Tech Topics: Connection

    
During the course of this instruction, I have had the opportunity to explore several different facets of the information technology (IT) landscape and to look into how I can best roll and merge my current background in the financial industry into a long career in the IT industry. One of the most basic components of this course has been to examine how to create and publish a blog that provides weekly updates about our chosen tech topics, highlighting the exciting information we have learned along the way, so we can integrate the material into a fully formed project by the end of the course. The Learning Styles of Tech 101 Blog that I have created will be discussed in this post, along with a quick summary of the weekly components that were used to facilitate the creation of the final project.

Beginning with the examination of Scratch and different programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, and others, I learned how Scratch was similar to interpreted languages like Python, and therefore, easier for me to understand. Next, a dive into the history of computers, including the Internet and the World Wide Web, garnered some amazing perspective on how we are advancing so quickly today. By delving into the history of computers, we saw that even before computers were in the form as we understand them to be now, early variations have been used for the financial industry to calculate money matters.

In the financial industry, application software such as word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet software can be particularly helpful for reporting and calculating large groups of numbers. Spreadsheets are integral to the financial industry, and an IT career in finance will certainly include many data sets, pivot tables, charts, and graphs that will require a minimum of word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software to be competitive within the marketplace. The raw data that is used to create the reports will need to be stored somewhere, of course…and that is where our database management comes into play. We can use data warehouses online to store large amounts of raw data that can then be filtered, sorted, collected, and analyzed with our specialty application software later. In finance, that is where each individual profile will be held, with transactional data, payment information, etc.

Tech Topic Discussion: Computer Viruses and Phishing: Understanding and Preventing Modern Threats

In today's digital world, protecting information systems is more critical than ever. Whether you are using a personal computer or managing an entire company network, technology is at the heart of nearly everything we do. However, with this reliance on technology comes the growing threat of cyberattacks, especially computer viruses and phishing scams. Understanding how these threats work and how to defend against them is essential for staying safe online.

What Are Computer Viruses?

A computer virus is malicious software (or "malware") that spreads from one device to another, often disrupting or damaging systems. According to CompTIA (2024), viruses come in many forms and serve various purposes, from simple vandalism and financial theft to attacks on critical infrastructure. These viruses often spread through infected files, software downloads, or email attachments.

Once inside a system, a virus can delete files, steal personal data, or altogether disable a computer. One infamous example is the “ILOVEYOU” virus, which caused billions of dollars in damages by using email vulnerabilities (Joshi & Patel, 2012).

Viruses have become more sophisticated in recent years. Modern threats can avoid detection, exploit cloud platforms, and use remote access tools (Bhardwaj & Patel, 2023). Symptoms of a virus infection may include slow computer performance, frequent pop-ups, missing files, or software that refuses to start.

How to Protect Against Viruses

Defending against viruses begins with installing reliable antivirus software. These programs scan your system for malicious activity and remove harmful files before they can do damage (Arinze et al., 2024, p.12). It is also essential to keep your operating system and all the software up to date to prevent attackers from exploiting outdated security flaws. Finally, safe online habits like avoiding suspicious links or downloads can significantly reduce risk.

What Is Phishing?

Phishing is another common cyber threat that relies on tricking people rather than exploiting software. These attacks usually involve fake emails or text messages designed to look like they come from legitimate sources, such as banks or trusted companies. The goal is to trick the user into clicking a malicious link or entering sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers.

According to Hoxhunt (2024), phishing attacks are becoming increasingly realistic and personalized, using specific details to build trust and mislead users.

How to Prevent Phishing Attacks

The most effective defense against phishing is user awareness. People should be trained to recognize warning signs, such as unfamiliar links, poor grammar, or requests for personal information. Another powerful tool is multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires users to verify their identity in multiple ways before logging in. Even if a hacker obtains your password, MFA can prevent unauthorized access.

Final Thoughts

Viruses and phishing are the most common and dangerous cyber threats today. They target the systems we rely on and the people who use them. By understanding these threats and taking proactive steps such as installing antivirus software, updating regularly, educating users, and enabling MFA, we can create a stronger defense against cybercrime.

Cybersecurity does not have to be complicated. With the proper training, knowledge, and tools, anyone can take steps to stay safe online.

References 

 

Arinze, E., & Agwu, C. (2024). Advancements in computer virus protection: From 

Origins to Future Trends. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385892274_Advancements_in_Computer_Virus_Protection_From_Origins_to_Future_Trends 

CompTIA (2024). CertMaster Learn Tech+ (sec. 4.2.4). Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). https://labsimapp.testout.com/ 

Hoxhunt. (2024). Phishing trends report: (Updated for 2025). 

https://hoxhunt.com/guide/phishing-trends-report 

Joshi, M., & Patel, B. (2012). Computer virus: Their Problems & Major at-tacks in Real 

Life. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274468580_Computer_Virus_Their_Problems_Major_attacks_in_Real_Life  

Computers in the Workplace (Banking/Technology)

The industry I have chosen is the technological side of the financial sector.  After spending 28 years in the banking industry, I have seen firsthand how many things have changed and how essential and critical computers have become in our daily routines. When I started, everything was manual: paper forms, face-to-face service, and filing. It’s all digital, with significant automation, from opening accounts to approving loans. Now, nearly everything is done on some form of technical device.

Over the past 4 years, I have also gained some basic knowledge in information technology within the financial industry, and it has helped open my eyes and allowed me to understand what goes on behind the scenes when keeping the business running efficiently and productively. Computers are not just hardware; they are the foundation of modern banking. Knowing how to handle or use computers is no longer optional for anyone in this field; it’s a must for anyone in this industry. Computers help keep everything running smoothly and securely. You do not have to be an expert, but you need to feel comfortable and confident using different software programs, learning new systems, and being aware of basic cybersecurity practices. Customers expect fast, reliable service, which only happens when the employees know how to adapt and use the technology.

Looking ahead to the future with technology, we will see even more changes. Computers will get faster, and systems will improve and become more efficient. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already used in fraud detection and chatbots to answer customer questions. In the next 10 years, AI will play an even bigger role in helping banks make decisions and serve customers more efficiently.

As explained in the chapter, our future with technology is a building block to unlocking impacts on the world that will rely more and more on technology. As someone who started in a paper-based world, it’s been a significant shift, but learning the tech side has been worth it. 

Traveling Through a Network: Pings & Traceroutes

I started by using the ping and traceroute commands for four websites, which provided valuable insight into how data packets travel through the Internet. These tools helped illustrate the paths and speeds at which packets travel from my computer worldwide. Interesting information that I experienced while engaging in this project is as follows:

The ping command tests connectivity and measures the time packets take to travel to a destination and back. When I pinged (Google.com), the response times were very low and consistent, indicating a close and efficient network route. On the other hand, pinging a website in Japan (Amazon.co.jp) showed higher latency, reflecting the greater physical distance and additional network infrastructure involved in reaching those destinations.

For the ping and traceroute statistics for each website:

Google.com ping Sent: 4, Received: 4, Lost: 0. (RTT) 27ms-36ms. Traceroute: 13 Hops, Request timeouts: 3, with a spike to 408ms at hop 2, and the final reached 25ms. 

Amazon.co.jp ping Sent: 4, Received: 4, Lost: 0. (RTT) 52ms-59ms. Traceroute: 18 Hops, Request timeouts: 12, final reached 52ms.

The traceroute command helped visualize the path packets took by showing each hop they passed. Traceroute to Lowes.com.au and Google showed fewer hops and lower latency between them, while traceroutes to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.co.jp included many more hops and greater delays between them. Traceroute to Amazon.co.jp, for instance, passed through multiple international connections before reaching its destination. Some hops along the route were timed out or did not return information, which can happen for several reasons, including firewalls or routers configured not to respond to ICMP requests.

These results show a direct relationship between round-trip time and geographical location. The farther away a destination server is, the more hops and longer it takes for a packet to reach and return from that server. However, other factors like network congestion and the number of intermediate routers also influence this time.

Both ping and traceroute are valuable tools for troubleshooting internet connectivity issues. Ping helps determine whether a host is reachable and how stable the connection is, while traceroute identifies where a connection might be failing or experiencing delays. For example, if a ping fails but the traceroute shows successful hops up to a certain point, the issue likely lies beyond that router. Alternatively, if the traceroute fails immediately, it could indicate a local network issue.

Two common reasons a ping or traceroute might time out or fail include:
1. Firewall settings that block ICMP requests are essential for both commands.
2. Router configurations that do not allow responses to traceroute hops or high network congestion that cause packet drops.

Therefore, this activity provided a clearer understanding of network operations and showed how essential these diagnostic tools are in managing and troubleshooting connectivity across the internet.

Ping Google

Traceroute Google

Ping Amazon.co.jp

Traceroute Amazon.co.jp