Smartphone Hacking Simulation/Testing: Pros And Cons

Mobile Operating System for Targeting Specific Devices

Question:

Discuss about the Research Ethics on Smartphone hacking simulation in real Workplace Environment.

The study deals with the research topic on Smartphone hacking simulation or testing in real workplace environment (Vaioleti 2016). Smartphone growth as well as adaptation is increasing at rapid pace because of rich and versatile functionality. In addition, the versatility as well as convenience of these devices is used n similar devices such as Personal Digital Assistants or Mobile Internet Devices. In recent times, smartphones is not used only for talking rather it give other functions like that of Pager, GPS, MID and MP3 as well as provides range of services such as reading e-books, entertainment, electronic banking (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). The current segment explains the research topic and describes the pros and cons of research at the same time.

Mobile operating system has already been use starting from the creation of first mobile phone but those of operating systems for targeting specific devices. In addition, most of the new devices used come with improved operating systems but need improvements from the view of an ordinary user. In an ideal world, it is known that every mobile developer desire to build an applications by testing its performance on a simulator that completely imitate the way as software behave on a mobile device (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015).

When the mobile developer work in the in-browser Platform, it is needed to click on “run” for viewing on the applications on an iPhone, tablets, android devices and windows phone (Kunde, McMeniman and Parker 2013). Within the simulator, it is important to look at different types for each mobile operating system. The mobile developer can get a sensible thought on the manifestation as well as performance of applications by switching between the types of devices. There are various types of devices that is similar to in-browser experience that are available for testing and cannot be accessed to the fancy device specific chrome. Some advantage of ethical hacking is to help in discovery of crimes through use of internet. Ethical hacking provides safety to banking as well as monetary establishments (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). In addition, this hacking helps to detect as well as prevent cyber terrorism. In actual, everything depends upon the dependability of the ethical hacker. Hacktivism means hacking for a reason that comprises of hackers with a communal or supporting agenda. These hackers sends message through their hacking action as well as gaining visibility for their reason at the same time (Smith et al. 2015).

Testing with Various Devices

Research has now become one of the most opted method by any business at the time of selecting ways for carrying out the alteration in the plans or the products so that there is modify that reflects on the development as well as enhancement of the business enterprise (Smith 2015). In the recent times, researcher conducts online research based on internet sources. Some of the pros and cons of research is as follows:

Pros

• Access to large sample data- One of the advantage of research is admission to large sample data. The data that is obtainable on the internet based on large scale assessment where the research helps business as well as revenue of the business enterprise. It is known that research will help company for conducting survey as the data is readily available online that increases the trustworthiness of the data (Silverman 2016).
• More diverse samples in research- It is noted that the sample obtainable online are far more varied than the one that are accessible in the offline. This data will help in achieving online research as well as implementing in the research in making decisions for improving the revenue and performance in a company (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015).
• Reduced data entry errors with research- The data that is accessible online are already coded. Hence, no error is noticed at the time of data entry that saves time and reduces troubles (Panneerselvam 2014).
• Cost saving research- The data is already accessible online and there is no need to think about the cost for conducting research. There is no cost incurred at all because in online research, data are generated on the internet and look for permission for using the data in case it is copyrighted (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015).

Cons

• More than one participant for a study- One of the disadvantages of research is more than one contributor for a study. The data that is accessible online is vast as well as infinite as there are many people who study one study and there could be huge amount of data that are made accessible online (Page 2013).
• Dropped out study topic- One of the limitations of research is dropping out study topics. The data that is available online may not be complete as it compels the matter that has dropped out the study that leaves the data unfinished. Accessing data becomes difficult that is been put off the record (Mackey and Gass 2015).
• Increased dependency factor

Ethical issues

At the time of conducting the research, the researcher needs to conduct the research in an ethical way (Kunde, McMeniman and Parker 2013). The researcher should be maintaining confidentiality of information where they cannot leak any of the information to the third-party. The researcher should be collecting valid and reliable data without any kind of manipulation. In the present study, researcher will be using secondary data from potential sources such as peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books and authentic websites. The researcher should be extracting data from updated as well as reliable sources that links with the research topic (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015).

Integrity

Research integrity means active adherence to the ethical principles as well as professional standards that is essential for the responsible practice of research. Researcher should adopt principles and practices as personal credentials. The researcher should be honest, trustworthy at the time of collecting data for the particular research study. Integrity is one of the aspects of moral character as well as experience. In addition, it is all about commitment to intellectual honesty as well as personal responsibility for ones actions and range of practices that features responsible research conduct.

Safety issues

At the time of conducting research study, the researcher need to consider the ethical as well as safety implications of different aspects of research.

Risks

Researcher faced risks at the time of conducting research that need to be corrected in the near future. The researcher had limited financial resources that restrict them to use of expensive tools and techniques for the present research study.

Different types of ethics issues and risks

• Casuist Research Problem- One of the type of issue in research is casuist research problem as it relates to the determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience after analyzing moral dilemmas by applying general rules as well as careful distinction of special cases.
• Difference Research Problem- One of the types of issues in research is difference research problem that typically asks question on whether there is difference between two or more groups or treatments. By that, the type of problem statement are mainly used when the researcher need to compare or contrast two or more phenomenon. It is considered as common approach for defining a problem in the behavioral sciences.
• Descriptive Research Problem- One of the types of issues in research is descriptive research problem that typically ask question after underlying the purpose for describing the significance of the situation, existence of a distinct activities.
• Relational Research Problem- One of the types of issues in research is rational research problem where it suggests a relationship between two or more variables for investigating purpose. It is the underlying purpose that actually investigated the qualities or features that are connected in some or other ways.

Response plan to the issues and risks

The Ethical Hacking procedure needs to be planned in advance. In addition, all technological, organization as well as planned issues needs to be taken into account. Furthermore, planning is essential for any amount of testing starting from a simple password for penetration test on a web application. It is important to keep backup for any data where the testing may be called off unexpectedly (Glesne 2015). A well-developed plan takes into account some of the information that is listed below:

• Specific systems need to be tested
• Risk involvement
• Preparation of schedule for carrying test and proposed timeline
• Gathering and exploring knowledge of the systems at the time of testing
• Discovery of vulnerability
• Specific deliverables that takes into account security assessment reports as well as higher level account that outlines the general vulnerabilities to be addressed that goes along with oppose events. It is needed for implementing at the time of selecting systems for testing with the most crucial or vulnerable systems (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015).

The overall hacking methodology takes into account different steps that include:

• Step 1- Reconnaissance- The first step of hacking methodology is reconnaissance that means preliminary survey for gaining information that is known as foot-printing. In addition, the role of hacker is to collect information about any corporation where the person is going to hack (Gast and Ledford 2014). In this particular phase, different tools are used such as network mapping as well as network and vulnerability scanning tools.
• Step 2- Scanning- The second step of hacking methodology is scanning where the hacker tries to make a blueprint of the goal network. In addition, the blueprint takes into account IP address of the target network (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015).
• Step 3- Enumeration- The third step of hacking methodology is enumeration that looks at the ability of the hacker for convincing some servers that can give information that is important to them for making an attack (Flick 2015).
• Step 4- Gaining Access- The fourth step of hacking methodology is gaining access that is the actual hacking phase where the hacker gains access to the system. It is the hacker who actually uses the information that they collect in the pre-attacking phase (Kunde, McMeniman and Parker 2013).
• Step 5- Maintaining Access- The fifth step of hacking methodology is maintaining access where the hacker is inside the system. In this phase, the hacker is in a position where they can upload some file as well as download some of them (Bort-Roig et al. 2014).
• Step 6- Creating Tracks- The sixth step of hacking methodology is creating tracks where the hacker eliminates the physical evidence of his or her hacking the scheme (Case et al. 2015).

Conclusion

From the above study, it is noted that that the research topic on Smartphone hacking simulation/testing in real workplace environment is properly explained in the study. The analysis properly explains the background study of how Smartphone hacking simulation is performed in a real workplace environment. In the study, advantages as well as disadvantages of research are explained in accordance to the research topic. Ethics that need to be taken into account by the researcher are properly explained in the research study. Researcher should be ethical at the time of conducting the research that aligns with the research topic Smartphone hacking simulation/testing in real workplace environment.

Reference List

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Case, M.A., Burwick, H.A., Volpp, K.G. and Patel, M.S., 2015. Accuracy of smartphone applications and wearable devices for tracking physical activity data. Jama, 313(6), pp.625-626.

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Taylor, S.J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015. Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.

Vaioleti, T.M., 2016. Talanoa research methodology: A developing position on Pacific research. Waikato Journal of Education, 12(1).