The Future of the Middle East Essay Example for Free

The Future of the Middle East Essay The repercussions in the wider Middle East should have spurred more emphasis on the other nations. When the United States decided to invade Iraq in 2003, the whole of the Middle East underwent numerous changes. Some of the more secured regimes were actually discredited with quite important examples of the inability of these countries in their abilities to cope with the crisis. The entire region was thrown into an atmosphere of anti-Americanism. Robin Wright’s â€Å"Dreams and Shadows† captures the future of the Middle East, veering away from the more controversial war in Iraq and its consequences. It is able to describe the struggles of the people in Iran including other countries such as Morocco. She airs what others are not able to say, giving her an edge as she naturally has an access to the inner chambers of the experiences and journeys, with her journalistic experience to her credit. Vicariously, readers were able to glean her many experiences such as when she was present when the ruins of the United States Embassy in Beirut stood before her, knowing that there were 60 Americans who had been killed then by a suicide bomber. She ponders that at that time, she felt that the Islamic fundamentalists had the upper hand and who dominated the future of the region. Today, she speaks her heart all too willingly as she says that Islamic extremism is no longer the most important, interesting and dominant force in the Middle East. This book speaks of the different stories that relate to the brave reformers in terms of their human rights. She knows that there is a culture of change that is represented by the different upright persons who cause a change in the system. Those who have tried to achieve some changes are, sadly, just the religious movements such as the Hamas in Gaza and the Hezbollah in Lebanon. The recent events have convinced leaders that these suicide bombers are part of the dangerous trend of events. The author examines the reasons why the moderate reformers have been unsuccessful in the way they have acted in the Middle East. Wright gives a tug to the heart in her book as she narrates the heroes and heroines who publicly denounce inhumanity. She suggests how these autocratic regimes in the Middle East have been quite corrupt in the way they have run their governments. She looks at the different ethical dilemmas that arise at all levels. Individuals are often faced with ethical questions. More often than not, the answers to these questions are difficult because it involves weighing of values. Conflicting values in a given situation are not capable of compromise. One has to choose one over another. Sometimes, the ethically correct course of action is clear, and hopefully individuals act accordingly. But the answers are often not simple. The availability of weapons of mass destructions from rogue states is an alarming reality today, which maybe used against countries that adopt democracy as a way of life. This makes terrorism not only a threat to democracy, but also to the stability of the world as a whole, and most importantly, the preservation of human race. After the bombings, the border restrictions and protections in different nations were questioned. How did it come to be that the suspected hijackers managed to obtain visas easily and to use them freely? Thus, the U. S. –Mexico border was rigorously restricted but, quite confusingly, fewer restrictions were placed upon European, Asian and Middle-Eastern countries, resulting in hundreds of non-immigrants passing through the country where the government had no actual control. They were allowed to engage in activities in violation of their visas. Over and above that, a major aspect seriously affected by the actions taken by the government against terrorism was the civil liberty. What is to be noted is the different target areas that need to be address. She sees the potential for a meeting of the minds between the Hamas and the Fatah so that there will be democracy in Palestine. After the 9/11 bombings, the nation was swept with investigations and questionings. Many, mostly from the Middle-East communities were arrested and detained. There were people who were secretly indicted just because of several false statements in their Social Security card application; statements they made because they needed to work. A great number of the detained suspects of the 9/11 bombings, including the suspected terrorist group members and supporters of terrorist groups, cannot be charged with any crimes because of lack of evidence or the prosecutors could not really indict them with anything based on the 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. Still, they were â€Å"jailed for â€Å"questioning† or as material witness, detained on â€Å"immigration holds. † Because they have not been charged with any crimes, the victims of the Government’s post-September 11 nation-wide dragnet have few constitutional protections, and for the most part are unable to defend themselves because there are no known charges to defend against. The Government refused to release the names of the detained, the reasons for the arrests and where they were being detained. It was obvious the detainees had no access to representation. A new rule was issued by the Department of Justice giving INS the power to decide whether to release the immigrant detained on a reasonable bail or not. The stay of release was affected until the Attorney General reviews the case and determines appropriate action, which could happen in months, even years Indeed, Wright brings to question the array of ideas that make the region possess a rich past. What is to be noted is the different target areas that need to be address. She sees the potential for a meeting of the minds between the Hamas and the Fatah so that there will be democracy in Palestine. REFERENCES The New York Times. Retrieved Jan. 20, 2009 at: http://www. nytimes. com/2008/03/02/books/review/Cockburn-t. html? _r=1 Wright, Robin. Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East. Penguin Press HC, The (February 26, 2008)

Packet Sniffing Software Is A Controversial Subject Information Technology Essay

Packet Sniffing Software Is A Controversial Subject Information Technology Essay Packet sniffing software is a controversial subject and a double-edged sword. It can be used to analyze network problems and detect Internet misuse. But at the same time, it allows hackers and people with malicious intention to sniff out your password, get your personal information, and invade your privacy. That is also why securing and encrypting data is so important. In this paper, the definition of packet sniffing will be introduced and several functionality and possible uses of packet sniffers will be explained. Also, information on how to protect against sniffers and man-in-the-middle attacks will be provided. An example of a packet sniffer program, Wireshark, will be given, followed by a case study involving the restaurant chain Dave Busters, which will show the negative consequences that can occur when organizations are not aware of the threat of packet sniffing by hackers. Definitions A packet sniffer is a computer program or a piece of computer hardware that can intercept and log traffic passing over a digital network or part of a network (Connolly, 2003). Packet sniffers are known by alternate names including network analyzer, protocol analyzer or sniffer, or for particular types of networks, an Ethernet sniffer or wireless sniffer (Connolly, 2003). As binary data travels through a network, the packet sniffer captures the data and provides the user an idea of what is happening in the network by allowing a view of the packet-by-packet data (Shimonski, 2002). Additionally, sniffers can also be used to steal information from a network (Whitman and Mattord, 2008). Legitimate and illegitimate usage will be explained in later sections. Packet sniffing programs can be used to perform man-in-the-middle attacks (MITM). This type of attack occurs when an attacker monitors network packets, modifies them, and inserts them back to the network (Whitman, et al., 2008). For example, a MITM attack could occur when two employees are communicating by email. An attacker could intercept and alter the email correspondence between each employee, without either knowing that the emails had been changed. MITM attacks have the potential to be a considerable threat to any individual or organization since such an attack compromises the integrity of data while in transmission. Packet sniffing programs work by capturing binary data that is passing through the network, and then the program decodes the data into a human-readable form.   A following step called protocol analysis makes it even easier for the data to be read.   The degree of these analyses varies by individual packet sniffing program. Simple programs may only break down the information in the packet, while more complicated ones can provide more detailed information and analysis, for example, by highlighting certain types of data such as passwords that pass through the network (Packet Sniffing, Surasoft.com, 2011). As for todays networks, switch technology is commonly used in network design. This technology makes it increasingly easy to set up sniffing programs on servers and routers, through which much traffic flows. In addition, there are already built-in sniffing modules being used in todays networks. For example, most hubs support a standard called Remote Network Monitoring (RMON). This kind of standard allows hackers to sniff remotely with the SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), used in most network devices, and only requires weak authentication. Network associates Distributed Sniffer Servers are used by many corporations. These servers are set up with passwords that are quite easy to guess or crack. In addition, computers with Windows NT system usually come with Network monitoring agent, which also allows remote sniffing (Packet Sniffing, ISS.net, 2011). Essentially, these sniffing programs are set up for the use of network administrators. However, the threat exists that hackers ca n gain access to the network and view the program logs. Packet sniffers capture all of the packets that travel through the point where the sniffer is located.   For example, if the program was installed next to the server of an organization, the user could have access to all the data being transferred across the company through that server.   Typical types of packets intercepted by attackers include the following: SMTP (email): The attacker can intercept unencrypted emails (Packet Sniffing, ISS.net, 2011). HTTP (web): Web traffic information and history can be easily captured (Packet Sniffing, ISS.net, 2011). Telnet Authentication: Login information to a Telnet account can be intercepted (Packet Sniffing, ISS.net, 2011). FTP traffic: Access to an FTP account can be sniffed in cleartext (Packet Sniffing, ISS.net, 2011). SQL database: Information from web databases is also vulnerable (Packet Sniffing, ISS.net, 2011). Functionality and Possible Uses of Packet Sniffers Good and Bad Uses Like any tool, a packet sniffer is a double-edged sword because it can be used for good or bad purposes (Orebaugh, Ramirez, and Beale, 2007). It can be used by security professionals to investigate and diagnose network problems and monitor network activity (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Conversely, it can be used to eavesdrop on network traffic by hackers, criminals, and the like, who can use the data gathered for harmful purposes (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Professionals such as system administrators, network engineers, security engineers, system operators, and programmers use packet sniffers for a variety of uses, including troubleshooting network problems, figuring out system configuration issues, analyzing network performance (including usage and bottlenecks), debugging during the development stages of network programming, analyzing operations and diagnosing problems with applications, and ensuring compliance with company computer usage policies (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Good: Troubleshoot Network Problems When an error occurs on a network or within an application, it can be very difficult for administrators to determine what exactly went wrong and how to correct the error. Many consider the packet sniffer to be the best tool for figuring out what is wrong with programs on a network (Neville-Neil, 2010). Examining packets as a starting point for solving problems is useful because a packet is the most basic piece of data and holds information, including the protocol being used and source and destination address (Banerjee, Vashishtha, and Saxena, 2010). Basically, at the packet level of analysis, nothing is hidden when all layers are visible (Neville-Neil, 2010). Understanding the timing of what happened is another important factor in debugging network problems (Neville-Neil, 2010). This information can be easily attained by using a packet sniffing program. Essentially, packet sniffers allow you to find out the who, what, and when of a situation, all of which are vital to understanding how to fix a problem (Neville-Neil, 2010). Once these things are known, the administrator can determine what is causing the problem and how to go about fixing it. As soon as a problem occurs, the first recommended step is for the network administrator to use a packet sniffing program to record all network traffic and wait for the bug to occur again (Neville-Neil, 2010). If the administrator already had a packet sniffing program with logging in place, then he or she could go back and examine the log records. Assuming the administrator did not have a log previously set up, the next step would be to only record as much information as necessary to repair the problem (Neville-Neil, 2010). It would not be a good idea to record every single packet of data because if too much data is collected, finding the error will be like finding a needle in a haystack although the administrator has likely never seen a haystack that big (Neville-Neil, 2010). For example, recording only one hour of Ethernet traffic on a LAN will capture a few hundred million packets, which will be too large to sort through (Neville-Neil, 2010). It goes without saying that the admini strator should not record the data on a network file system because the packet sniffer will capture itself (Neville-Neil, 2010). Once the data is recorded, the administrator can examine the packets to analyze and understand what occurred to solve the problem. Good: Network Optimization In addition to solving network communication problems, packet sniffers can help administrators plan network capacity and perform network optimization (Shimonski, 2002). A packet sniffer allows users to view data that travels over a network packet by packet (Shimonski, 2002). However, rather than having to examine each packet, the appropriate sniffer program will perform the analysis for the administrator. The tools are especially useful because depending on the packet sniffing program used, the packet data will appear in an easy-to-understand format. Packet sniffers can often generate and display statistics and analyze patterns of network activity (Shimonski, 2002). Data can appear in graphs and charts that make analysis and comprehension easy. Additionally, the network administrator can filter by selected criteria to capture only the relevant traffic rather than having to sort through irrelevant data (Shimonski, 2002). Knowing what programs and which users use the most bandwidth can help administrators manage resources efficiently and avoid bandwidth bottlenecks. Good: Detect Network Misuse Packet sniffers can be used to monitor application traffic and user behavior (Dubie, 2008). This can be used to detect misuse by company employees or by intruders. To use a packet sniffer to monitor employees legally, a network administrator must do three things. First, he must be on a network owned by the organization, second, he must be directly authorized by the networks owners, and finally, he must receive permission of those who created the content (Whitman, et al., 2008). Permission by content creators is needed because packet sniffing is a method of employee monitoring (Whitman, et al., 2008). Typically, an employee will sign a release form when first employed that allows the employer to monitor the employees computer usage. By using a packet sniffer, employers can find out exactly how each employee has been spending his or her time. Packet sniffers can be used to see all activity and administrators can monitor for behaviors such as viewing inappropriate websites, spending time on the job on personal matters, or abusing company resources. For example, a packet sniffer program could show that a particular employee was downloading music at work, both violating organizational policies and using a large amount of network bandwidth (Dubie, 2008). Packet sniffers are also used to detect network intrusion, log traffic for forensics and evidence, discover the source of attacks such as viruses or denial of service attacks, detect spyware, and detect compromised computers (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). A packet sniffer and logger that can detect malicious entries in a network is a form of an intrusion detection system (IDS) (Banerjee, et al., 2010). The packet sniffer IDS consists of a database of known attack signatures. It will then compare the signatures in the database to the logged information to see if a close match between the signature and recent behavior has occurred. If it has, then the IDS can send out an alert to the network administrator (Banerjee, et al., 2010). Despite this use of packet sniffers to detect intrusion, hackers have methods of making themselves very hard to detect and can use packet sniffers for their own advantages. Bad: Gain Information for Intrusion Intruders maliciously and illegally use sniffers on networks for an innumerable number of things. Some of the most common are to capture cleartext usernames and passwords, discover usage patterns of users, compromise confidential or proprietary information, capture voice over IP (VoIP) telephone conversations, map out a networks layout, and fingerprint an operating system (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). The previously listed uses are illegal unless the user is a penetration tester hired to detect such types of weaknesses (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). An intruder must first gain entry to the communication cable in order to begin sniffing (Orebaugh, et al., 2006). This means that he must be on the same shared network segment or tap into a cable along the path of communication (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). This can be done in many ways. Firstly, the intruder can be physically on-site at the target system or communications access point (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). If this is not the case, the intruder can access the system in a variety of ways. These include breaking into a certain computer and installing sniffing software that will be controlled remotely, breaking into an access point such as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and installing sniffing software there, using sniffing software that is already installed on a system at the ISP, using social engineering to gain physical access to install the software, working with an inside accomplice to gain access, and redirecting or copying communications to take a path that the intruders comp uter is on (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Intruders can use sniffing programs designed to detect certain things such as passwords and then use other programs to have this data automatically sent to themselves (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Protocols that are especially vulnerable to such intrusion include Telnet, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Simple Mail Transfer Program (SMTP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Remote Login (rlogin), and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Once the intruder has access to the network, he can collect data and use it as he likes. Common examples of stolen data include credit card numbers and proprietary organizational secrets, but include anything the hacker desires. Although organizations may use a primarily switched network, they are not protected from sniffer attacks because many programs exist that allow packet sniffing in a switched network (Whitman, et al., 2008). Because intruders who use packet sniffers do not directly interface or connect to other systems on the network, they are considered to be a passive-type of attack (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). It is this passive nature that makes sniffers so difficult to detect (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). In addition to this, hackers use normally use rootkits to cover their tracks so that their intrusion will not be detected (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). A rootkit is a collection of Trojan programs hackers use to replace the legitimate programs on a system so that their intrusion will not be detected (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Rootkits replace commands and utilities that the hacker inputs and clears log entries so that there will be no record of his entry (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Though it is difficult, there are some ways to detect rootkits. Methods of detection include using an alternate, trusted operating system, analyzing normal behaviors, scanning signatures, and analyzing memory dumps (Rootkit, Wikipedia , 2011). Removing rootkits can be very complicated and difficult and if the rootkit is in the central operating system, reinstalling the operating system may be the only option (Rootkit, Wikipedia, 2011). The threat of eavesdropping by intruders is large and challenging. However, there are some defenses that can be taken to prevent hackers from using packet sniffers against an organization. Protecting Against Packet-Sniffers and Man-in-the-Middle Attacks Packet sniffing and man-in-the-middle attacks compromise the integrity and confidentiality of data while in transmission.   Fortunately, there are several techniques that can be used by organizations and individuals to protect against these threats and reduce risk.   Specifically, technology, policy, and education are typically used to cover all aspects of security.    Technology Encryption is the best form of protection against any kind of packet interception (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   The reason behind this is that even if the data is captured by the packet sniffer, the information is completely unreadable by the attacker (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). By using this technique, messages are encrypted once the data leaves the senders computer.   Both sender and receiver hold a key that decrypts the message being transferred.   Most popular websites apply a level encryption by using the HTTP Secure (HTTPS) protocol.   With this technology, the connection between the web server and the users computer is encrypted; making the information intercepted by a third party useless.   Currently, most popular websites such as Google, Facebook, Yahoo, and Twitter use the https technology.   However, some sites (such as Amazon.com) use https only at the login page and fail to provide a secure connection afterwards.   In order to assure complete security, it is im portant to apply the https protocol throughout the users browsing experience.   The main disadvantage of this feature is that it slightly slows down the users connection.    Email can also be protected from packet sniffers by using encryption.   Email extensions such as Pretty Good Protection (PGP) can be easily implemented using standard email platforms like Microsoft Outlook (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   Once sender and receiver start using the encryption techniques, intercepted email messages cannot be interpreted by an attacker (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Another way to protect against sniffers is by using One Time Passwords (OTP). With this method, a different password is sent every time the authentication is requested to the user (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   Similarly to the case of encryption, if a third party intercepts someones password, this information will be useless since these can only be used once (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   This technology can be extremely useful to ensure security; however, remembering new passwords for each login can be very challenging and frustrating for most users. A new security technique called quantum encryption is also provides good protection against sniffing attacks.   This technique consists of making each bit of data as small as a photon (McDougall, 2006).   The data is then transferred across fiber-optic lines.   Ã‚  If the information is picked up and intercepted by any kind of packet sniffer, the entire photon message is disrupted, ending up the entire transmission (McDougall, 2006).   A technology like this would make it impossible to intercept information since the communication will be cut in the case of interception.   However, it requires fiber-optic Internet connections, which many service providers do not own and its installation can be expensive. Policy Information security professionals can help secure employees connections by requiring the use of any of the technologies explained before.   For example, if certain employees need to access websites that are outside of the organizations network, they should be allowed to use only websites that use the https protocol such as Google and Yahoo.   Policies requiring Access Control Lists (ACL) can also help prevent sniffer attacks.   All secured networks and assets should be supported by an ACL to prevent unauthorized access.   Additionally, physical security policies should be implemented to efficiently protect the computer and server rooms in the organization.   Unauthorized access to these locations could cause the installation of sniffer programs and equipment. Education Every security initiative should have a training program supporting it.   Basic but regular training sessions given to employees about the dangers of packet sniffing can prove to be very valuable when protecting a network.   Security facts such as not allowing strangers to computer rooms should be explained to all employees. Example and Demonstration of a Packer-Sniffer Program: Wireshark Originally named Ethereal, Wireshark is a free and open-source packet analyzer (sniffer) typically used by network and security professionals for troubleshooting and analysis (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   However, many potential attackers also use it to perform man-in-the middle attacks and gain information for password cracking.   Wireshark is available for most operating systems (including OS X, Windows, and Linux) and allows users to see all the traffic that goes through a specific network (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Wireshark differs from other packet-sniffer programs mainly because of its easy-to-understand format and simple Graphical User Interface (GUI) (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   Wireshark can be easily set up to capture packets from a specific channel.   Once the program is running, all the network packets are shown in the screen.   The top panel (summary panel) shows a summary of the entire packet, including source, destination, and protocol information (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   Since one quick web browse can provide a large amount of packets, Wireshark solves packet browsing issues by categorizing each packet according to its type and showing each category with a specific color in the GUI.   Additionally, the user has the option of applying filters to see only one type of packets.   For example, only packets dealing with http functions may be shown.   The middle panel in the GUI is called the protocol-tree window. It provides decoded information of the packet (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Finally, the bottom panel (data view window) shows the raw data of the packet selected in the Summary panel (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   Figure 1 shows a screenshot of Wireshark while running and graphically shows the three main panels of the GUI. Figure 1 Screenshot of Wireshark while running and the three main panels. To troubleshoot network problems, Information Systems professionals use Wireshark by installing the sniffer program in various locations in the network and seeing which protocols are being run in each location (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   Additionally, if the sniffer is placed in a location where it can capture all data flowing to the main server, Wireshark can detect network misuse by providing the source and destination of all packets.   For example, if an employee in a company uses his computer to access inappropriate websites, Wireshark will show the employees and the websites IP addresses in the source and destination columns with detailed information about the website in the info column and the protocol tree panel. It is easy to see how useful Wireshark is for network troubleshooting and identifying misuse; however, the program can also be used with malicious intent.   For example, the program can be used to find out passwords on unencrypted websites.   To demonstrate this case, the username john_doe_user and password 123mypasswrd were used to log in to the unencrypted and unsecured www.bit.ly website.   At the same time, Wireshark was set up to capture all packets in the computer.   After the packets were captured by the sniffer, the data can easily be filtered by the http category.   In the info column, a packet labeled POST means that someone has entered text to a website.   After clicking on this specific packet, all the username and password information can be seen in the center section of Wireshark (as shown in figure 2).   Unencrypted and unsecured websites are very vulnerable to these types of attacks.   On the other hand, websites using the https security feature prove to be safer for users.   For example, the same situation as before was applied to the encrypted website www.facebook.com by trying to log in, but Wireshark was unable to capture any packets with login information. Figure 2 Wireshark screenshot showing username and password. Other types of malicious attacks can also be performed with Wireshark.   For example, some toolkit add-ins to Wireshark such as Dsniff and Ettercap can be used to perform man-in-the-middle attacks and password cracking (Orebaugh, et al., 2007).   Even if the incoming data is encrypted, these tools can crack some passwords by using dictionary brute force attacks (Orebaugh, et al., 2007). Case Study: A costly attack at Dave Busters In 2007, the popular restaurant chain Dave Busters experienced the power of malicious packet-sniffing software attacks.   A multinational group of hackers was able to penetrate the companys corporate network and install basic packet-sniffing software at 11 of the chains restaurant locations (Thibodeau, 2008).   During a four-month period, the attackers were able to intercept customer credit card data going from Dave Busters restaurant locations to the corporate headquarters network in Dallas (McMillan. 2008).   Extremely sensitive information such as credit card numbers and security codes were sold to criminals, who used this data to perform fraudulent transactions to online merchants (McMillan, 2008).   The attack proved to be very profitable for the hackers.   For example, from information coming from only one restaurant location, the criminals were able to gain over $600,000 in profits (McMillan, 2008).   It was estimated that approximately 130,000 credit or debit ca rds were compromised by this attack (Westermeier, 2010). To access Dave Busters network, the attackers simply drove around a restaurant location with a laptop computer and took advantage of vulnerable wireless signals to access the computer networks (Westermeier, 2010).   Malicious sniffing software was then installed in the network to intercept credit and debit card information (Westermeier, 2010).   The packet-sniffing software was written by one of the groups hackers and consisted of SQL injection attacks (Thibodeau, 2008).   However, many organizations have stated that the code was not very impressive.   For example, the CERT Coordination Center described the programs source code as a college-level piece of technology (Thibodeau, 2008).   Additionally, the malicious code had one weakness: it would shut down every time the computer that was monitoring rebooted (McMillan, 2008).   Therefore, the criminals had to go back to the restaurant location, gain access, and re-start the packet-sniffer every time this happened. The fac t that this costly program was developed by someone with just basic programming skills and how they consistently gained access to the network highlights the lack of protection of Dave Busters security systems.    According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Dave Busters information security systems and policies did not provide the necessary security features to protect customers information (Westermeier, 2010).   The attackers were able to access the network not just once, but repeatedly over a time frame of four months (Westermeier, 2010).   The fact that the company was oblivious to these multiple intrusions during a long time period proves that they were vulnerable to attacks and that Dave Busters did not apply any Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) to their networks, nor did they monitor outbound traffic (Westermeier, 2010).   Additionally, sensitive customer information was not given special protection.   Credit card data was transferred across simple unprotected and unencrypted networks (Westermeier, 2010).    What could Dave Busters have done? First of all, private networks should have been protected in a better way.   It was just too easy for hackers to gain access and install malware.   By allowing only a specific group of IP addresses, or granting only temporary access, the firm could have been safe from unauthorized access by strangers.   But even in the case of hacker access, tools such as IDS can help monitor the network during an attack.   If the company had implemented an IDS in their network, the unauthorized intruders would have been detected in time to prevent losses. Additionally, by treating sensitive data differently than regular communications, the company could have considerably reduced the threat.   Dave Busters could have simply used readily available firewall systems to the networks that held customer data (Westermeier, 2010). Encryption devices could have also proven to be useful.   If link encryptors had been used, the intercepted data would have been completely useless for the hackers.   Data isolation could have also been useful.   The firm could have separated the payment card systems from the rest of the corporate network (Westermeier, 2010). Sensitive information did not necessarily require connection to the Internet; so the company should have separated these transmissions from the network. Finally, a general company-wide policy requiring access restriction, IDS installation, firewall usage, and sensitive data isolation throughout all restaurant locations could have been extremely useful.   A uniform and thorough information security policy along with a comprehensive training program given to specific employees would help enforce the security features.   Considering that Dave Busters had not implemented any of the security features explained in this section, it is obvious that their story would have been different if these techniques had been used. Conclusion Packet sniffing is a sophisticated subject that wears two hats. It can be used for either good or evil depending on the intentions of the person using the program. It can help with analyzing network problems and detect misuses in the network for good purposes. Meanwhile, it can also help hackers and other cyber-criminals steal data from insecure networks and commit crimes, as in the case of Dave Busters. The best way to protect data from being sniffed is to encrypt it. Necessary policies and training also help with the protection. As technology evolves, there will be more and more ways to commit cyber crime. Extremely sensitive data like credit card information and health care data should be well protected, from the perspectives of both the business and personal. In order to protect this information, organizations and individuals must be aware of the threat of packet sniffers.

Community Service Essay -- Volunteering Volunteerism Essays

Community Service I have always been involved in groups that perform community service projects. In fact, I was recently elected to as VP of Public Relations of the Student MOVE group. We are a group of 12 individuals that are the advisory committee for all of the community service organizations on campus, but we organize many alternative activities and events. I even did a service learning project for my Spanish class last semester with Cynthia Wells. I attended the Spanish mass every Sunday, and I was a greeter. I learned their culture and rituals while still attending the usual Catholic Mass. Upon learning that I had to do a service learning project for Ethics class, I immediately began brainstorming ideas. I decided I was going to work on a website for the Esprit De Corp group since they could not find anyone to do it. However, I ended up getting paid for so that did not work out. So I had two back-up plans. My first idea is that I was going on an AWOL trip for Spring Break. AWOL stands for Alternative Weekend of Offsite Learning. We spent a week in Denver doing various community service projects. Now, that was a week of community service, but it wasn’t done in Iowa. So I took the initiative of doing some service in Storm Lake. One day after mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Fr. Klein approached me. He asked me if I wanted to help out by leading a confirmation retreat for 90 Storm Lake juniors that would be confirmed in a couple of weeks. I figured it would be a perfect opportunity to help out the community and maybe even help myself spiritual ly. AWOL Trip to Denver I was one of twelve kind-hearted individuals that went on an AWOL trip to Denver, Colorado. We worked at various places includ... ...Denver. It’s a priceless moment that money cannot buy. Working at the confirmation retreat at St. Mary’s taught me how to help carry on my faith as a Catholic. The church is a non-profit group just like any other non-profit group here in Storm Lake. I must say that helping people my own age is much different than helping children. I did not get the smiles like I did working with the children. However, I received a ton of self-satisfaction giving the speech on confirmation. I also understood more about motivation. I am pretty intrinsically motivated. I do not need money, bribes, or incentives to do work. I get can motivate myself to help others with self-satisfaction. I really enjoyed the service learning projects I participated in. I wish more professors made their students extend their learning beyond the classroom and move it out to the community.

LL Bean :: essays research papers

LL Bean: A Strategy For The Future Leon Leonwood Bean, known as L.L., was born in the small township of Greenwood, Maine, in 1872. He was raised on a set of simple yet powerful principles†¦ Nature was something to be revered. Family ties were a priority. Being neighborly was a matter of course. And "do unto others" was more than just a saying; it was a way of life. When L.L. launched his company with the first Maine Hunting Shoe in 1912, he believed so strongly in the Golden Rule that he made it the foundation of his business. This rule "Sell good merchandise at a reasonable profit, treat your customers like human beings, and they will always come back for more" became the foundation of the company. For the next fifty years, Bean forged a business, selling clothing and related gear tailored specifically for people who enjoyed the outdoors. Products including boots, clothing, canoes, fly reels, tents and camping gear became the cornerstone of the company. Bean stated, †I attribute our success to the fact that, to the best of my judgment, every article we offer for sale is practical for the purpose for which we recommend it.† (1)The company sold products through both the store in Maine, and through a growing store catalog. Bean retained active control over his company until he died in 1967 at the age of 94. Leon Gorman took over the business after Bean’s passing in 1967. Although he sited his grandfather as being happy with the size of the company, Gorman was ready for growth. He accomplished this by incorporating technology wherever he could, and expanding product lines, introducing new catalogs for specific markets, and entering foreign markets. Even with this extensive growth, Gorman remained true to the founders values of high quality products, superior customer service, and the company guarantee to replace or refund on any purchase that a customer found unsatisfactory. Gorman realized that building on the L.L. Bean brand would be critical to the success to the company. The company’s goal was to associate the brand name with the image of â€Å"Maine’s natural beauty†, along with the legend of the company’s founder. These efforts led the company thirty years of 20% annual growth. Most impressive is the fact that the company was able to finance this growth internally, ad remain privately held by family members. When Gorman took the position of Chairman in 2001, Chris McCormick became the first non-family member to run the company, taking over the role of President and CEO.

Proposal for a Sustainable Forestry Management Policy Essay -- Proposa

Proposal for a Sustainable Forestry Management Policy Forests are an invaluable natural resource with multiple conflicting uses. When left to stand, forests help conserve biodiversity, stabilize the environment and control erosion; when logged, they provide building materials, fuel and agricultural land for human use. The challenge is to find an equilibrium between these uses: in other words, to make the transition toward sustainable forestry management. Unfortunately, poverty has driven people in developing countries to clear-cut large tracts of land, while instability and corruption have rendered developing country governments powerless to stop illegal logging and trade in illegal forest products. The results have been staggering. The World Resources Institute recently reported that tropical regions have been deforested at an alarming rate of 1% annually since 1985; in some countries, the rate has spiraled to over 7% per year (1). Much of this deforestation is linked to the illegal trade in forest products. Greenpeace estimates that up to 80% of all logs cut in the Brazilian Amazon are extracted illegally; the estimate is 70% for Indonesia (2). In order to fight the problem of illegal logging and trade, I propose the following package of policy actions. First, to change US government procurement policy to prefer timber from sustainably managed forests; second, to provide technical assistance to help developing countries with forestry management; and third, to promote a national eco-certification system for sustainably managed forestry products. FIRST, the US government shall adapt its timber procurement policy to give preferential treatment to forest products certified to meet sustainable management criteria. In t... ...rg (6) ISO 14001, 14061: http://www.iso.ch (7) "ISF Smartwood Certification," http://www.isf-sw.org/cert.htm (8) Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Protection Division. "The Power to Make a Difference." 1999 Annual Report on EnergyStar. http://www.epa.gov/appdstar/pdf/cpd99brief.pdf (9) American Forest and Paper Association. "U.S. Forest Products Industry Competitive Challenges in a Global Marketplace." http://www.afandpa.org/legislation/legislation.html (10) Rotherham, Tom. "Selling Sustainable Development: Environmental Labeling and Certification Programs." In "Environmentally Sound Trade Expansion in the Americas," University of Miami, 2000. (11) WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (12) Dawkins, Kristen. "Eco-Labelling: Consumers' Right to Know or Restrictive Business Practice?" Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 1996.

Dow’s Bid for Rohm and Haas Essay

Dow started as a manufacturer of commercial bleach in 1897, and was founded by Herbert Dow. He merged his company in 1900 with Midland Chemical, which lead to diversification of his portfolio to agricultural and food products. In 1912, Dow started to pay dividends every quarter without any reductions or interruptions. By doing so, they were the only Fortune 200 firm that established these figures. Dow became a major player in the M&a field, since they acquired between 1983 and 2007 95 business, took stakes in 58 firms and divested 166 businesses. In 2006, Dow’s CEO Andrew Liveris announced the ‘Dow of Tomorrow’ strategy, which consisted of two pillars. One was pursuing an asset light approach to its commodity business. In order to do so, he signed a JV agreement with a subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Company, named Petroleum Industries Company. Dow and PIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which generated Dow a $7.2 billion after tax revenues. Second, Mr. Liveris wanted to build a high-growth and high-value added performance business. In order to achieve this objective, Dow agreed to purchase Rohm and Haas. This acquisition had the purpose for Dow to become a producer of high-value chemicals and advanced materials. Why does Dow want to buy Rohm and Haas? As mentioned in the introduction, CEO Andrew Liveris announced the ‘Dow of Tomorrow’ strategy. This included becoming a high growth and high-value added producer of specialty chemicals, with less cyclicality. Rohm and Haas fitted the picture perfectly, since they were an advanced material and specialty chemicals company, operating in 27 countries. Besides the interesting company profile description, there were several other reasons  why Dow was interested in the Rohm and Haas company. Most important reason was that the acquisition would make Dow reduce its cyclicality and increase its growth prospects. Expanded product portfolios, increased geographic market, improved market channels and innovative technologies will obtain the expected growth and cost synergies. Forecasts predict additional growth synergies values between $2.0 and $2.6 billion and $0.8 billion costs synergies, including shared services and governance, manufacturing, supply chain and work process improvements. Besides the above-mentioned advantages, Dow and Rohm could be a global leader in specialty chemicals and advanced materials if they combined forces. Also by combining their R&D, the development of new products and innovations could be stimulated. So overall, Rohm and Haas fitted the picture projected by Andrew Liveris perfectly. Rohm and Haas supported Dow’s commitment to maintain their highest standards in pursuing and selecting growth opportunities to satisfy their long-term shareholder values. Was $78 per share a reasonable bid? In order to draw a conclusion of the reasonability of the bid, we need to valuate Rohm and Haas as a firm with and without the synergies created by the acquisition. If this total value exceeds the $78 share price, Dow will pay the price, since it will be beneficial for them. The benefits of the synergies can be calculated by dividing it between the two firms on a multiple or 50/50 basis. The excel file attached to the assignment contained a WACC of 8,5% based on a tax rate of 35%. In our analysis, we also calculated a WACC with a tax rate of 26%, since this was the average tax rate. This leads to a WACC of 8,7%. As a basis, we took 2% growth. Rohm and Haas had at time of the acquisition 195,200,000 shares outstanding. From the balance sheet of Rohm and Haas 2008H1, we took the values of cash and debt (long and short term debt). Both inputs were needed in order to calculate the share price. Below, you can find how we calculated the share price for the situations with and without synergies. The synergies involved consist of two different types, namely growth and cost synergies. Growth synergies include expanded product portfolios, increased geographic reach, improved market channels and innovative technologies. These synergies are expected to create between 2 and 2.6 billion dollars, which gives an average of 2.3 billion. Second, potential cost synergies consist of purchasing synergies, shared services and governance, manufacturing & supply chain improvements and work process optimization. These synergies are expected to generate 0.8 billion dollar. The values of these synergies combined totals a 3.1 billion dollar gross benefit, which is a netted by deducting the 1.3 billion cost of implementation, leaving a value of 1.8 billion dollars. In order to make the most suitable valuation and draw the best conclusion for the reasonability of the share price of $78, we take the original and revised forecast into account. Both cases are also used for the sensitivity analysis to be as specific as possible. Below are the sensitivity analyses of Rohm and Haas for the original forecasts. Based on our assumptions, share price of Rohm and Haas is $55.79 without synergies and $65.01 with synergies. These values differ a little from the share price we found in our valuation analysis, however this is due to rounding and number of decimals difference in WACC and growth percentages. Lowest value without synergies is $47.10 with a growth of 1% and a WACC of 9% and a highest share price of $95.58 with a growth of 3% and a WACC of 7%. If we now look at the original forecast with synergies, we see an increased share price, which is logical, since value is created by the synergy. The share price of Rohm and Haas is $65.01 based on the growth rate of 2% and a WACC of 8.7%. The share price differ between lowest value of $56.32 and highest value of $104.80, based on the same input as with the analysis with no synergies. In both cases, the share price is below $78 so if Dow offers this price in both situations, the will not profit from this acquisition. However, we will still perform the 50/50 and multiples valuation in order to see which is the best in the situation if Dow is obliged to acquire Rohm and Haas. Looking at  case were synergies are created and using the 50/50 method, we get a share price of $55.79 + ($65.01 – $55.79)/2 = $60.4. As we already mentioned, this price does not match the $78. Now using the gross profit of Rohm and Haas as a percentage of the gross profit of both companies combined, we get a multiple of 26.11%. Using this 0,2611 multiple, the appropriate share price is $55.79 + (0,2611 * (65.01 – $55.79)) = $58.20 Again, this is below the share price of $78, which makes the outcomes of both methods unfavorable for Dow. Now let us look at the revised forecast. Since this is a post-crisis forecast, predictions were lowered, which lead to a lower overall value. Hence, this will be reflected in our sensitivity analysis by lower share prices. Below are our findings. As already predicted, share prices are lower in the revised forecast due to the crisis adjustments. For the sake of the case, we will also perform a 50/50 and multiples calculation. If we look at the 50/50 share price, we get a share price of $41.38 + ($50.60 – $41.38)/2 = $45.99. The multiples basis will give us a share price of $41.38 + (0,2661 * ($50.60 – $41.38)) = $43.79. Reviewing both forecasts and within these forecasts both with and without synergy, we can conclude that a share price of $78 is not reasonable. This conclusion holds in the case of 50/50 and multiples calculations. Major deals risks and allocation We will pay special attention to Exhibit 4 when examining the major risks and their respective allocations. The first risk comes from the item 1.01 describing the financing of the deal. Dow will issue a fixed amount of $4 billion in convertible preferred stocks to Berkshire, Hathaway and Kuwait Investment Authority. This amount is independent of the current stock price of Dow, meaning that a drop in Dow’s share price would need more shares to pay for the deal, decreasing the relative voting rights of current shareholders. To be even more precise, in paragraph 2.1a it states that no matter what happens Dow has to pay $78 dollar per share at the time of the merger, transferring all the financial  risk to Dow. Furthermore, a large part of the deal is financed with a $13 billion loan, issued by a consortium of 19 banks lead by Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, increasing their leverage ratio and overall risk of the company. These high debt values come with high interest payments, leaving fewer cash to meet its dividend obligations. In a possible economic downturn this problem becomes larger, increasing the probability of not meeting their dividend payments which have not been changed for over 97 years. A further interesting statement is the ticking fee to ensure the deal would close. When the deal is not closed before January 10, 2009, the payment per share will increase with 8% annually, translating to a higher deal price of approximately $3 million more per day until the deal is closed. In addition if the deal is not closed before October 10, 2009, Dow has to pay $750 million termination fee. This will, again, transfer all the risk to Dow if the deal cannot be closed before October 10, 2009. In paragraph 3.1 the Material Adverse Effect clause states that Dow is allowed to withdraw from the transaction if the business, operations or financial conditions of Rohm is hit by a material adverse effect. This seems fair but there is a large set of exceptions made in the clause for which Dow cannot withdraw from the transaction, including the following events: any event which affects the chemical industry, macro economy as a whole, the financial, debt, credit or security market, any decline in Rohm’s stock price or any failure to meet internal or published projections. So, in case of an economic downturn mainly Dow is affected and not Rohm. Roam and Haas are even protected from a decline in their share price. Thus, these statements will, again, transfer almost all the risk to Dow Furthermore, Dow takes on another risk by relying on the joint venture with Kuwait’s PIC to finance $7 billion of the deal. They do not take into account the possibility that this joint venture could fail due to i.e. a downturn in the overall economy. If it fails it leaves a gap of $7 billion in their financing plan, exposing Dow to even more risk. Finally, the overall high price and ticking clauses make it a risky deal when compared to the expected synergies. The probability of achieving all expected synergies is a magnitude smaller than the probability of high costs, which is certain. It leaves Dow exposed to a possibly large loss when the expected synergies are not met in the future. The only risk that Rohm and Haas face is the possible termination of the deal from their side if the deal is i.e. taking too long. They have to pay a $600 million termination fee if the decide to do so. Other than that, considering the mentioned risk allocations from above, the total risk of this deal is mainly resting on the shoulders of Dow Chemical. CEO recommendations To give a complete view of the options that both CEOs had at the time we will first describe the situation they were in.   Shortly after the deal announcement the financial crisis started, causing an overall recession including in the chemical industry. Dow was hit on many fronts: overall share prices dropped with over 50%, a fourth quarter loss of $1.6 billion, quarterly sales decline of 23% and a drop in operating rate to 44% in 2008. Forcing Dow to close off 20 facilities and firing over 5000 employees. Furthermore, after the joint venture deal was closed with KPC’s PIC, the failing oil prices and overall recession caused KPC to terminate the contract by paying a termination fee of $2.5 billion to Dow. This caused a gap in the financial plan for the merger for Dow, decreasing their stock price even further and degrading their rating to BBB. As mentioned before, Dow was not the only one affected by the economic recession. Rohm was facing a poor performance as well, forcing it to fire over 900 employees, freeze spending and a 20% decline in sales. Considering the above, Dow refused to close the deal with Rohm and Haas after approval from the European Commission and U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Arguing that the recent macro-economic developments are material adverse effects, enabling them to terminate the deal. Options and recommendation for Dow’s CEO, Andrew Liveris Considering the situation as described above, Liveris had three different options: continue with the termination of the deal, close the deal for $78 per share or renegotiate with Rohm and Haas to agree on different terms. If Dow continues to terminate the deal it will go to court for the approval by the judge. It needs to win in court otherwise Dow is forced to commit to the deal. Given the statements enclosed in the material adverse effect clause, the chances for Dow to win are pretty slim. If Liveris opts to close the deal for $78 per share he will need a lot of additional cash. Considering the economic situation, and the fact that the joint venture failed, acquiring this amount of additional cash will be very hard. The possibility to acquire more debt through the already existing bridge bank loan from 19 different banks is pretty small considering the low credit rating of BBB. If he does succeed in acquiring more debt he will probably not be able to meet the net-debt-to-total-capitalization restriction in the covenant. This is, according to the first loan of $13 billion, required to be lower than 65% which they will not be able to meet, thus not creating incentives for the banks to lend more money. Considering the above, terminating the deal will not be possible and closing the deal for $78 per share lacks financing. The best option Andrew Liveris thus has is to renegotiate the merger deal and buy some time. He will then be able to look for other sources of financing or renegotiate the already existing bank loan. One possible option could be to sue KPC for terminating the joint venture and claiming the $2.5 billion, which in turn could finance the termination fee. Considering that this will destroy the relationship between these two companies this would not be recommended. Options and recommendation for the CEO of Rohm and Haas, Raj Gupta The situation for Raj Gupta is a bit simpler: either sue Dow for not completing the deal or renegotiate with Dow to postpone the deal. Both having different advantages and disadvantages. The first option is to go to court and continue the case that Dow has to complete the deal or otherwise pay the termination fee. Considering the  exceptions stated in the material adverse effect clause that macro-economic effects and effect on the chemical industry in general are excluded from this clause, Gupta will have a strong case and is likely to prevail in court. Committing Dow to the deal or otherwise paying the termination fee of $750 million. The second option is to renegotiate the deal with Dow. The most important disadvantage considering this option is that it would almost certainly come to a deal which is less favorable for Rohm and Haas when compared to the original deal. Which term should be reconsidered? For example, a lower price per share would decrease the expected value for the shareholders. Shareholders will not vote for such a deal, especially the Haas family who owns 30% of the company and is waiting to exit for $78 a share. The only option, although shareholders will not be amused in the least, is to delay the due date of the deal, preserving the harmony between the companies. Even if Gupta will win in court, the possibility that the deal will go through considering the financing problems of Dow is still small. Rohm and Haas will in this case only receive the termination fee of $750 million. Gupta obviously wants the deal to go through and so do the shareholders of Rohm and Haas, enabling them to exit the company and receiving a high premium while doing so. Terminating the deal will negatively affect both companies and their shareholders. Therefore it would be better for Gupta to facilitate any possibility that the deal will go through, even implying a possible decrease in price per share. Our recommendation thus is to renegotiate the deal, making sure that it succeeds. The premium for the shareholders might be lower but both companies can benefit from the acquired synergies and shareholders can still opt to exit. Resolving the legal dispute Considering the above, it would have been in the best interest of both companies to renegotiate the deal. However, Rohm and Haas decided to continue their trail against Dow Chemicals. The judge will therefore make a decision based upon the facts presented to him. Based on the facts alone, the most likely option for me, William B. Chandler  the Third, Chancellor in the Delaware Court of Chancery, is to enforce the merger contract between the two parties. In particular, the specifics of the Material Adverse Effect clause in paragraph 3.1 state that the MAE clause does not include the following events: â€Å"any event which affects the chemical industry, macro economy as a whole, the financial, debt, credit or security market, any decline in Rohm’s stock price or any failure to meet internal or published projections.† To be more specific; the argument according to Dow that the recent material developments have created unacceptable uncertainties on the funding and economics of the combined enterprise, justifying the termination of the deal, is overruled by the ‘specific performance’ clause in paragraph 3.1. Therefore, the ‘specific performance’ clause, as requested by Rohm and agreed upon by Dow, is binding and hereby enforced. The merger will be executed as planned. Dow will have several different options to solve the financing issue, cutting dividends, renegotiating debt and other means to generate cash could be used. If the deal is not closed before January 10, 2009, as stated in the contract, Dow will pay a ticking fee of 8% per annum. Dow should have been more careful drawing up the contract as it is signed and before me today. Since the possibility of an economic downfall is especially stated in the deal clause, I will make no exception and hereby conclude that the Dow will meet all deal requirements as stated in the contract. Every penny has to sides, if you risk it, you could lose it. Thank you. *slams the hammer*

Analyzing “Little Red Riding Hood”

Analyzing teentsy bolshy go oaf Tammy J. Cooper ENG 125 instructor Adenekan 3 March 2013 Analyzing Little departure Riding exhaust hood In life, at one time or a nonher(prenominal) we get hold of had a moment that we contribute so innocently put ourselves in the path of harm or danger, skillful as the newborn woman in the rook point Little ruby Riding Hood (Perrault, 1697). We all drive to bew atomic number 18 of our surrounding, to be actually watchful about public lecture to strangers. For danger, violence, and withal stopping point can come wrapped in familiar things as the theme in Little ruby Riding Hood suggests.There are several literary elements that pass on to the theme of the written report of Little Red Riding Hood. I testament analyze these elements as I have interpreted them. Perrault uses omniscient point of figure to tell this invoice. This is observed in the premiere sentence of the first paragraph, Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a small country girlfriend, the prettiest cr eraseure who was ever count onn (as cited in Clugston, 2010, divide 4. 1, para. 1).Omniscient point of view hardly means that the reader is privy to both characters inner thoughts and feelings in addition it allows the reader to go in and out of severally character thoughts through with(prediceat)out the story. In this short story the reader gets the thoughts and feelings of both Little Red and the wolf. The tone of Little Red Riding Hood is a means to teach the danger in public lecture to or rely strangers. For numerous strangers can non and should not be trusted. That ugly does exist and it has many faces, even familiar faces.The setting of this story is a medieval village on the edge of a large tenebrious forest. Which straightaway could be a lovable suburb on the edge of a huge unfriendly dark city? This story has five characters in it however, the story focuses on the teenaged woman habiliment a red-hoode d cape, the wolf, and their encounter, As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf, who had a in truth immense mind to eat her up, but he dared not, because of some woodcutters working nearby in the forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor child, who did ot know that it was insecure to stay and talk to a wolf, express to him, I am going to see my grandmother and carry her a coat and a little pot of cover from my mother (as cited in Clugston, 2010, section 4. 1, para. 4). In reading Little Red Riding Hood, my interpretation of the symbolism is establish on things in the 21st century. In my mind, I see Red not as a little girl but as a young woman just coming of age. She is very beautiful and quite desirable. The wolf is not a four-legged animal but a two-legged man with bad morals and evil thoughts.There are various kinds of wolves. There are those who are charming, quiet, polite, unassuming, complacent, and sweet who pursue young woman at home and in the st reet. And unfortunately, it is these gentle wolves who are the most risky ones of all. Whereas, Red still thinks with a pure, loving, and trusting heart and mind as do many young females do today? In addition, where it say the wolf take Red, And, saying these words, this wicked wolf unrelenting upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up (as cited in Clugston, 2010, section 4. 1, para. 27).The wolf does not actually eat Red but rapes and violates her stealing her white from her forever. The plot of the story contributes to the theme of the story by telling us of the dangers of talking to strangers. We all need to beware of our surroundings and to be so very mensurable in speaking to strangers, for danger, violence, loss of innocence, and even death can come disguised in things and people that are very familiar to us. References Clugston, R. W. , (2010). Journey into Literature. Retrieved from http//content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 2? sections=sec4. 1