In this module you learned about a number of cybersecurity laws and regulations pertaining to different areas such identity theft, national security, privacy, health information and internet commerce. Identify one cybersecurity law that interests you and explain its purpose and scope. Is there anything about the law that you would suggest as a change or update? Explain briefly.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Understanding the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
One of the cybersecurity laws that piques my interest is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States. HIPAA was enacted in 1996 to establish national standards for the protection of sensitive patient health information, known as protected health information (PHI). The primary goal of HIPAA is to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI while also facilitating the secure electronic exchange of health data.
Purpose and Scope of HIPAA:
1. Protecting Patient Privacy: HIPAA sets strict guidelines for healthcare providers, health plans, and other entities handling PHI to safeguard patient privacy. It mandates the implementation of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to health information.
2. Ensuring Data Security: HIPAA requires covered entities to conduct risk assessments, implement security measures such as encryption and access controls, and maintain audit trails to protect PHI from cybersecurity threats. The law aims to prevent data breaches and unauthorized disclosures that could compromise patient confidentiality.
3. Promoting Interoperability: HIPAA also encourages the adoption of standardized formats and protocols for electronic health records (EHRs) to promote interoperability and facilitate the secure exchange of health information between healthcare providers, insurers, and patients.
Proposed Changes or Updates to HIPAA:
While HIPAA has been instrumental in improving the protection of patient data in the healthcare industry, there are areas where the law could benefit from updates or enhancements to address evolving cybersecurity threats and technological advancements:
1. Enhanced Cybersecurity Requirements: Given the increasing sophistication of cyber attacks targeting healthcare organizations, there is a need for HIPAA to incorporate more specific and stringent cybersecurity requirements. This could include mandatory encryption for all stored and transmitted PHI, regular security assessments, and incident response protocols to combat emerging threats effectively.
2. Clarification on Cloud Computing and Mobile Health: With the growing adoption of cloud computing services and mobile health applications, HIPAA may need revisions to provide clearer guidance on how covered entities can securely leverage these technologies while remaining compliant with privacy and security regulations. Specific guidelines on data storage, encryption, and access controls in cloud environments could help mitigate risks associated with third-party service providers.
3. Focus on Insider Threats: While HIPAA primarily addresses external cyber threats, there is a rising concern regarding insider threats posed by employees or third-party vendors with access to PHI. Updating HIPAA to include measures for detecting and mitigating insider risks, such as user monitoring, privilege management, and employee training programs, could strengthen overall data protection efforts.
In conclusion, HIPAA plays a crucial role in safeguarding patient information and promoting data security in the healthcare sector. By considering potential changes or updates to address emerging cybersecurity challenges, HIPAA can adapt to the evolving threat landscape and ensure continued protection of sensitive health data in an increasingly digital healthcare environment.
