Peer Reviewed Journal Articles by Jason E Thomas
Computer and Information Science, 2019
As the world continues to grow and embrace technology ransomware is a growing problem. When ranso... more As the world continues to grow and embrace technology ransomware is a growing problem. When ransomware encrypts storage sytems, systems shutdown, productivity grinds to a halt, and serious long-term damage takes place. As this is a known problem many firms have developed functionality to address ransomware issues in key security technologies such as intrusion protection systems. Many firms, especially smaller ones, may not have access to these technologies or perhaps the integration of these technologies might not yet be possible due ot varying circumstances. Regardless, ransomware must still be addressed as cyber miscreants actually target weak and unprotected environment. Even without tools that automate and aggregrate security capability, systems administrators can use systems utilities, applications, and digital forensic techniques to detect ransomware and defend their environemnts. This paper explores the literature regarding ransomware attacks, discusses current issues on how ransomware might be addressed, and presents recommendations to detect and investigate ransomware infection.
One of the most difficult challenges in information security today is phishing. Phishing is a dif... more One of the most difficult challenges in information security today is phishing. Phishing is a difficult problem to address because there are many permutations, messages, and value propositions that can be sent to targets. Spear phishing is also associated with social engineering, which can be difficult for even trained or savvy employees to detect. This makes the user the critical point of entry for miscreants seeking to perpetrate cyber crimes such as identity theft and ransomware propagation, which cause billions of dollars in losses each year. Researchers are exploring many avenues to address this problem, including educating users and making them aware of the repercussions of becoming victims of phishing. The purpose of this study was to interview security professionals to gain better insight on preventing users and employees from succumbing to phishing attack. Seven subject-matter experts were interviewed, revealing nine themes describing traits that identify users as vulnerable to attack or strongly resistive to attack, as well as training suggestions to empower users to resist spear phishing attacks. Suggestions are made for practitioners in the field and future research.
Computer and Information Science, 2018
Ransomware is the fastest growing malware threat and accounts for the majority of extortion based... more Ransomware is the fastest growing malware threat and accounts for the majority of extortion based malware threats causing billions of dollars in losses for organizations around the world. Ransomware is global epidemic that afflicts all types of organizations that utilize computing infrastructure. Once systems are infected and storage is encrypted, victims have little choice but to pay the ransom and hope their data if released or start over and rebuild their systems. Either remedy can be costly and time consuming. However, backups can be used to restore data and systems to known good state prior to ransomware infection. This makes backups the last line of defense and most effective remedy in combatting ransomware. Accordingly, information security risk assessments should evaluate backup systems and their ability to address ransomware threats. Yet, NIST SP-800-30 does not list ransomware as specific threat. This study reviews the ransomware process, functional backup architecture paradigms, their ability to address ransomware attacks, and provides suggestions to improve the guidance in NIST SP-800-30 and information security risk assessments to better address ransomware threats.
Ransomware is quickly becoming a major issue for many businesses and industries. According to Sym... more Ransomware is quickly becoming a major issue for many businesses and industries. According to Symantec, in 2016, ransomware accounted for 95% of extortion malware attacks. In Part I of our series on Combating Ransomware with Traditional Backups, we discussed the value of traditional backups to combat ransomware. In Part II, we discuss different backup paradigms.
Data protection and storage management solutions have advanced rapidly in the past decade. What some refer to as "backup" actually may not be a traditional backup that copies and stores data. Mixing up this terminology could be dangerous and could leave vital resources unprotected.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-backup-real-part-ii-combating-ransomware-backups-thomas-phd/?trackingId=iIqcAhvRkUUdmCfznJt1Qg%3D%3D
Theorists spend countless hours conducting research to explain phenomena that exist in the world ... more Theorists spend countless hours conducting research to explain phenomena that exist in the world and to increase the base of knowledge in their fields. Once this knowledge is discovered and codified, it should be used. However, scholars are divided on the relationship between theory and practical application and their reciprocal value. This paper explores the relationship between theory and practical application and displays a specific example of how one theory, the theory of service-dominant logic, can be practically applied in the field of business.
Understanding theory, its practical application, and how to select a theoretical framework for re... more Understanding theory, its practical application, and how to select a theoretical framework for research studies is often a challenging problem for new graduate and doctoral business students. As these students explore theory use in various fields and the general academic body of knowledge, this task can become even more daunting and confusing. There does not appear to be a common definition of theory across or within different disciplines. Further, scholars disagree on the value of theory and its practical application. This paper explores the scholarly nature of theory, its application, and its relationship to world view. Examples and a discussion are provided to better help students absorb this important yet ambiguous topic.
The martial arts industry is experiencing immense growth, creating a highly competitive environme... more The martial arts industry is experiencing immense growth, creating a highly competitive environment where challenges in attracting and retaining customers cause substantial losses and an inability to compete effectively. Customer memberships are the primary revenue source for fitness firms. Understanding buyer motivation is essential for marketing message creation and product development to attract and retain customers. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory, single-case study was to investigate parent purchase motivation for children's martial arts classes and to document internal buying motives in order to address the problem of acquiring and retaining customers in the commercialized martial arts industry. The study sample consisted of seven parents, two instructors, and two owners. The data collection methods were semistructured interviews comprising open-ended questions. Interviews were analyzed using NVivo® qualitative analysis software to code and analyze themes. The semistructured interviews identified 10 themes. Three new themes emerged—ease of participation, alternative to team sports, and convenience. Study findings contribute to the theory of planned behavior and theories used to predict purchase behavior. Recommendations for practice include refinements of product offerings and marketing messages and the creation of a new market segment, resulting in customer alignment and increased ability to attract and retain customers. Future research is recommended to replicate this study in other geographies, to use the data gathered in this study to seed qualitative research studies, and to weigh the relative influence of the three types of behaviors influencing intention in the theory of planned behavior.
The subprime mortgage crisis was the most devastating financial crisis since the Great Depression... more The subprime mortgage crisis was the most devastating financial crisis since the Great Depression. The steady rise of housing purchases and seemingly limitless increase in home values drew many investors to the United States real estate market. The business growth in this sector was so compelling that financial firms created new secondary markets that were perceived as diversifying risk, which in turn prompted lenders to create innovative funding vehicles and loose and fast loan qualification processes. The federal government was ill prepared to deal with this shift in the financial world to market-based demand, and the results were disastrous. Lenders embraced predatory lending practices, borrowers with bad credit overextended themselves beyond their means, and foreclosures occurred at startling rates as home values plummeted, resulting in a worldwide economic depression. Ten years later, we reflect on the events that led up to and caused the subprime mortgage crisis for lessons learned to improve management, marketing, and finance incentive practices.
Journal of Instructional Research, 2014
Formative Classroom Assessment Techniques (CAT) have been well-established instructional tools in... more Formative Classroom Assessment Techniques (CAT) have been well-established instructional tools in higher education since
their exposition in the late 1980s (Angelo & Cross, 1993). A large body of literature exists surrounding the strengths and
weaknesses of formative CATs. Simpson-Beck (2011) suggested insufficient quantitative evidence exists on the utility of CATs
for increasing the quality of student learning. Two quantitative studies by Simpson-Beck (2011) and Cottell and Harwood
(1998) indicated no such correlation. We suggest that these deficiencies as applied to adult non-traditional programs may be
due to a lack of rigor in the construction of many formative CATs, as well as a failure to properly match assessments to real
learning objectives. In this article, we propose a nine-step framework to facilitate proper selection of formative CATs with appropriate rigor and implementation in the classroom.
Books by Jason E Thomas
Papers by Jason E Thomas
Econometric Modeling: Microeconometric Studies of Health, 2014
Formative Classroom Assessment Techniques (CAT) have been well-established instructional tools in... more Formative Classroom Assessment Techniques (CAT) have been well-established instructional tools in higher education since their exposition in the late 1980s (Angelo & Cross, 1993). A large body of literature exists surrounding the strengths and weaknesses of formative CATs. Simpson-Beck (2011) suggested insufficient quantitative evidence exists on the utility of CATs for increasing the quality of student learning. Two quantitative studies by Simpson-Beck (2011) and Cottell and Harwood (1998) indicated no such correlation. We suggest that these deficiencies as applied to adult non-traditional programs may be due to a lack of rigor in the construction of many formative CATs, as well as a failure to properly match assessments to real learning objectives. In this article, we propose a nine-step framework to facilitate proper selection of formative CATs with appropriate rigor and implementation in the classroom.
The Enlightenment and the colonization had far-reaching impacts on the education systems of the e... more The Enlightenment and the colonization had far-reaching impacts on the education systems of the entire world. The African continent is no exception to this dramatic influence, although Africa received the benefits of the Enlightenment secondhand through the colonization. Prior to colonization by Europeans, African education systems were verbal tribal education systems designed to impart vocational and religious knowledge ultimately preparing individuals for initiation into the various African societies.
The pre-colonial education practices in Africa varied widely from oral traditions passed down from fathers to their children by the San of the Kalahari to more organized and complex education systems of the Poro society in western Africa and everywhere in between. Many of the societies in Africa had rites of passage that children would go through after completing puberty that imparted knowledge and status by means of customs and examples. Participation in these rituals was a statement that children had learned the philosophical and vocational lessons from their elders and that the children were ready to participate in society (2009).
One notable exception to these educational traditions were the areas of Africa the embraced Islam in eastern and western Africa. These areas learned the use of Arabic script to study the Qur’an in support of their religious practice and created Qur’anic schools. Qur’anic schools focused on teaching the lessons of the Qur’an. Many were simple outdoor gatherings where teachers taught students in the open air. Qur’anic schools facilitated contact for students with Arabic nations and young boys with strong potential to act as leaders were given the opportunity to attend Arabian higher education institutions to obtain advanced degrees (Education, 2009).
This paper discusses these issues and how they affect these peoples in the modern age and the global economy.
Talks by Jason E Thomas
Ransomware is quickly becoming a major issue for many businesses and industries, with the potenti... more Ransomware is quickly becoming a major issue for many businesses and industries, with the potential to have impact on business operations and the vital services that organizations provide for their customers-as well as causing a tremendous amount of emotional and administrative stress for employees and partners. The damagin effects of ransomware According to the FBI FBI, victims are estimated to have paid over $1 billion in ransoms in 2016-more than 41 times the estimated ransoms paid in 2015. An example of current ransomware is the "WannaCry" cyber-attack on May 12, 2017, which significantly affected the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom. Over 200,000 systems were infected, including 60 NHS trusts. Medical centers lost access to patient records. Appointments were canceled, and surgeries and ambulances were delayed. The real-world effects of this attack proved life-threatening. How effective backups can help The backup and restore process has always been a fundamental pillar of data restoration, disaster recovery, and business continuity efforts. If you lose something, you restore it from your backups. It's that simple. As an example of the simplicity of this solution, our company responded to four ransomware attacks last month alone.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/combating-ransomware-traditional-backups-jason-thomas-phd/?trackingId=nVXLEFjf%2FwibNUdF4%2B8mCg%3D%3D
Drafts by Jason E Thomas
ResearchGate, 2019
The following annotated bibliography contains 60 pages of sources and summaries regarding the iss... more The following annotated bibliography contains 60 pages of sources and summaries regarding the issue of intellectual property theft of American research universities by foreign entities such as China. In each of the references source identification or place designator such as DOI’s are hyperlinked to facilitate easy review of each source. It is the authors sincerest hope that this information will help others explore this important topic.
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Peer Reviewed Journal Articles by Jason E Thomas
Data protection and storage management solutions have advanced rapidly in the past decade. What some refer to as "backup" actually may not be a traditional backup that copies and stores data. Mixing up this terminology could be dangerous and could leave vital resources unprotected.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-backup-real-part-ii-combating-ransomware-backups-thomas-phd/?trackingId=iIqcAhvRkUUdmCfznJt1Qg%3D%3D
their exposition in the late 1980s (Angelo & Cross, 1993). A large body of literature exists surrounding the strengths and
weaknesses of formative CATs. Simpson-Beck (2011) suggested insufficient quantitative evidence exists on the utility of CATs
for increasing the quality of student learning. Two quantitative studies by Simpson-Beck (2011) and Cottell and Harwood
(1998) indicated no such correlation. We suggest that these deficiencies as applied to adult non-traditional programs may be
due to a lack of rigor in the construction of many formative CATs, as well as a failure to properly match assessments to real
learning objectives. In this article, we propose a nine-step framework to facilitate proper selection of formative CATs with appropriate rigor and implementation in the classroom.
Books by Jason E Thomas
Papers by Jason E Thomas
The pre-colonial education practices in Africa varied widely from oral traditions passed down from fathers to their children by the San of the Kalahari to more organized and complex education systems of the Poro society in western Africa and everywhere in between. Many of the societies in Africa had rites of passage that children would go through after completing puberty that imparted knowledge and status by means of customs and examples. Participation in these rituals was a statement that children had learned the philosophical and vocational lessons from their elders and that the children were ready to participate in society (2009).
One notable exception to these educational traditions were the areas of Africa the embraced Islam in eastern and western Africa. These areas learned the use of Arabic script to study the Qur’an in support of their religious practice and created Qur’anic schools. Qur’anic schools focused on teaching the lessons of the Qur’an. Many were simple outdoor gatherings where teachers taught students in the open air. Qur’anic schools facilitated contact for students with Arabic nations and young boys with strong potential to act as leaders were given the opportunity to attend Arabian higher education institutions to obtain advanced degrees (Education, 2009).
This paper discusses these issues and how they affect these peoples in the modern age and the global economy.
Talks by Jason E Thomas
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/combating-ransomware-traditional-backups-jason-thomas-phd/?trackingId=nVXLEFjf%2FwibNUdF4%2B8mCg%3D%3D
Drafts by Jason E Thomas
Data protection and storage management solutions have advanced rapidly in the past decade. What some refer to as "backup" actually may not be a traditional backup that copies and stores data. Mixing up this terminology could be dangerous and could leave vital resources unprotected.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-backup-real-part-ii-combating-ransomware-backups-thomas-phd/?trackingId=iIqcAhvRkUUdmCfznJt1Qg%3D%3D
their exposition in the late 1980s (Angelo & Cross, 1993). A large body of literature exists surrounding the strengths and
weaknesses of formative CATs. Simpson-Beck (2011) suggested insufficient quantitative evidence exists on the utility of CATs
for increasing the quality of student learning. Two quantitative studies by Simpson-Beck (2011) and Cottell and Harwood
(1998) indicated no such correlation. We suggest that these deficiencies as applied to adult non-traditional programs may be
due to a lack of rigor in the construction of many formative CATs, as well as a failure to properly match assessments to real
learning objectives. In this article, we propose a nine-step framework to facilitate proper selection of formative CATs with appropriate rigor and implementation in the classroom.
The pre-colonial education practices in Africa varied widely from oral traditions passed down from fathers to their children by the San of the Kalahari to more organized and complex education systems of the Poro society in western Africa and everywhere in between. Many of the societies in Africa had rites of passage that children would go through after completing puberty that imparted knowledge and status by means of customs and examples. Participation in these rituals was a statement that children had learned the philosophical and vocational lessons from their elders and that the children were ready to participate in society (2009).
One notable exception to these educational traditions were the areas of Africa the embraced Islam in eastern and western Africa. These areas learned the use of Arabic script to study the Qur’an in support of their religious practice and created Qur’anic schools. Qur’anic schools focused on teaching the lessons of the Qur’an. Many were simple outdoor gatherings where teachers taught students in the open air. Qur’anic schools facilitated contact for students with Arabic nations and young boys with strong potential to act as leaders were given the opportunity to attend Arabian higher education institutions to obtain advanced degrees (Education, 2009).
This paper discusses these issues and how they affect these peoples in the modern age and the global economy.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/combating-ransomware-traditional-backups-jason-thomas-phd/?trackingId=nVXLEFjf%2FwibNUdF4%2B8mCg%3D%3D