Important note: this template includes major elements of Part I, but the instructions on Canvas are the authoritative source. Make sure to read through the assignment page and review the rubric to confirm you have everything you need before submitting. When done, delete these instructions before submitting.

Outline

Include a high-level summary of your project. This should be a couple paragraphs that describe what you’re interested in showing with your final project.

Majoring in Information Security, Policy, and Management, I have developed a deep interest in the realms of data privacy and security. One of my key motivations for taking this class was to gain the skills necessary to effectively communicate the critical importance of data privacy. My goal is to make this topic digestible and relatable for both organizations and individuals, encouraging them to take their online security more seriously.

In today’s digital landscape, one of the biggest challenges I see is the increasing prevalence of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which have emerged as a significant security threat. Nearly every household now has at least one IoT device—whether it’s a smart thermostat, a voice-activated assistant like Alexa or Siri, or wearable technology like smartwatches. These devices, while convenient, introduce potential risks into people’s homes, often without the users being fully aware of the security vulnerabilities they bring.

The primary objective of my final project is to raise awareness about the data privacy concerns surrounding IoT devices, especially for the average consumer. I want to educate individuals about the risks that come with these devices and call them to action—urging them to do proper research before making purchases. By highlighting potential vulnerabilities, I hope to empower consumers to make more informed decisions and better protect their personal data. My final project aims to not only inform but also encourage proactive behavior when it comes to the security of IoT devices in everyday life.

A project structure that outlines the major elements of your story. Your Good Charts text talks about story structure in Chapter 8 - you should describe what you hope to achieve. Make sure the outline is detailed enough that we can see how you anticipate your story unfolding. You can incorporate your Story Arc from the in-class exercise along with your user stories and one sentence summary to make the topic even more clear.

Story Arc

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The Setup

I want to begin with data visualization of the prevalance and rise of IoT devices. Showing how the technology has been growing will grab the users attention and make them care about the problem. I can feature some crazy IoT devices such as kitty litter boxes and egg timers.

The Problem

I will follow with visualizations of recent data breaches of IoT devices, focusing on how they lack in encryption standards and susceptibility to hacking. I can incorproate recent breaches and vulnerabilities that have been exposed in real life to make the story more tangible and digestible. The reader at this point should understand the problems with IoT devices in their homes and undersand their suscepitbility to vulnerabilities and risks.

Resolution

The resolution will be the call to action. In the call to action I will offer practical advice on how consumers can secure their IoT devices—stronger passwords, two-factor authentication, reviewing device permissions, and buying from reputable manufacturers that prioritize security. By doing this I hope to encourage consumers to do thorough research on the devices that they bring into their homes and share data with. I want to emphasize that while IoT devices are here to stay, awareness and action can mitigate their risks, ensuring greater security in the digital age.

Initial sketches

Post images of your anticipated data visualizations (sketches are fine). They should mimic aspects of your outline, and include elements of your story.

The data

A couple of paragraphs that document your data source(s), and an explanation of how you plan on using your data.

For my final project on the data privacy concerns surrounding IoT devices, I will be utilizing several key datasets to provide a comprehensive understanding of the growth, security risks, and vulnerabilities associated with IoT technology.

The first dataset, IoT Connected Devices (2019-2033), sourced from Statista via the Carnegie Mellon Library, tracks the global growth of IoT devices. This data will allow me to depict the exponential increase in IoT device adoption, demonstrating how these devices are becoming more prevalent in homes and businesses. The sharp rise in connected devices provides important context for why IoT security is a growing concern.

The second dataset, Annual Number of Internet of Things (IoT) Malware Attacks Worldwide sourced from Statista via the Carnegie Mellon Library, captures the rise in cyberattacks targeting IoT devices. I will use this data to highlight the growing number of security breaches and attacks that exploit the vulnerabilities of IoT devices, showing the correlation between increased IoT adoption and rising security threats.

Additionally, I will include data from two IoT Vulnerability Assessment datasets: the first from CERN, detailing the vulnerability assessment of their IoT devices, and the second, a network traffic dataset generated through simulated ethical hacking. Both will provide insights into the specific vulnerabilities in IoT devices and how they can be exploited, giving a deeper understanding of the types of risks consumers may face.

A link to the publicly-accessible datasets you plan on using, or a link to a copy of the data you’ve uploaded to your Github repository, Box account or other publicly-accessible location. Using a datasource that is already publicly accessible is highly encouraged. If you anticipate using a data source other than something that would be publicly available please talk to me first.

Name	URL	Description
Conncted IoT_Devices	DataSet	Conncted IoT devices worldwide
IoT Attacks	DataSet	The number of Internet of Things (IoT) cyber attacks worldwide
IoT Vulnerability Assessment	https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/iot_vulnerability_assessment_graph/7130570?file=13117550	vulnerability assessment conducted on IoT devices at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).
IoT Vulnerability Assessment	https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/7m58kxs742/1	This dataset contains network traffic data from IoT devices connected to the internet through a router, captured using Wireshark during simulated attacks performed with Kali Linux to aid research in IoT security.

Method and medium

In a few sentences, you should document how you plan on completing your final project.

The medium for the final project will include levraging Tableau and Shorthand. Both are interactive platforms which will allow me to involve the reader in the story in order to present the data and tell the story in an affective manner. Tableau has many capabilities to create beautiful visualizations that will be featured on the shorthand webpage.

TellingStoriesWithData