Unit Outcomes:

Discover appropriate cybersecurity standards.

Relate cyber risk or vulnerability with effective security solution.

Course Outcomes:

IT537-4: Relate cybersecurity risk or vulnerabilities to effective security solutions.

Professional Competency:

PC-6.1: Incorporate data, inferences, and reasoning to solve problems.

Scenario:

The application of encryption to sensitive data and PII is well known for typical applications, such as databases, containing customer or patient data. Not as well-known is the growing need for encryption of cellular traffic. Older 2G/3G cellular networks used telecom-grade technologies that were not as well understood as IP-based networks and which deployed encryption at the radio network layer. In a modern LTE cellular network, IP-based backhaul traffic is typically unencrypted and frequently uses the public Internet for transportation between base stations.

Instructions:

Following the process described in the “Conducting Research”, write a 5–6-page research paper that examines a minimum of three methods for securing LTE traffic through the use of encryption. Be sure to expand on particular vulnerabilities of LTE traffic that travels across an all IP-based backhaul and specifically address the encryption solutions to those vulnerabilities, as well as possible costs or disadvantages associated with those solutions. The minimum page count is 5–6 pages (excluding cover page, etc.). If you require more pages to thoroughly defend your position, feel free to include them.

Your paper should use Times New Roman 12-point font, be double spaced, and use correct APA formatting (cover page, table of contents, abstract, and reference page). Be sure to use proper APA in-text citations that match your reference list.

A minimum of three peer-reviewed articles should be used to support your narrative in the research paper. Use the Library to search for supporting articles and use the “peer reviewed” filter to find the appropriate material. You may also use additional material, such as trade magazine articles, but avoid Wikipedia.

In accordance with the Academic Integrity policy, your Assignment will be automatically submitted to TurnItIn (see http://turnitin.com/en_us/features/originalitycheck). The policy states that papers submitted for credit in any course should contain less than 25% non-original material, so avoid large sections of direct quotes and be sure that you use APA formatting to properly cite and reference all non-original material.

No more than one figure and/or one table should be included and any figures or tables used must clearly support a specific point of the critical analysis. Any figure or table must use an APA formatted figure or table caption.

Project Requirements:

The research paper follows the Writing Guide requirements and establishes a main point or position, uses a minimum of three peer-reviewed sources in support of that position, and provides a clearly worded conclusion.

The essay is 5–6 pages of content (excluding cover sheet, etc.) and uses Times New Roman 12-point font, is double spaced, and uses correct APA formatting (cover page, table of contents, abstract, and reference page).

No more than one figure and/or table in the content.

No spelling errors.

No grammar errors.

No APA errors.