8. Cyberculture Manifestations

Within the past ten to fifteen years, the internet has greatly changed society.  The dependency of internet-based  functions has certainty increased.  A great population has become reliant on the internet for entertainment, knowledge, and communication.

Such things that have sprouted from this dependency on the interwebs are things such as blogs, memes, online games, social networking, and instant messaging.  While some of these manifestations are quite useful--social networking and communication--, some things face lesser meaningful value but are praised from users at a greater level.  The things known as memes are possibly the most idiotic fan-spread craze that has swept across the world wide web.  They are simply stupid repeated saying with stupid pictures.  And yet those are what's "popular" in the cyberculture.

As stated in a previous post, parents should restrict their children from certain parts of this culture.  The internet has a dark side consisting of porn, and sites that could lead to unsafe connections with people.  Not only is some content inappropriate, but I can say from experience that Internet use is like drug use.  Its habit forming.  People learn to communicate through this cyberculture but lose the ability to communicate face to face.  This cyberculture is a double-edged sword of wonderful things while other parts could be done without.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberculture#Manifestations_of_cyberculture

7. Wireless Networking Precautions

Wireless networking is wonderful.  One can go virtually anywhere with a wifi hotspot and be able to connect to the internet without being hard-wired into the modem.  There are two main wireless networks you should concern yourself with as well as take precautions with.  The first ones are private wireless networks which you will find in your home, or others homes, and workplaces.  To protect your computer and your information, always have an updated protection software on your computer to prevent viruses.  Also, keep all your passwords safe.  The best passwords are cryptic and hard to decipher.

The other type of wifi one can find are public wireless networks.  In public hotspots, there are chances that other users of the same public wireless network may have access to your information and what you are browsing.  The best way to prevent information being stolen is to avoid doing tasks that require use of credit card information or anything that involves your money or your personal information.  Also, it still important to keep that anti-virus protection.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/2916-43-security-precautions-accessing-public-wireless
http://kb.iu.edu/data/avat.html

6. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a system that is particularly useful for large companies.  The process of cloud computing and cloud storage is that information and software packages can be accessed through a a web-based system.  It is cost efficient because instead of all user's computers requiring its own package of a certain software or need more hardware to store information, the computers that are in charge of running the cloud network are the ones that need software and hardware.  General user's computers still have access to all the information and storage they need without all this stuff taking up their CPU's memory.

An example of cloud computing and storage are online e.mail engines such as aol or yahoo.  With these, users have access to all the data in their email without all that information being stored onto their own computer.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing/cloud-computing.htm

5. Parental Control Software

There are two sides of the internet.  The one side that is family friendly, educational, and entertaining. And the side that consists of online chatting with strangers, browsing and displaying inappropriate content, and the addiction to it all.

All this content is not preferred by parents to be subjected to their children.  That is why it is useful to look into parental control and filtering software.  These types of software restrict and monitor what kids browse on the internet. n With these types of software, parents can block inappropriate content, monitor who their children are talking to, and limit their children's amount of time online.  When looking into software of this kind, always aim for one that is tough against hackers, because today, many children are extremely tech savvy and can work their way around a block no problem.

Along with filtering certain content from children, parents should educate their kids to how to safely use the internet and what content that isn't exactly appropriate for younger audiences.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2346997,00.asp

4. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

They can track your dogs, they can track cattle, they can track...your groceries?  Yes my good folks! Yes, they sure can!  Radio Frequency Identification tags are like really smart universal bar codes.  Depending on the type of RFID tag it is, the item that is tagged can communicate with an electronic reader and even be detected and traced by satellites.  So far, these tags have been used to track cattle, track pets, and is even being looked into being used by the Department of Homeland Security.

One of the futures for this product is to replace UPCs.  Rather than scanning each product, the RFID tags would communicate with the electronic reader and be rung up instantaneously and simultaneously.  This method would prove to be more effective than the UPC system in place today.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/rfid.htm

3. Digital Image Steganography

Digital image steganography is a form of art.  Originating from Greek roots, the word steganography means "to cover tightly" and "writing."  Therefore, digital stegaongraphy is a message hidden in a digital format.  In its earlier forms in history, it was classified as cryptography and was written in code and ciphers.  Digital steganography is used in in many types of files such as graphics, HTML, sound files, video, and text.  ZThough the most prominent type of file one would would find steganography in is an image file.

On the computer, images are produced by precise coding of binary and hexidecimal patterns.  Also constructed by binary coding are letters, numbers, and all the characters one can find on a keyboard as well as special alt characters.  In the embedding of an images makeup, digital image steganographers can overlay certain codes and messages within an image.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-digital-steganography.htm#didyouknowout

2. Computer Forensics

Forensics is a science that consists of investigations of crime scenes by collecting data of the surrounding area of the crime.  This collected data becomes physical evidence to be used in a court room.  Computer forensics work the same way.  The process of computer forensics consist of techniques to be used to preserve and analyze information on computer systems to find potential evidence for a trial.

Evidence that can be proven to found useful are things such as who has been browsing what, what someone's latest activity was, and who they've been communicating with most recently.  Computer forensics investigators also have hacking ability to see if there are any files of interest that could be used in a particular case.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/computer-forensic.htm

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/computer-forensics