities can help citizens reduce waste and energy consumption.

IoT touches every industry, including businesses within healthcare, finance, retail and manufacturing.

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Pros and cons of IoT

Advantages of IoT
• ability to access information from anywhere at any time on any device;
• improved communication between connected electronic devices;
• transferring data packets over a connected network saving time and money; and
• automating tasks helping to improve the quality of a business's services and reducing the need for human
intervention.

Disadvantages of IoT
• As the number of connected devices increases and more information is shared between devices, the
potential that a hacker could steal confidential information also increases.
• Enterprises may eventually have to deal with massive numbers -- maybe even millions – of IoT devices,
and collecting and managing the data from all those devices will be challenging.
• If there's a bug in the system, it's likely that every connected device will become corrupted.
• Since there's no international standard of compatibility for IoT, it's difficult for devices from different
manufacturers to communicate with each other.

Consumer and enterprise IoT applications

There are numerous real-world applications of the internet of things, ranging from consumer IoT and
enterprise IoT to manufacturing and industrial IoT (IIoT). IoT applications span numerous verticals, including
automotive, telecom and energy.
In the consumer segment, for example, smart homes that are equipped with smart thermostats, smart
appliances and connected heating, lighting and electronic devices can be controlled remotely via computers
and smartphones.
Wearable devices with sensors and software can collect and analyze user data, sending messages to other
technologies about the users with the aim of making users' lives easier and more comfortable. Wearable
devices are also used for public safety -- for example, improving first responders' response times during
emergencies by providing optimized routes to a location or by tracking construction workers' or firefighters'
vital signs at life-threatening sites.
In healthcare, IoT offers many benefits, including the ability to monitor patients more closely using an analysis
of the data that's generated. Hospitals often use IoT systems to complete tasks such as inventory
management for both pharmaceuticals and medical instruments.

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Smart buildings can, for instance, reduce energy costs using sensors that detect how many occupants are in
a room. The temperature can adjust automatically -- for example, turning the air conditioner on if sensors
detect a conference room is full or turning the heat down if everyone in the office has gone home.

In agriculture, IoT-based smart farming systems can help monitor, for instance, light, temperature, humidity
and soil moisture of crop fields using connected sensors. IoT is also instrumental in automating irrigation
systems.

In a smart city, IoT sensors and deployments, such as smart streetlights and smart meters, can help alleviate
traffic, conserve energy, monitor and address environmental concerns, and improve sanitation.

IoT security and privacy issues

The internet of things brings all the benefits of the internet to items like lightbulbs and thermostats, but it
brings all the problems of the internet, too. Now that people have their speakers, television sets, refrigerators,
alarm clocks, toothbrushes, light bulbs, doorbells, baby monitors, and security cameras connected to the Wi-
Fi, nearly every device in the house can be compromised, or rendered useless. Consider the whims of
internet connectivity: When your Wi-Fi goes down, so do your devices. Router problems? That means you
can’t turn on the heat with your smart thermostat or unlock your smart door lock. Things that used to be easy
become potentially faulty, if not impossible, when they require an Alexa command or a smartphone control
rather than a physical button. Many of these devices also run on proprietary software—meaning, if their
manufacturer goes bunk, gets sold, or stops issuing software updates, your clever little gadget becomes a
useless hunk of plastic.

Risk of bricking aside, connecting things to the internet also leaves those objects, and everything else on
your Wi-Fi network, more vulnerable to hackers. Laura DeNardis, in her recent book The Internet in
Everything, has called this threat to cybersecurity the greatest human rights issue of our time. The risk isn’t
just that some prankster breaks into your smart washing machine and upsets the spin cycle, or that your Nest
camera gets hijacked with a message to subscribe to PewDiePie’s YouTube channel. (Yes, that really
happened.) A hacked smart lock means someone can open your front door. Hack into enough smart water
heaters and you can send a city into a massive blackout. And one vulnerable device can compromise the
whole network. As WIRED’s Lily Hay Newman points out , “IoT devices have been conscripted into massive
botnets, compromised for nation-state reconnaissance, hacked to mine cryptocurrency, and manipulated in
assaults on power grids.”

The threat to internet-connected devices comes not just because they’re connected to the internet, but
because device manufacturers have not always designed their products with security as a priority. In 2016,
malware called Mirai exploited these kinds of vulnerabilities in over 600,000 IoT devices to create a massive

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distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. The following year, an attack called Krack infected nearly every
internet-connected device connected to Wi-Fi. The attack was crippling and difficult to defend against, in part
because the internet of things runs on so many disparate operating systems. When a phone or a computer
gets hit with a virus, software makers are generally quick to issue a patch. But things like routers or internet-
connected doorbells don’t usually receive software updates needed to protect against vulnerabilities, and
many of them weren’t built with the same kind of security protocols as computers. After the Krack attack, one
security researcher predicted that we would stitll “find vulnerable devices 20 years from now.”

Then there’s the question of privacy. If cameras and microphones are studded around your home, they are
definitely watching and listening to you. Everything in the internet of things collects data— and all that data
has value. In a recent study, researchers found that 72 of the 81 IoT devices they surveyed had shared data
with a third party unrelated to the original manufacturer. That means the finer details of your personal life—
as depicted by your smart toothbrush, your smart TV, or your smart speaker—can be repackaged and sold
to someone else. Google and Apple both admitted, last year, that the recordings captured by their smart
speakers are reviewed by contractors, including awkward and intimate snippets of audio. Amazon has
partnerships with over 400 police departments, who use the footage from its Ring doorbell cameras to keep
watch on neighborhoods. An ever-expanding internet of things doesn’t just have consequences for personal
privacy. It can create a network of computer eyes and ears everywhere we go. Because IoT devices are
closely connected, all a hacker has to do is exploit one vulnerability to manipulate all the data, rendering it
unusable. Manufacturers that don't update their devices regularly -- or at all -- leave them vulnerable to
cybercriminals.

Additionally, connected devices often ask users to input their personal information, including names, ages,
addresses, phone numbers and even social media accounts -- information that's invaluable to hackers.
Hackers aren't the only threat to the internet of things; privacy is another major concern for IoT users. For
instance, companies that make and distribute consumer IoT devices could use those devices to obtain and
sell users' personal data.
Beyond leaking personal data, IoT poses a risk to critical infrastructure, including electricity, transportation
and financial services.

The Future of the Internet of Things

One day, the internet of things will become the internet of everything. The objects in our world might sense
and react to us individually all the time, so that a smart thermostat automatically adjusts based on your body
temperature or the house automatically locks itself when you get into bed. Your clothes might come with
connected sensors, too, so that the things around you can respond to your movements in real time. That’s
already starting to happen: In 2017, Google announced Project Jacquard, an effort to create the connected
wardrobe of the future.

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Current Trends and Emerging Technologies
Current Trends in Information Technology
The latest technology methods and best practices of 2019 will primarily stem from current trends in
information technology. Advancements in IT systems relate to what the industry is leaning toward or
disregarding now. Information technology is advancing so rapidly that new developments are quickly
replacing current projections.

A. CLOUD COMPUTING
B. MOBILE COMPUTING AND APPLICATIONS
C. BIG DATA ANALYTICS
D. AUTOMATION

Emerging Trends in Information Technology

Trends in information technology emerging in 2019 are new and innovative ways for the industry to grow.
These movements in information technology are the areas expected to generate revenue and increase
demand for IT jobs. Pay attention to these technological changes and unique products that enhance business
operations
a. Artificial Intelligence and Smart Machines

What is Artificial Intelligence?

According to Encyclopedia, Artificial intelligence (AI), is the ability of a digital computer or computer-
controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. The term is frequently applied
to the project of developing systems endowed with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such
as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience.

b. Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR), the use of computer modeling and simulation that enables a person to interact with an
artificial three-dimensional (3-D) visual or another sensory environment. VR applications immerse the user
in a computer-generated environment that simulates reality through the use of interactive devices, which
send and receive information and are worn as goggles, headsets, gloves, or body suits.

c. Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is a more versatile and practical version of virtual reality, as it does not fully immerse
individuals in an experience. Augmented reality features interactive scenarios that enhance the real world
with images and sounds that create an altered experience.

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d. Blockchain Data
Blockchain data, like the new cryptocurrency Bitcoin, is a secure method that will continue to grow in
popularity and use in 2019.

e. Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging movement of products with integrated Wi-Fi and network
connectivity abilities.

f. 5G
5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is a new global wireless standard after 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G
networks. 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything
together including machines, objects, and devices.

5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra low latency, more
reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more
users. Higher performance and improved efficiency empower new user experiences and connects new
industries.

5G is a unified, more capable air interface. It has been designed with an extended capacity to enable next-
generation user experiences, empower new deployment models and deliver new services. With high speeds,
superior reliability and negligible latency, 5G will expand the mobile ecosystem into new realms. 5G will
impact every industry, making safer transportation, remote healthcare, precision agriculture, digitized logistics
— and more — a reality. Broadly speaking, 5G is used across three main types of connected services,
including enhanced mobile broadband, mission-critical communications, and the massive IoT. A defining
capability of 5G is that it is designed for forward compatibility—the ability to flexibly support future services
that are unknown today. Enhanced mobile broadband In addition to making our smartphones better, 5G
mobile technology can usher in new immersive experiences such as VR and AR with faster, more uniform
data rates, lower latency, and lower cost- per-bit. Mission-critical communications 5G can enable new
services that can transform industries with ultra-reliable, available, low-latency links like remote control of
critical infrastructure, vehicles, and medical procedures. Massive IoT 5G is meant to seamlessly connect a
massive number of embedded sensors in virtually everything through the ability to scale down in data rates,
power, and mobility—providing extremely lean and low-cost connectivity solutions.

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