Computing Stories Analysis: Actor Network Theory and Cyber Security

This report provides an analysis of two computing stories, focusing on the application of Actor Network Theory (ANT). The first story examines the persistent failures of businesses to learn from past cyber-attacks, highlighting the role of actants such as phishing, malware, and human error, and actors including organizations. The analysis reveals that businesses often lack basic defenses and fail to prioritize user security awareness. The second story explores the future of information, emphasizing the importance of investments in cloud computing, cyber security, and big data. The report discusses how these technologies are interconnected and how investors and companies are utilizing them. The conclusion emphasizes the relevance of ANT in understanding the interactions between human and non-human entities within computing systems and stresses the importance of maintaining robust security systems to protect information.

INTRODUCTION TO
COMPUTING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................3
Actor Network Theory and its relevancy...............................................................................3
Two computing stories...........................................................................................................3
Business failing to learn lessons of past cyber-attacks, report shows.......................................3
The Future of Information: Linking Cloud, Cyber security and Big Data Investment..............5
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Computing can be defined as a process which mainly gets benefits and processed
through several algorithmic processes. The whole process and business operations take place
with the use of different computers. It can be done with the help of carrying out a general
device known as computer (Shackelford and Andres, 2010). For the same, it is highly
essential to manage different types of information on the basis of and structuring the
hardware and software system. Computing must involve some form of a computer system on
the basis of appropriate structuring can be made. In this regards, the present study is based on
the two computing stories published anytime between 1/02/2016 to 15/4/2016. These stories
are being analysed by using Actor Network Theories. Further, this essay helps in gaining
proper understanding about modern computing which does not act in isolation. It also
provides appropriate description about the actants and actors of the stories and how they
acting upon other actants in assemblage.
Actor Network Theory and its relevancy
Actor network theory (ANT) is becoming quite common concern among the
information systems. It can be define as an approach to social theory under which all objects
have been treated as a part of social network (Latour, 2011). ANT is associated with the
capacity of nonhumans to act or participate in system or network as well. In addition to this,
it can be determine that ANT is a constructive approach which mainly avoids any type of
explanation for all new innovations. One of the most common aspects of this theory is just
the contradiction between the human and non-human entities. The major different between
actor and actants is that actor is an entity that could be human while on the other hand,
actants is non-human actor (Tsagourias, 2012).
In order to present this theory more appropriately two views can be presented. In this,
the first view shows the network of actors for a particular time refereed as a network theory
model. On the other hand, the second view shows the dynamics nature of the actor network.
In this regard, it can be stated that within ANT actors can presented in the form of human,
technology as well as intangible actors (Brown, Chui and Manyika, 2011).
Two computing stories
Business failing to learn lessons of past cyber-attacks, report shows
It has been clearly identified that organizations are still facing several issues related to
the security as well as other well-known attacks. Here actants basic security attacks and

issues while actors are organizations (Katal, Wazid and Goudar, 2013). All such type of
attacks is non-human entity and it is being presented in the form of security threats such as
malware, phishing attacks, viruses, hacking etc. On the other hand, the whole business runs
by the skilled and capable management team. However, they are addressing basic security
issues and fail to learn the lessons of past cyber-attacks. Further, it is becoming major
concern to remove all such threats in order to overcome maintain the work performance and
easily enhanced effective security in the systems.
From the past report of data breach investigation it has been founded that failing in
addressing security issues might leads to generate trust issues among consumers as well as
employees (Chen, Chiang and Storey, 2012). The analysis of 2260 breaches at almost 67
organizations in more than 82 countries presented that companies are not able to address the
basic issues and well known attack methods as well. These firms lack basic defences as
actants presented in the form of phishing and malware attacks. DBIR report presented that
most attacks exploit known vulnerabilities that organizations have never patched.
It is highly essential to overlook the user security awareness as companies are failing
to make their workers the first line of defence (Rabai and et.al, 2013). By carrying out this
awareness users are able to understand that they must overlook with the various security
controls. For the same, appropriate training sessions are required to organize by company so
that employees can understand the negative impacts from the act of actants. Through this,
workers are able to aware with the risks and they can alert security teams in case of having
any type of suspicious acts. Some of the most common acts of actants are phishing attack as
well as human error cause of the most attacks as well as rise of new attacks. In order to
overcome with phishing attack also it is essential to increase awareness as it could help in
reducing phishing. It might take place by the way of using fraudulent emails in order to steal
credentials or spread malware. This technique is amazingly effective and offers various
advantages for attackers. In addition to this, the actor might leads to take several precautions
and reduce phishing through user awareness training (Waxman, 2011). On the other hand, it
has been presented that human error accounts for the largest proportion of security incidents.
These errors involve several errors on the basis of which any type of sensitive information
can be send to wrong person and it can be misused easily. In addition to this, it can be stated
that there are various other types of issues which may come under the human errors such as
improper disposal of company information as well as misconfiguration of IT system. Due to
this, there is a rise of a new three-pronged attack act as a biggest actants (Dupont, 2013).
Under this, attackers send a phishing email with a link pointing to the malicious website. At

this time various credentials might get stolen and it can be used for any type of misuse and
further attacks as well.
Moreover, this whole story clearly presented that businesses are not able to identify
appropriate measures from past security attacks. They do not take it so serious and does not
even learn anything from their past attacks (Buchan, 2012). Meanwhile, it can be determine
that time between compromises and discovery of a data breach is growing day by day and
firms are fail to learn lessons from all such past attacks.
The Future of Information: Linking Cloud, Cyber security and Big Data
Investment
Investing in cyber security is becoming one of most crucial concern nowadays.
However, majority of firms are not investing appropriate amount to keep safe future of
information. In today’s information driven society it is highly essential for organizations to
make appropriate investments in cloud, cyber security as well as big data investment (Gandhi
and et.al, 2011). In this story actor is investors while actants are Cloud, Cyber security and
Big Data services. There are various solutions which has been created an entirely new market
for bug data. Companies are actor as their whole management team works for providing
better solutions. With the help of using cloud all sensitive personal information as well as
financial records is being held. Big data is becoming a major source where further investment
and innovation take place.
This story clearly presented the importance of computing and stated that big data
needs cloud computing because it allows data canters to work in a similar manner to the
internet. It is the only way through which all resources can be accessed and shared as well. In
addition to this, all these advanced technologies have presented various opportunities in front
of investors. It has presented a best security options for all those firms which basically
delivers the security and storage in this sector (Katal, Wazid and Goudar, 2013). There are
various products of company which allows investors to identify their security risks within
their IT infrastructure and protecting them from cyber-attacks. However, sharing data on
cloud makes it easier for firms to maintain huge amount of data in an appropriate way. With
the help of all these services and appropriate security measures company can keep all their
customers sensitive data secure. As per this published report it has been founded that North
America was the largest market for cloud security in 2014 (Cloud Investing News, 2016). The
whole market is totally focused with the email and web security as well as system and
virtualization security.

In addition to this, it is being determined that there are just few companies that
develops the bound between cloud, cyber security as well as big data investment. In this
concern, investors are more and more likely to go through the appropriate investments in
these sectors.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been clearly articulated that ANT presented in the form
of assemblage where capacity of nonhumans to act or participate in system. It has been
clearly articulated with the help of two new stories on computing that it is highly essential to
maintain appropriate security systems within organizations. It is being identified that majority
of organizations are failing to learn lessons of past cyber-attacks. However, several
companies are making more investment in the use of different technologies such as cloud,
cyberspace as well as big data. It clearly presents the future of information and increasing
interest of people towards it.

REFERENCES
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Cloud Investing News. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
http://investingnews.com/daily/tech-investing/cybersecurity-investing/information-
cloud-cybersecurity-big-data/?nameplate_category=Cloud%20Investing. [Assessed on
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