CSIA 360: Cybersecurity in Government Organizations

Project 1: Cyber Security for Open Data

Steven Asah

November 03, 2019

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 CSIA 360: Cybersecurity in Government Organizations

Introduction:

Open data is a data that can be shared, freely used and easily built-on at anywhere, by anyone for
any purpose. In open data everyone at anywhere can easily release data using open license for the
purpose of its free use and for public benefits. According to the full open definition, open data
must be legally openness as well as technically openness (“Defining Open Data”, 2013).
Open data is should be available in bulk form that is free of cost. Open data allow people to
redistribute as well as re-use of data.
Laws are the set rules that are designed and used to enforce through government or social
institutions to monitor behavior. Federal Government collect bulks of data but there is very little
guarantee to make it accessible for anyone. Federal Government has a site named as Data.gov that
has aim to make government more accountable and open. This increase the participation of people
in government, it becomes the reason to create opportunities, and decision making policies
establishment in both public and private sectors (“Open Government,” n.d.).
According to the Open Government Data Act, all the federal agency must collect data publically
and then do publish that data in a format readable by the machine. Data would be considered open
if it follows laws in its collection and compilation (“Principles of Open Data,” 2007). 1) All the
must be available at public available. In public data there is no big room for data security or
privacy. 2) Data must be collected with highest level graininess with zero aggregation.
3) Whenever data is needed it must be available to access. 4) Data must be accessible by user at
wider range of objectives. 5) Data must be structured in such a way that automatic process can be
done. 6) Registration should not be necessary to view data. Open data must be available for anyone.
7) Format may play a role of exclusive control over data. So there should not be data formats to
access data. It should be available to share, modify or to use in future. 8) Data should be free from
all types of copyright, trademarks etc. But data must have security, privacy and privilege to control
data.
Privacy act gives a privacy and security for all those records that have personal information of
individuals and to retrieve a personal identifier this information is collected by the federal
government (“Privacy Act,”1947).
In 2002 E-Government try to establish such procedures that guaranteed information of a person
recorded in electronic media such as recorders. (“E- Government Act of 2002,” 2002).
It is the right of each and every person that they contact courts in order to get access records of the
agency up to that extant where data is kept protected from the public because of privacy (“FOIA,”
n.d.).

The present activities—including an Executive Order marked by the President and an Open Data
Policy discharged by the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science and
Technology Policy—announce that data is a significant national resource whose worth is increased

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 CSIA 360: Cybersecurity in Government Organizations

when it is made effectively available to people in general. The Executive Order requires that, going
ahead, information produced by the legislature be made accessible in open, machine-decipherable
groups, while fittingly defending protection, privacy, and security.

"Something we're doing to fuel progressively private area development and revelation is to make
huge measures of America's information open and simple to access without precedent for history.
What's more, gifted business visionaries are accomplishing some quite stunning things with it,"
said President Barack Obama. "Beginning today, we're making much greater government
information accessible on the web, which will assist dispatch with night all the more new
businesses. What's more, we're making it simpler for individuals to discover the information and
use it, with the goal that business people can construct items and administrations we haven't
envisioned at this point (“Open Data Executive order,” 2013).

Alongside the Executive Order and Open Data Policy, the Administration reported a progression
of corresponding activities:

• A new Data.Gov. In the months ahead, Data.gov, the powerful central hub for open government
data, will launch new services that include improved visualization, mapping tools, better context
to help locate and understand these data, and robust Application Programming Interface (API)
access for developers.

• New open source tools to make data more open and accessible. The U.S. Chief Information
Officer and the U.S. Chief Technology Officer are releasing free, open source tools on Github, a
site that allows communities of developers to collaboratively develop solutions. This effort,
known as Project Open Data, can accelerate the adoption of open data practices by providing plug-
and-play tools and best practices to help agencies improve the management and release of open
data. For example, one tool released today automatically converts simple spreadsheets and
databases into APIs for easier consumption by developers. Anyone, from government agencies to
private citizens to local governments and for-profit companies, can freely use and adapt these tools
starting immediately.

• Building a 21st century digital government. As part of the Administration’s Digital

Government Strategy and Open Data Initiatives in health, energy, education, public safety, finance,
and global development, agencies have been working to unlock data from the vaults of
government, while continuing to protect privacy and national security. Newly available or
improved data sets from these initiatives will be released today and over the coming weeks as part
of the one year anniversary of the Digital Government Strategy.

• Continued engagement with entrepreneurs and innovators to leverage government data.

The Administration has convened and will continue to bring together companies, organizations,
and civil society for a variety of summits to highlight how these innovators use open data to

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 CSIA 360: Cybersecurity in Government Organizations

positively impact the public and address important national challenges. In June, Federal agencies
will participate in the fourth annual Health Data palooza, hosted by the nonprofit Health Data
Consortium, which will bring together more than 1,800 entrepreneurs, innovators, clinicians,
patient advocates, and policymakers for information sessions, presentations, and “code-a-thons”
focused on how the power of data can be harnessed to help save lives and improve healthcare for
all Americans.

Benefits & Value of Open Data for Businesses and the General Public

Open Government Data can possibly advance huge change for the activity of a city and the lives
of its inhabitants. Over the previous decade, there has been a significant pattern towards more
prominent receptiveness and straightforwardness with important data concerning people in
general. From open source, to open substance, to open access, the general population is relentlessly
increasing a more extensive and more inside and out take a gander at the underpinnings of society,
and basic leadership is step by step getting progressively decentralized.

The accessibility of information has recently been constrained to officials and information masters,
while for every other person, presentation to these sources is regularly deferred, irregular, or just
inaccessible.

Here are only a couple of the ways that Open Government Data can prompt an increasingly
powerful and proficient government:

1. Expands Transparency and Accountability

The pattern towards open information implies that individuals from general society can remain
associated, educated, and in the know regarding the everyday tasks of their neighborhood
government. The open idea of this data considers governments responsible to the outcomes they
produce. Inhabitants can see precisely what their administration has accomplished, and the amount
all the more should be finished.

2. Creates Trust, Credibility and Reputation

The straightforward idea of openly available information uncovered a side of an association which
is frequently stayed quiet about. This kind of transparency and defenselessness is tantamount to
offering parts of your own life to someone else. There is a lot of trust and regard that accompanies
a transparent discussion, and the outcome is frequently a closer and increasingly subordinate
connection between the two gatherings.

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 CSIA 360: Cybersecurity in Government Organizations

3. Advances Progress and Innovation

The estimation of key execution information has scarcely any limits when released in the open
circle. Open information gives new chances to business applications, improves time-to-advertise
for organizations, and can shape the establishment for new mechanical advancement and financial
development.

4. Stores and Preserves Information Over Time

At long last, the accessibility of solidified data in a solitary and effectively open area is invaluable
for the utilization of both current data and for verifiable information that has been assembled after
some time. This technique for information stockpiling guarantees that all data will show up where
and how it should, and that it will stay in that area for future reference. This likewise takes into
account the possibility to watch patterns and changes in the information after some time.

Security Issues for Open Data

During the venture went for distinguishing proof of the potential OGD datasets of the Office we
additionally recognized a lot of related dangers. During the meetings the workers of the Office
communicated different concerns about distribution of OGD. We accepting these worries as a
reason for detailing of the dangers. As a next stage a hazard evaluation was performed in a type of
a workshop with the representatives of the Office where pertinent dangers were relegated to every
one of the recognized applicant datasets. Appraisal of seriousness of the potential negative effect
was additionally performed during this workshop.

Following are the risk given as below:

Publication of data against the law: Production of information that damages a few enactments,
for example it is precluded by law or it encroaches somebody's privileges or opportunities.

Hazard to the security of the foundation: Point by point information about foundation (control
plants, dams, transmitters and so forth.) may be abused to cause harm to the framework.

Best Practice Recommendations for Open Data Security

The playbook makes four fundamental proposals for innovation officials in the metropolitan government,
and each is separated into, as Green puts it, "this is what you have to know, this is what you have to do, and
afterward here's the means by which you do it."

Discover the harmony among hazard and worth: Zero hazard is outlandish, a point maybe urban
communities don't recognize enough. In any case, as indicated by the specialists, try to locate a degree of
hazard that authorities and general society are happy to acknowledge. That should be possible by directing
exhaustive hazard advantage investigation before planning any information sharing project.

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 CSIA 360: Cybersecurity in Government Organizations

Consider security at each phase of the information lifecycle: That lifecycle incorporates
information accumulation, upkeep, discharge, and retirement—when unpublished information
ought to be expelled in light of the fact that it's never again significant. It's commonplace for
urban areas to consider protection just when information is going to be discharged, yet Green
says those worries ought to be considered at the absolute first stage.

Build up a structure for security the board: "The harder test is building up the interior and
operational mastery, and esteeming ensuring protection as a basic segment of open information
program,"

Summary of Research and Recommendations

Open data is a highly effective way to deal with data. But have many risks of security. These all
risk can be remove by using highly effective techniques and ways that check data that is used.

Copyright ©2019 by University of Maryland University College. All Rights Reserved

 CSIA 360: Cybersecurity in Government Organizations

References

Defining Open Data. 2013. Retrieved from https://blog.okfn.org/2013/10/03/defining-open-data/

Open Government. n.d. Retrieved from https://www.data.gov/open-gov/

Principles of Open Data. 2007. Retrieved from https://opengovdata.org/

Privacy Act of 1947. 1947. Retrieved from http://www.ose c.doc.gov/opog/privacy /laws_and_

regs.html

E-Government Act of. (2002). PUBLIC LAW 107–347—DEC. 17 2002

Open Data Executive Order. 2013. Retrieved from https://www.data.gov/developers/open-data-

executive-order/

Copyright ©2019 by University of Maryland University College. All Rights Reserved