Rujm el-Hiri (Golan Heights) - Ancient Observatory

Rujm el-Hiri (Golan Heights) - Ancient Observatory Sixteen kilometers east of the Sea of Galilee in the western part of the historic Bashan plain of the Golan Heights (a contested area claimed by both Syria and Israel) are the ruins of a most unusual structure, which scholars believe was built at least in part for archaeoastronomical purposes. Located at 515 meters above sea level, Rujm el-Hiri consists of a central cairn with a set of concentric rings encircling it. Built during the late Chalcolithic or Early Bronze Age about 5000 years ago, Rujm el-Hiri (also called Rogem Hiri or Gilgal Rephaim) is made of an estimated 40,000 tons of uncut black volcanic basalt field stones piled and wedged into between five and nine concentric rings (depending on how you count them), with heights reaching to 1 to 2.5 meters (3-8 feet) high. Nine Rings at Rujm el-Hiri The outermost, largest ring (Wall 1) measures 145 meters (475 feet) east-west and 155 m (500 ft) north-south. The wall measures consistently between 3.2-3.3 m (10.5-10.8 ft) thick, and in places stands up to 2 m (6 ft) in height. Two openings into the ring are currently blocked by fallen boulders: the northeastern measures some 29 m (95 ft) wide; the southeastern opening measures 26 m (85 ft). Not all of the internal rings are complete; some of them are more oval than Wall 1, and in particularly, Wall 3 has a pronounced bulge to the south. Some of the rings are connected by a series of 36 spoke-like walls, which make up chambers, and seem to be randomly spaced. At the center of the innermost ring is a cairn protecting a burial; the cairn and burial come after the initial construction of the rings by perhaps as long as 1500 years. The cairn is an irregular stone heap measuring some 20-25 m (65-80 ft) in diameter and 4.5-5 m (15-16 ft) in height. Dating the Site Very few artifacts have been recovered from Rujm el-Hiri, and no suitable organic materials have been recovered for radiocarbon dating. Based on what little artifacts were recovered, the earliest constructions were the rings during the Early Bronze Age, of the 3rd millennium BC; the cairn was built during the late Bronze Age of the late 2nd millennium. The huge structure (and a series of dolmens nearby) may be the origin of the myths of the ancient race of giants, mentioned in the Old Testament of the Judeo-Christian bible as led by Og, King of the Bashan. Archaeologists Yonathan Mizrachi and Anthony Aveni, studying the structure since the late 1980s, have another possible interpretation: a celestial observatory. Summer Solstice at Rujm el Hiri Recent work by Aveni and Mizrachi has noted that the entranceway to the center opens on sunrise of the summer solstice. Other notches in the walls indicate the spring and fall equinoxes. Excavations into the walled chambers did not recover artifacts indicating that the rooms were ever used either for storage or residence. Calculations of when the astronomical alignments would have matched stars supports the dating of the rings at having been built at about 3000 BC /- 250 years. The walls at Rujm el-Hiri seem to have pointed to star-risings for the period, and may have been predictors of the rainy season, a crucial bit of information for the sheep herders of the Bashan plain in 3000 BC. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to Astronomical Observatories, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Aveni, Anthony and Yonathan Mizrachi 1998 The Geometry and Astronomy of Rujm el-Hiri, a Megalithic Site in the Southern Levant. Journal of Field Archaeology 25(4):475-496. Polcaro A, and Polcaro VF. 2009. Man and sky: problems and methods of Archaeoastronomy. Archeologia e Calcolatori 20:223-245. Neumann F, Schà ¶lzel C, Litt T, Hense A, and Stein M. 2007. Holocene vegetation and climate history of the northern Golan heights (Near East). Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 16(4):329-346.

Ella's Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ella's Family - Essay Example These include the doctor, the patient and the patient’s family. The situation is even further complicated when the different members of the patient’s family don’t agree with regard to what is the best decision to make. This seems to be the case with Ella’s family where her decision with regard to how her treatment and end of life should be handled differs with her husband. Her family also seems to be in disagreement. With terminal illness comes the choice of death for the patient and sometimes the doctor. This comes with a number of social and cultural issues. Many cultures have not internalized the idea of doctor aided patient death for terminal patients. While the doctor may decide that it is better for the patient to stop her treatment and die with dignity, the patient and the family may ask that the patient continues with treatment until she dies a natural death (Wheatley and Baker, 2007). Even in cases where the patient may decide to have a physician-aided end of life, her family may not agree, especially due to cultural beliefs about death and life. In Ella’s case, this seems to be the case. Her husband of Indian decent does not seem to be very open with the idea of her stopping to take treatment and eventually ending her life. There are various medical issues that arise in cases such as Ellas. First, the doctors must be able to understand that they have to take the wellbeing of the patient in a serious manner. It is necessary for the doctor involved in the situation to make sure that the best medical outcome is achieved. In a case where the patient is in a terminal condition, the doctor has to make sure that the patient is willing to go on with the treatment, it should be the patient’s choice that it most relevant (Garrett, 1993). The doctor has to face the difficult decision of having to tell the paint and those who care about her (family, friends)

Employee Relations in Human Resources Management Case Study

Employee Relations in Human Resources Management - Case Study Example The C.E.O. has a surprise for you, but it turns out that you do not like it. You decide to leave the room and your subordinate boo you. Being booed by your subordinate creates a hostile work environment. The nature of the surprise- an explicit dance on the pole – is wrong. The C.E.O. later follows you and instead of apologizing he makes the situation worse, first, he thinks you are unreasonable. He also says that if you were more social with him, you two could go amazing places. In other words, the C.E.O. discriminates against you for not being social with him. He goes ahead and massages you at the back. You are aggrieved by this even more and decide to complain to the C.EO. He does not listen to you and decide to fire you. The controlling law WLAD (Washington law against discrimination) will apply because the company is based in Washington. The law provides that managers and supervisors are personally liable for committing the discriminating act. The C.E.O. is your boss and therefore personally liable to for discriminating you. The WLAD will apply because of possible discrimination based on gender and sexual harassment. The CEO will be personally liable because the surprise aggrieved you and resulted to boo from the subordinates. The human resource employee in Washington may file a charge with Washington human right commission in this case. The commission will commence a lawsuit on behalf of the aggrieved employee. The employee may utilize the prosecution and investigational powers to file a discrimination charge. The lawsuit may seek compensatory damages injunctive relief and attorneys’ fees.

Why do people smile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why do people smile - Essay Example Many scientists believe that one of the reasons why people use facial expressions such as smiling is simply to show to other people how they feel and what they feel. It is also believed that facial expressions are understood in the same manner all around the world as Max Eastman said â€Å"a Smile is the Universal Welcome.† The inner state of emotions is manifests through the facial expression. Someone is believed to be showing his calmness through smiling; having a friendly attitude towards others, and others could be distinguished through different kinds and types of smiles as one of the unknown authors quote â€Å"Everyone smiles in the same language.†. A smile is a facial expression that shows the upward contours at the ends of the mouth. There are times wherein the sparkle of the eyes expresses the smile and not the mouth. However, smile communicates a thousand words. Most of the time, smiles indicates happy signs such as joy, happiness, and love. However, there ar e kinds of a smile that show involuntary expression of anxiety known to be the grimace, or even serve as an expression of embarrassment in a shamefaced sort of way. Smile is rooted within our primate nature that depicts positive response to social relationships. It is considered to be a universal positive sign of social relationship. Smile is a positive tool to convey other people of different races and culture about their feelings and nature. History of Smiles Most of the time, happiness is always associated with smile, but to consider, there are still many types of smile that does not necessarily have that connotation like sneer, snarl, smirk etc. Different expressions in relation to smile were considered in tracing and studies with the history of smiling. Huge data have been gathered from art, history, and biology to unveil the nuances about the human smile after which some interesting facts were revealed. For example, there are beliefs that the supreme enlightenment is reflected In the holy smile of Buddha. On the other hand, open mouth smiling in the Victorians was obscene. In the behavioral and psychological aspects, it was explored how and when in infancy smiling considered to be an act of communication. In art history, the famous smile of Mona Lisa as well as the sculptured heads of Ming dynasty was studied in relation to smiling. Types and Reasons to Smile Thirty million years of human evolution produced different types of smiles that anybody can currently wear for all accessions and different situations. 1. Sweet Smile – This is the type of smile that can melt a heart, hard to resist like in just one look, you know you are done for it. â€Å"I have been hijacked several times over this smile.† This smile is manifested in all ages with pure intention of recapturing the true picture of a contented life. 2. I am in Love Smile – this type of smile is unmistakable from the rest of the smile. This smile exudes the energy of having a pu re love and bliss. This type of smile does not necessarily need to be romantic smile and can also be applicable to one’s favorite pets. This is usually manifested to young adults and adults or in the mature people. 3. Most Beautiful Smile – This type of smile is the one considered to be the breathtaking smile. This is the smile that could skip a person’s heartbeat. Once encountering this type of smile, one can be mesmerize and would forget the world for a while. This is usually seen to young adults as a part of their growing up in their transformation to the adulthood. 4. Happy Smile- In this type of smile, one can see the reflection of a happy and a joyful heart. This is the smile that radiates pure happiness and most often manifested in children. 5. Thoughtful Smile –

Analysing Delegation In Transition To Professional Practice Nursing Essay

Analysing Delegation In Transition To Professional Practice Nursing Essay Newly registered nurses or nurses re-entering the workforce face many challenges. One of these issues is delegation. In this essay you are required to develop an in depth and detailed understanding of delegation and how it apply to you as a newly registered nurse. You will need to critically analyse the literature to: Define delegation and how it applies to the registered nurse in the clinical setting Analyse the role of the registered nurse in relation to the responsibility of delegation Analyse the relationship between accountability and delegation Discuss how delegation is different to patient allocation Analyse how professional competence impacts on delegation with specific reference to clinical effectiveness Discuss the interpersonal relationships of team members when delegating within a team Introduction Being a newly Registered Nurse entails a lot of challenges, how we deal with our clients and effectively communicating what their needs are in a multi-cultural setting gives us these difficult tasks of rendering proper and appropriate health care. RNs (Registered Nurses) are known to provide care from womb to tomb, without preference to age, gender, race, religion and status. RNs need to understand the importance for them to know by heart, what are the tasks they can delegate to their co-workers because problem could arise if tasks are delegated inappropriately and clients would be the one to suffer the consequences. Delegation of activities will be relied more heavily due to decreasing workforce and increasing workload thats why nurses should understand fully the different guidelines on how one can appropriately apply delegation in their professional practice. The role of RN in the delegation process takes unprecedented importance. The independent licensee of the RN imposes a legal accountability on the part of the nurse to the patient/recipient of care. This becomes a primary responsibility, with the accountability to other disciplines or the employer being secondary. Because the RN is responsible for the practice of other lesser skilled licensed or unlicensed nursing personnel (i.e., Enrolled Nurses and Unlicensed Health Care Worker), it is imperative that registered nurses understand the guidelines and parameters set for delegation and training. All RNs and midwives must be willing to accept accountability and responsibility when undertaking activities within their individual scope of practice after considering: legislation or restriction of practice, professional standards of practice, current evidence for practice, individual knowledge skill and competence and contextual/organizational support for practice [Nursing Board of Victoria ( NBV) 2007]. The responsibility of the RN prevails whatever the employment setting or status of employment and that legal accountability cannot be removed or assumed by another individual or by the employer. We can never work alone, thus we are always a part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team and this is where the issues of delegation come into place. I. Definition of delegation and application in clinical setting The Queensland Nursing Council (2005) defined delegation as conferring of authority on a person to a person to perform activities. In the same way, delegation is conferment of authority to an individual who is not authorized to perform a particular task autonomously but can do so under direct or indirect supervision (Nursing Midwifery Board of South Australia 2005). Direct supervision means that the RN is actually present during performance of the delegated task, observing and guiding the person who is being supervised while indirect supervision is provided when the RN does not directly observe the person performing the delegated task but should be easily contactable by phone or electronic devices when the need arises [Royal College of Nurses, Australia (RCNA) 2005]. Delegated task can either be new, meaning that the delegated task is not normally part of their role or established, which means that the task has already been done before and no change in context was made [Queensland Nursing Council (QNC) 2005d, sec. D 7.0; Nursing Board of Tasmania (NBT) 2006, pp.5-6]. As a Registered Nurse working as part of the healthcare team, we cannot do away of the process of delegating tasks to other health practitioners be it to another Registered Nurse (RN), Enrolled Nurse (EN), or an Unlicensed Health Care Worker (HCW). It is both beneficial to the health care team and the client because if properly and accurately done, it speeds up the process of rendering the care needed by the client without sacrificing the quality of care being given. Health professionals should always remember that delegation of tasks are made not just to ease ones workload but are made to meet the clients need and to ensure that the right person is available at the right time to pro vide the right care to the client [Australian Nursing Midwifery Council (ANMC) 2007]. There are tasks that an RN cannot delegate to Enrolled Nurses and Unregulated Health Workers. According to the QNC (2005d, p. 4), care planning and delegation of activities from a nursing care plan cannot be delegated, some aspects of drug administration by Enrolled Nurses which are restricted by the council as per the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulations 1996 and tasks as defined by the Nursing Act 1992 to be solely exclusive for RNs or midwives. Registered nurses have the right to clarify, validate and support their professional judgment when it disagrees with an employer or supervisors direction, facilitate resolution of disagreement with an employer or supervisor and help resolve disagreement whether it is appropriate to advance their practice through accepting a delegation (QNC 2005c). II. Role and Responsibilities of Nurses in Delegating Tasks Only RNs may delegate nursing acts, functions or tasks. A registered nurse that delegate nursing acts, functions, or tasks should first determine whether it is within the RNs scope of practice, that the individual is qualified, competent and has the necessary skills to perform the task safely, that the RN delegating the task is available to directly or indirectly supervise the individual and evaluate the result after the delegated task was performed and that the RN should always remember that only the task is delegated and not the ultimate responsibility and accountability that goes with it. As stated in the ANMC (2007), RNs should understand the requirements for delegation and supervision of practice an example of which is by accepting delegated tasks only if it is within ones scope of practice and by raising concerns about inappropriate delegation with relevant organizational or regulatory personnel. Activities delegated by a RN cannot be re-delegated to another professional or hea lthcare worker (QNC 2005a). Registered nurses should provide guidance, support, assistance and clinically focused supervision, ensure that the person to whom the delegation is being made understands their accountability and is willing to accept the delegation, they should reflect on ones own practice, provide competency assessment of the individual who will accept the delegated task and evaluate the outcome of the delegated task (ANMC 2007; QNC 2005a). Accountability goes hand in hand when delegating tasks to other health care personnel. RNs carries with them a very big responsibility when delegating tasks to another member of the team because the RN retains the accountability and must see to it that the person to whom the task is being delegated to is competent enough to perform such task so as not to compromise the quality and safety of the care provided. RNs who delegates health care tasks are accountable to the State where they are registered, to their employer, and to their clients for their own actions and decisions. The RN must see to it that only those that can be performed safely to the patient be delegated, and it is critical that there is a clear and effective communication between the two parties. Expectations and outcomes are to be set so as to have an exact basis of evaluation if the delegated tasks are successfully performed to that of the accepted level of standard. Responsibility can be delegated to others so that the person to whom a task is delegated to remains responsible of the action while the accountability remains with the one who delegated the task. The independent license of the RN imposes a legal accountability on the part of the nurse to the patient/recipient of care. This becomes a primary responsibility, with the accountability to other disciplines or the employer being secondary. Because the RN is responsible for the practice of other lesser skilled licensed or unlicensed nursing personnel (i.e., Enrolled Nurses, Unregulated Health Care Workers), it is imperative that registered nurses understand the guidelines and parameters set for delegation and training. Liability cannot be delegated a nurses registration is at risk if he or she delegates a task inappropriately. Appropriate delegation begins with knowing what skills can be delegated. There are published guidelines which helps nurses in delegating tasks in accordance with the RNs legal scope of practice, an example of these are the five rights of delegation (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 1995) wherein the fundamental basis of public protection should be the basis of all decisions related to delegation of nursing activities can be used as a mental checklist to assist nurses clarify critical elements of the decision-making process. The RNs final responsibility is to evaluate whether assistants performed a task properly and whether desired outcomes where realized. RNs should use the principles of delegation to guide them in deciding whether a particular task can be delegated or not. III. Principles of Delegation According to the Australian Nursing Federation (2004, p. 1), each state and territory in Australia governs the practice of registered nurses and midwives through published nursing and midwifery acts and that the ANFs purpose of publishing the guideline is to clarify the role and obligation of the RNs and midwives when delegating aspects of nursing and midwifery care, guide RNs and midwives through the issues to be considered in delegating aspects of nursing and midwifery care and to clarify the role and obligations of employers in the delegation of aspects of nursing and midwifery care by nurses and midwives. The principle of delegation should be used when considering delegating an activity to another health care provider. The following are the principles of delegation as stated in the Nurses Board of Victoria (NBV), Guidelines: Delegation and Supervision for Registered Nurses and Midwives (2007, p. 4): RNs should always remember that the primary motivation in delegating tasks is to meet the health needs and improve health outcomes of clients, it must be consistent with the acceptable standards of nursing and the policy of the service providers, that the delegated task is based on appropriate planning and consultation, delegated tasks should only be accepted if the person to perform the ask is deemed competent after proper assessment by an authorized personnel, the RN should see to it that he/she is accountable not only for their decision to delegate but also in monitoring the delegated individuals standard of performance and that the activity delegated should presently be part of the RNs current role. Likewise, the delegating nurse has also the responsibility to apply the five rights of delegation, namely: (1) the right task; (2) the right circumstances; (3) the right person; (4) the right direction or communication; and (5) the right supervision (Crisp and Taylor 2005, p.366). If either one of these rights are missing, the task being delegated is considered to be unsafe and can result to negative outcomes. Delegation is different from allocation or assignment which involves asking another person to care for one or more consumers on the assumption that the required activities of consumer care are normally within that persons responsibility and scope of practice (ANMC 2007; NBV 2007, p.4). When a patient is admitted during your tour of duty, and you are the nurse on deck, this means that the patient will then be allocated to you on the assumption that the required activities for consumer care are normally within your responsibility and scope of practice and you must holistically take care of all the needs of the patient while in the case that the admitted patient was assigned to another RN which then delegates a task to you, like getting the patients initial vital signs, the accountability and overall responsibility remains with the admitting RN with you sharing the responsibility of the outcome of the task. Using reflective practice, the RN should then evaluate their individual contribution to the achievement of patient outcomes, if he or she was able to properly apply the scope of nursing practice decision-making framework in delegating tasks to other health care professionals and if patients are properly allocated based on individual skills, experience and competency of the receiving person. Reflective practice also helps nurses establish what they have learned from the experience of providing nursing care and responding to patient needs and is important for novice RNs as it helps them identify areas in their practice that they need to improve ensuring that they make better choices and decisions in the future (NBWA 2004). According to Usher Holmes (2005, p.110), self awareness is the foundation skill upon which reflective practice is based. Self awareness offers RNs an opportunity to see themselves in certain situations and how they affected the situation and the situation affected them (Atkins 2000 cited in Usher, K Holmes, C 2005). IV. Professional competence, delegation and clinical effectiveness Competence is an individuals ability to effectively apply knowledge, understanding, skills, and values within a designated scope of practice at a standard acceptable to the client and others who has the same experience and background (ANMC 2005, p. 8). Critical thinking, or the practice of questioning, is necessary so that practitioners integrate relevant information from various sources, examine assumptions, and identify relationships and patterns (Parker Clare 2000 cited in Usher, K Holmes, C 2005). Health care organizations have made dramatic advances and transformations during the last few decades, resulting in rapid growth of technology and theory. If nurses are to deal effectively with complex change, increased demands and greater accountability, they must become skilled in higher level thinking and reasoning abilities and this is where the use of critical thinking becomes vital in examining simple and complex situations in nurses day to day responsibilities. RNs who are critical thinkers practice sound clinical judgement by practicing critical thinking skills to investigate and reflect on all aspects of a clinical observation or problem in order to decide on an appropriate course of action based on factual evidence rather than conjecture and is able to arrive at a reasoned conclusion that can be justified. The process of critical thinking will enhance the ability of nurses to properly identify and assess the need of delegating tasks to other health care professionals and to determine if they carry with them the professional competence needed to efficiently perform the assigned task which would definitely result in clinical effectiveness by delivering the care plan and attending to the needs of the client faster rather than performing the care plan alone even if the task is legally delegable. (Simpson Courtney 2002). V. Interpersonal Relationships between team members during delegation of tasks Registered nurses work within the health care team to properly address the different complex health care needs of clients and each of the team members knowledge and contribution is valued and respected. Interpersonal relationship is the association or connection between unit managers staff nurses within a nursing unit interpersonal relationships within team members during delegation of tasks should be built on trust. Acceptance, care, feeling, integrity, respecting the values all revolved on trust, thus, trust building should be the focus of every activity within an organization. Interpersonal relationships are built through effective communication skills, listening to each member queries and actively participating during supervision of a delegated task builds confidence on their part. An interpersonal relationship is a dynamic system that changes continuously wherein social associations, connections, or affiliation between two or more people are present. Effective delegation forces you to spend time with your employee thus developing your interpersonal relationship. This holds true to RNs who personally see to it that each member of the team to whom different tasks are delegated will continually grow as their experiences and skills develop in time, building the confidence, competency a collaboratively harmonious interpersonal relationship needed to properly and effectively care for each patien t within their jurisdiction. Working in partnership and cooperation with other members of the health care team for the benefit of the clients receiving health service where delegation of a nursing intervention is not required means that a collaborative relationship exists between the health care team. It is then important to maintain enhance relationships among employees by creating a social environment in which the team can attain their goals. Conclusion In summary, delegation is a process wherein new RNs must be able to understand to avoid any professional legal dilemma that may arise due to ignorance. There are tasks that the RN cannot delegate (QNC 2005a), aspects of nursing care like assessment of the client, planning on how to provide care, evaluation of the expected outcome was met after implementation and these should be strictly followed. Allocation of accountability in QNC (2005d, p. 15), states that RNs and midwives are accountable for delegation decisions and for the standard of care provided but if the RN or midwife ensured that the delegation decisions and level of supervision were appropriate, they would not be held accountable for inappropriate or unauthorized actions by another care provider. It is the role responsibility of the RN to see to it that the person to whom the task is being delegated to have the necessary education, experience skill to perform competently. It is important that a harmonious interpersona l relationship between team members are present because this would be the basis of a therapeutic, collaborative approach in rendering the best care possible to clients assigned to them. 2846 words

Bioprospecting :: Geology

Abstract The world's rainforests are host to a multitude of plant and animal species, thus comprising Earth's richest and most diverse natural resource. One of the greatest benefits that rainforests have to offer is its plentiful supply of active compounds, which are used presently in many pharmaceuticals and hold the potential for the next "miracle drug." Bioprospecting is the term used to describe the extraction of natural medicines from our rainforests. Present rates of deforestation, however, pose a serious threat to our "natural pharmacy" and are daily eliminating species of plants that might provide a possible cure. Establishing policies to regulate the bioprospecting industry is challenging, but underway so that humans can benefit from our rainforests while still protecting and conserving the environment. Return to Table of Contents Introduction 2100 AD : It's a horrible situation. Your loved one has been suffering from cancer and there is almost nothing you can do. All possible combinations of drugs have been tried, but still he is suffering from pain. For some reason, medical technology cannot find a way to leave him in peace, allowing him to enjoy his days until he fully recovers. Feeling helpless, you decide to do some research on your own, where you come across a native plant that indigenous peoples have been using for centuries to cure all kinds of pain resulting from various illnesses. This fills you with hope, thinking that you might be able to ease your loved one's pain. Pursuing this line of hope, you consult with some specialists in the medical field, only to become disheartened once again. The plant you read about no longer exists; due to the massive destruction of the rainforests the environment where this plant originated is long gone. 1998: Indigenous peoples have been using the natural resources of our rainforests for centuries to cure a variety of ailments. Medical science is very advanced, yet still cannot duplicate what nature has given us. The simplistic problem illustrated above is very real. Deforestation is not only disrupting ecosystems and wiping out precious animal species, it is also eliminating an enormous potential supply of medicines available in our rainforests. If proper action is not taken today, we will be sacrificing potential "miracle drugs" and losing an extremely valuable source of medicines. Return to Table of Contents What is Bioprospecting? In order to understand bioprospecting, the concept of biodiversity must first be clarified. Biodiversity is defined as "the totality of genes, species, and ecosystems in a region", or "the variety and variability of life.

Quality Web Design

Quality Web Design (QWD) Security Weaknesses Steve Gelin Submitted to: Jack Sibrizzi SE571: Principles of Information Security and Privacy Keller Graduate School of Management Submitted: 8/25/2012 Table of Contents Executive Summary3 Company Overview3 Security Vulnerabilities3 Software Vulnerabilities4 Hardware Vulnerabilities4 Recommended Solutions5 A Hardware Example Solution5 A Software Example Solution5Impact on Business Processes5 Summary5 References6 Executive Summary My paper focuses on a security assessment of Quality Web Design (QWD), which is a very successful company that is well-known for its magnificent and appealing websites; they work on trying to get your company or business in the top 10 search engine results so that searchers find you on the first page of the search results.They have a competitive pricing scheme going on, they offer many different options for their website construction, and they start by offering the customer a selection of pre-designed websites tha t they themselves can customize with their individual logos, text, images, themes or just a whole different template and any other information that would be helpful in catching the eye of potential customers. Company OverviewQuality Web Design (QWD) is a business that specifies and focuses on Web site, Web development, content design, programming, graphic design, photo editing and logo design for all types of businesses. QWD is a web graphic design and development company based out of Orlando, Fl. QWD cater to a huge and diverse clientele that spans across USA, UK and Canada. Security Vulnerabilities: Software Vulnerabilities Listed further down are two security vulnerabilities: software and hardware.These security vulnerabilities were identified through the initial verification of the QWD software usage for their web design company. A majority of QWD personnel require out of office access when working on projects for the company, so the use of Virtual Private Networks called (VPNâ €™s), Outlook Web email, Microsoft SQL 2008 Server and Microsoft Exchange 2007 email servers which utilize the corporate intranet resources.Remotely utilizing these programs or software out of the company will cause QWD to be exposed to attacks from the internet. But not only that, employees put the utilization of corporate equipment such as desktops, laptops & mobile devices (iPhones and Windows Mobile 6) in very harmful situations that the company will pay for dearly later as time progress. Having these equipment listed it is possible to incur outside attacks from the internet while utilizing the company intranet resource on a remote computer that is not protected.As I’ve read the different equipment listed within the QWD company it seems that there employee laptops, & mobile devices are being used unprotected over the internet which could lead to situations such as Trojan horses and email worms. For example Microsoft Exchange 2007 email servers has a well-known vulnera bility that could allow remote code execution, this vulnerability can allow an attacker to take control of your affected system with Exchange Server service account privileges or the attacker could just disable your services within Microsoft Exchange completely.Hardware Vulnerabilities The same can be said for the companies hardware systems listed such as their iPhones and Windows Mobile 6, these hardware devices that employees of QWD are devices that can easily be hacked by an outside user for example the iPhone 4 has a vulnerability that allows an intruder to be able to act silently and retrieve e-mail messages, SMS messages, calendar appointments, contact information, photos, music files, videos, along with any other data recorded by iPhone apps.The same can be said for their Windows Mobile 6 devices, there’s a well know issue with the Bluetooth function in all Windows Mobile 6 devices. This issue allows an individual to read or write any file that’s on your mobile device, even the Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile 6 and Windows Mobile 2003 for Smartphones allows attackers to cause a denial of service; which the attacker then uses to infiltrate your device to retrieve e-mail messages, SMS messages, and calendar appointments, contact information etc.From my research the only workaround provided for this vulnerability is not to accept pairing nor connection requests from unknown sources. So it would be better if the individuals who are using devices with Windows Mobile 6 as their operating system should be very mindful and careful of the things that they allow their devices to connect to. Recommended Solutions:For QWD the installation of anti-malware to protect against malicious applications, spyware, infected SD cards and malware-based attacks against their mobile or hardware devices such as iPhones, laptops etc. Strongly enforce security policies, such as mandating the use of strong PINs/Passcodes, use SSL VPN clients to effortlessly protect data in transit and ensure appropriate network authentication and access rights finally centralize locate and remote lock, wipe, backup and restore facilities for lost and stolen devices.As for software vulnerabilities the use of firewalls, on both laptops and desktops, anti-malware and spyware programs that will protect against malicious activities, updated software patches with the latest updates to security threats, the use of strong passwords and pass keys, when sending information over the internet whether classified or unclassified he use of an encryption tool to keep that information from being intercepted. Impact on Business Processes:As we all know as IT professional, there can be a lot of different impacts that can affect work progress within a company such as password update reminders, the cost that will be needed to implement these new changes, what would be the privacy, rules and regulations for these devices. Not only will these new changes cause confusion for the fir st few months of the change up, they may also cause employee’s to feel paranoid of the thought that their system could be compromised and that there being asked to constantly update things within their system.Summary: In summary this paper focuses on the vulnerabilities of QWD as a Web Design and development company, the software and hardware vulnerabilities of their system and the needed recommended solutions for all devices such as their iPhones and Windows Mobile 6 usable devices. These devices left unchecked can cause major issues to the company if such items were attacked and used to an attackers benefit. QWD as an organization must assess the situation with their software and hardware vulnerabilities and commence the proper and needed steps to counter these problems within QWD.References: Degerstrom, J. (2011). Browser Security and Quality Web Design. Retrieved from http://www. jimdegerstrom. com/blog/2011/05/browser-security-and-quality-web-design. html Lowe, S. (2009) . Patch these critical vulnerabilities in Exchange Server. Retrieved from http://www. techrepublic. om/blog/datacenter/patch-these-critical-vulnerabilities-in-exchange-server/611 Hamell, D. (2010). Malicious Mobile Threats Report. Retrieved from http://juniper. mwnewsroom. com/manual-releases/2011/At-Risk–Global-Mobile-Threat-Study-Finds-Security Norman, G. (2009). Windows Mobile 6. 0 Users Beware of Bluetooth Vulnerability. Retrieved from http://www. findmysoft. com/news/Windows-Mobile-6-0-and-6-1-Users-Beware-of-Bluetooth-Vulnerability/ Greenberg, A. (2011). iPhone Security Bug. Retrieved from