WEEK 1

Information technology (IT) is a general term that describes any technology that helps to
produce,
manipulate, store, communicate, and/or disseminate information. IT merges computing with
high-speed
communications links carrying data, sound, and video. 1
Examples:
Telephones, Televisions, Appliances , Various handheld devices
Two different parts of information technology:
Computer Technology - Programmable, multiuse machine that accepts data—raw facts and
figures—and
processes, or manipulates, it into information we can use 2
Communication Technology - Also called telecommunications technology , consists of
electromagnetic devices
and systems for communicating over long distances. Using a computer or some other
information device,
connected through a network, to access information and services from another computer or
information
device. A network is a communications system connecting two or more computers; the
internet is the largest
such network. 3
How is information technology being used in education?
E-mail – or Electronic mail, messages transmitted over a computer network, most often the
internet.
Course Management Software - for administering online assignments, schedules,
examinations, and grades.
Distance Learning – E-learning, an online education program
How are computers being used in health and medicine?
1. Medication and treatment

1 (n.d.). Chapter 1: Introduction to Information Technology: Your Digital .... Retrieved July
17, 2020, from
https://quizlet.com/125182394/chapter-1-introduction-to-information-technology-your-digital-
world-flash-cards/
2 (n.d.). A computer is a programmable multiuse machine .... Retrieved July 17, 2020, from
https://www.coursehero.com/file/p1tblug/A-computer-is-a-programmable-multiuse-machine-
hardwaresoftware-that-accepts/
3 (n.d.). EECS Chapter 1 Flashcards | Quizlet. Retrieved July 17, 2020, from
https://quizlet.com/17554618/eecs-chapter-1-flash-
cards/

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Healthcare professionals review and prescribe medications using electronic health records.
They also use apps
and software programs to manage patient records. This technology not only boosts staff
efficiency, but it also
helps to prevent human error.
After a medical facility has assigned an identification number to a patient, staff can retrieve
all information
about that patient from a secure database. Computers can also document treatment,
medication, and care
recommendations.
Mobile device apps help nurses update patient records using treatment and diagnostic
codes, as opposed to
whiteboards and paper charts.
2. Patient diagnosis
Doctors use computers to manage and record patient information, which can help them to
make a more
accurate diagnosis, especially if multiple doctors are working with the same patient.
Nurses can also use technology to perform routine health checks such as EKGs, oxygen
levels, and blood
pressure. Results automatically save to an electronic database, ensuring that they are both
accurate and
readily available for other staff involved in the patient’s treatment.
3. Surgical procedures
Surgeons carry out many advanced surgical procedures using a computer. This process is
known as Computer
Assisted Surgery, or CAS, and is quickly becoming popular in the medical field. CAS
combines computer
intelligence with medical expertise to assist surgeons during complex operations.
CAS systems create and analyze a virtual model of the patient before surgery. Surgeons
then use this image to
simulate the surgical procedure. In some cases, the surgery is either performed or assisted
by a robot.

4. Medical imaging
Advanced medical imaging equipment can now create three-dimensional images of body
parts. Use cases
include mammography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 3D x-rays.
Medical staff
store these images in a computer database, making them easy to retrieve later.
https://www.scott-clark.com/2019/01/05/6-common-uses-for-computers-in-healthcare/
How will computers affect my financial matters?
1. Virtual Money(Currency)

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- A virtual currency (VC) is a type of digital “currency” created by a community of online
users, is
stored in electronic wallets (e-wallets), and generally transacted online.
- It is not issued or guaranteed by central banks or government authorities.
- VCs may be transferred within the community of users. It may be used to buy virtual items
(e.g.
games, apps) or real goods from online shops/merchants willing to receive the VC as
payment. In this
sense, VCs are used as a medium of exchange.
- VCs may also be exchanged to/from actual cash (fiat money) through people/companies
that are
part of the community of users. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/virtual-currency.asp
2. Micropayments - is an e-commerce transaction-type with a low financial amount.
Micropayments
are typically used to purchase online products and services such as e-books, music and
memberships.
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13654/micropayment
How will my leisure activities be affected by information technology?
All kinds of entertainment, ranging from videogames to telegambling are using Information
technology. It also used in the arts, from painting to photography.
What is the difference between the music industry in the past and nowadays?

1. In the past, a major record labels typically need a band to sell half a million CD’s to
become profitable. Now, they offering songs online free for downloading (transferring data
from a remote computer to one’s own computer) – so that people listen to them before
paying for a CD.
2. The web also offers for instantly downloadable sheet music.

Government and Electronic Democracy

E-democracy, in full electronic democracy, the use of information and communication

technologies to
enhance and in some accounts replace representative democracy.
Theorists of e-democracy differ, but most share the belief that some of the traditional limits to
citizenship in
contemporary liberal-democratic polities—problems of scale, scarcity of time, decline of
community, and lack
of opportunities for policy deliberation—can be overcome by new forms of online
communication.

Week 2
Lecture
L - Lecture Reading
A miss Manufacturing and disposal of technology can be harmful to environment.
Technology can harm the environment:
1. Pollution - Air, water, heat and noise pollution can all be caused by producing and using
technology
2. Waste - Manufacturing technology creates large amounts of waste, and used computers
and
electronics get thrown out when they break or become outdated. Called
"technotrash," these
electronics contain all sorts of hazardous materials that are very unsafe for the environment.
They
need to be disposed of using special methods.
3. Disrupting ecology - Clearing land where animals used to live to build factories and
allowing pollution
to contaminate the food chain can greatly affect the environment's natural cycles.
4. Health hazards - Using toxic materials that can harm our health can cause cancer, and
technology
addiction can lead to other health problems like obesity and carpal tunnel syndrome. 1
Blight
a disease or injury of plants marked by the formation of lesions, withering, and death of parts
(such as
leaves and tubers) 2
Mental Heath Problems
The early years of the 21st century have witnessed a worldwide epidemic of poor mental
health and
related illnesses. But while depression is the condition most will associate with mental health
issues, and the
leading cause of disability worldwide, it is not the number one mental health concern people
face.
That unwanted accolade goes to anxiety.
Anxiety disorders can follow different courses, but the most commonly experienced
symptoms include:
● apprehension – worrying about future misfortunes, feeling on edge, having difficulty
concentrating
● motor tension – restlessness and fidgeting, tension headaches, trembling, inability to relax

1 "Green Computing - Environmental Issues - The Carnegie ...."

http://www.carnegiecyberacademy.com/facultyPages/environment/issues.html. Accessed 18
Jul. 2020.
2 "Blight | Definition of Blight by Merriam-Webster." https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/blight. Accessed 8 Sep.
2021.

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● autonomic overactivity – lightheadedness, sweating, abnormally high heart-rate
(tachycardia) or
abnormally rapid breathing (tachypnoea), pain in the upper abdomen (epigastric discomfort),
dizziness,
and dry mouth 3

Nanotubes
A nanotube is a nanoscale material that has a tube-like structure. Nanotube structures have
many
applications in the general field of nanotechnology, which is a relatively recent field with
much potential, as
well as some significant liabilities. 4
How can inhaled nanoparticles affect health?
Particulate matter present in air pollution, especially from traffic emissions, is known to affect
human health,
although it is not clear exactly how. Epidemiological studies on ambient air pollution have not
proved
conclusively that nanoparticles are more harmful than larger particles, but these studies may
not be well
suited to demonstrate such differences.
Inhaled particulate matter can be deposited throughout the human respiratory tract, and an
important
fraction of inhaled nanoparticles deposit in the lungs. Nanoparticles can potentially move
from the lungs to
other organs such as the brain, the liver, the spleen and possibly the foetus in pregnant
women. Data on
these pathways is extremely limited but the actual number of particles that move from one
organ to another
can be considerable, depending on exposure time. Even within the nanoscale, size is
important and small
nanoparticles have been shown to be more able to reach secondary organs than larger
ones.

LABORATORY
5 Introduction
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is a computer language that makes up most web
pages and online applications. A
hypertext is a text that is used to reference other pieces of text, while a markup language is
a series of markings that
tells web servers the style and structure of a document.
HTML is not considered a programming language as it can’t create dynamic functionality.
Instead, with HTML, web users
can create and structure sections, paragraphs, and links using elements, tags, and
attributes.
3 "This is the world's biggest mental health problem - and you might not ...."
14 Jan. 2019,
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/this-is-the-worlds-biggest-mental-health-problem/.
Accessed 8 Sep. 2021.
4 "What is a Nanotube? - Definition from Techopedia."
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/3152/nanotube. Accessed 8
Sep. 2021.
5 "What Is HTML? Hypertext Markup Language Basics Explained." 26 Aug.
2021,
https://www.hostinger.com/tutorials/what-is-html. Accessed 15 Sep. 2021.

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Here are some of the most common uses for HTML:
● Web development. Developers use HTML code to design how a browser displays web
page elements, such as
text, hyperlinks, and media files.
● Internet navigation. Users can easily navigate and insert links between related pages and
websites as HTML is
heavily used to embed hyperlinks.
● Web documentation. HTML makes it possible to organize and format documents, similarly
to Microsoft Word.

It’s also worth noting that HTML is now considered an official web standard. The World Wide
Web Consortium (W3C)
maintains and develops HTML specifications, along with providing regular updates.
This article will go over the basics of HTML, including how it works, its pros and cons, and
how it relates to CSS and
JavaScript.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is a standard developed over the years to convey
information over the internet
by using "hyperlinks" - or just links as we know them today. As opposed to a
PDF, an HTML page is much more dynamic
in nature, letting you browse the web by clicking on links and interacting with the page. Links
could take you either to a
different location within the current page, or to a different page over the internet.
● An HTML page is an HTML document that defines the content of the page by using a
special markup similar to
XML.
Basic Elements

The basic elements of an HTML page are:

● A text header, denoted using the <h1>, <h2>, <h3>, <h4>, <h5>,
<h6> tags.
● A paragraph, denoted using the <p> tag.
● A horizontal ruler, denoted using the <hr> tag.
● A link, denoted using the <a> (anchor) tag.
● A list, denoted using the <ul> (unordered list), <ol> (ordered list) and <li> (list
element) tags.
● An image, denoted using the <img> tag
● A divider, denoted using the <div> tag
● A text span, denoted using the <span> tag

Week 3 Lecture
L - Lecture Reading
Security Issues: Threats to Computers & Communications Systems
- Technology is now used to develop predictive search apps —applications that know what
you want
before you do. Some people, however, see the new technology as just the latest intrusion
into our
private lives, mining digital personal information about us whose uses we cannot always
foresee.
- Errors, Accidents, & Natural Hazards
* Human errors
* Humans often are not good at assessing their own information
* Human emotions affect performance; people get frustrated
*Human perceptions are slower than the equipment
* Information overload may also be a problem
- Procedural errors
* When people fail to follow established procedures, errors can occur
- Software errors
* Software bug: an error in a program that causes it not to work properly
- “Dirty data” problems
* Incomplete, outdated, or otherwise inaccurate data
- Electromechanical problems
* Mechanical systems can wear out or become damaged
* They can also be badly designed or constructed
* Power failures and surges can damage equipment
- Computer Crimes
* Two types of computer crime:
~ Illegal act perpetrated against computers or telecommunications (computer is the target)
~ Use of computers or telecommunications to accomplish an illegal act (computer is the tool)
~ Theft of hardware
~ Theft of software
~ Theft of intellectual property (piracy)
1 "A survey of emerging threats in cybersecurity - ScienceDirect."
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022000014000178. Accessed 9 Sep.
2021.
2 "Security, Privacy, & Surveillance Concerns - Google Sites."
https://sites.google.com/site/assignment58212212129/home/security-privacy--surveillance-
concerns. Accessed 9 Sep.
2021.

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~ Theft of time and services
~ Theft of information (e.g., medical info, credit card info)
~ Internet-related fraud (e.g., Wi-Fi phishing, or evil twin attack)
~ Crimes of malice: crashing entire systems
~ Attacks on power-control systems and attacks on the Internet 12
Computer Viruses
Perhaps the most well-known computer security threat, a computer virus is a program
written to alter the way a
computer operates, without the permission or knowledge of the user. A virus replicates and
executes itself, usually
doing damage to your computer in the process.

Carefully evaluating free software, downloads from peer-to-peer file sharing sites, and
emails from unknown senders
are crucial to avoiding viruses. Most web browsers today have security settings which can
be ramped up for optimum
defense against online threats. But, as we'll say again and again in this post, the single
most-effective way of fending off
viruses is up-to-date antivirus software from a reputable provider.
Learn more about how to combat computer virus threats and stay safe online.
1. Spyware Threats
A serious computer security threat, spyware is any program that monitors your online
activities or installs programs
without your consent for profit or to capture personal information. We’ve amassed a wealth
of knowledge that will help
you combat spyware threats and stay safe online.
While many users won't want to hear it, reading terms and conditions is a good way to
build an understanding of how
your activity is tracked online. And of course, if a company you don't recognize is
advertising for a deal that seems too
good to be true, be sure you have an internet security solution in place and click with
caution.
We’ve amassed a wealth of knowledge that will help you combat spyware threats- learn
more about the dangers of
spyware and stay safer online
2. Hackers and Predators
People, not computers, create computer security threats and malware. Hackers and
predators are programmers who
victimize others for their own gain by breaking into computer systems to steal, change, or
destroy information as a form
of cyber-terrorism. These online predators can compromise credit card information, lock you
out of your data, and steal
your identity. As you may have guessed, online security tools with identity theft protection
are one of the most effective
ways to protect yourself from this brand of cybercriminal.

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What scams are hackers using lately? Learn more about the dangers of hacking how to
combat protect yourself against
dangerous malware attacks online.
3. Phishing
Masquerading as a trustworthy person or business, phishers attempt to steal sensitive
financial or personal information
through fraudulent email or instant messages. Phishing attacks are some of the most
successful methods for
cybercriminals looking to pull off a data breach. Antivirus solutions with identity theft
protection can be "taught" to
recognize phishing threats in fractions of a second.
How can you tell the difference between a legitimate message and a phishing scam?
Educate yourself on the latest tricks
and scams.
4. Botnets
A botnet is a collection of Internet-connected devices, including PCs, mobile devices,
servers and IoT devices that are
infected and remotely controlled by a common type of malware. Typically, the botnet
malware searches for vulnerable
devices across the internet. The goal of the threat actor creating a botnet is to infect as many
connected devices as
possible, using the computing power and resources of those devices for automated tasks
that generally remain hidden
to the users of the devices. The threat actors -- often cybercriminals -- that control these
botnets use them to send email
spam, engage in click fraud campaigns and generate malicious traffic for distributed denial-
of-service attacks.

5. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks

In a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, multiple compromised machines attack a
target, such as a server,
website or other network resource, making the target totally inoperable. The flood of
connection requests, incoming
messages or malformed packets forces the target system to slow down or to crash and shut
down, denying service to
legitimate users or systems.
6. Ransomware 3
In a ransomware attack, the victim's computer is locked, typically by encryption, which
keeps the victim from using the
device or data that's stored on it. To regain access to the device or data, the victim has
to pay the hacker a ransom,

3 (n.d.). What is a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack? | Cloudflare. Retrieved

September 9, 2021, from
https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ddos/what-is-a-ddos-attack/

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typically in a virtual currency such as Bitcoin. Ransomware can be spread via malicious
email attachments, infected
software apps, infected external storage devices and compromised websites.

7 .Malvertising
Malvertising is a technique cybercriminals use to inject malicious code into legitimate online
advertising networks and
web pages. This code typically redirects users to malicious websites or installs malware on
their computers or mobile
devices. Users' machines may get infected even if they don't click on anything to
start the download. Cybercriminals may
use malvertising to deploy a variety of moneymaking malware, including cryptomining
scripts, ransomware and banking
Trojans.

Some of the websites of well-known companies, including Spotify, The New York Times and
the London Stock Exchange,
have inadvertently displayed malicious