User authentication

User authentication Introduction I was appointed as the new Network Manager for Philadelphia Inc. It is a large multinational organisation which has an extensive network of PCs comprising more than 1000 systems. This organisation relies heavily on its vast network for its day to day operation. Any potential risks need to be identified and minimised as far as possible. Recently a large number of PCs were affected by a virus, causing a work stoppage among the administration and accounting department. Following this incident of large scale virus infection, the company management has decided to completely review all the computer security precautions and procedures in use within the organisation. So, I have been designed to ensure that I can identify potential threats to the security of the organisation’s network and formulate appropriate action plans and security policies to minimise the risks. Research and document the various aspects of network security that need to be addressed including each of the following topics: Access control User authentication Firewalls Virus protection Accessing the Internet (15 Marks) I’m research and document the various aspects of network security that need to be addressed. Access control Access control is the methods for imposing controls that allow or deny user access to network resources, usually based on a user’s account or a group to which the user belongs. Access control is security features that determine which resources users are permitted to access, what type of access they are allowed, and how many simultaneous users can access a resource at the same time. They ensure data privacy and protection and help maintain a productive computing environment. User authentication User authentication is a security feature that allows an administrator to control who has access to the network and what users can do after they are logged on to the network. This might involve confirming the identity of a person, the origins of an object, or assuring that a computer program is a trusted one. Authentication is the process of determining the identity of a network user by verifying a set of user credentials, typically a user ID and password. Firewalls A firewall is a combination of hardware and software components that provide a protective barrier between networks with different security levels. Rules for transmitting and receiving information to and from the other network can be established for the firewall so that specific types of items or addresses are not allowed to pass between the networks. It sits between the computer and the rest of the network, and according to some criteria, it decides which communication to allow, and which communication to block. Firewalls protect a computer or network from unauthorised access and attacks designed to cripple network or computer performance. Moreover, it is also a device or set of devices configured to permit, deny, encrypt, decrypt, or proxy all computer traffic between different security domains based upon a set of rules and other criteria. Virus protection Virus protection means securing data from viruses that is designed to destroy data or make the computer or network operate inefficiently. Computer viruses are the programs that must be triggered or executed before they can infect the computer system and spread to others. Viruses can then be spread by sharing infected files on a network drive, portable drive, or other media, by exchanging infected files over the internet via e-mail attachments, or by downloading debatable files from the internet. Accessing the internet Accessing the internet is the telephone communication system that also covers the world linking telephones together. As with the telephone system, each device attached to the network can be reached through a unique code that represents that device’s location. The telephone system access and services are supplied to phone users by an array of competing local, long-distance, and wireless telephone companies, access to the internet is also supplied through a number of access and hosting companies using an array of different connectivity methods. A user in your company calls to report that she’s unable to log on to email. You respond with a couple of quick questions. Because you know that no one else is using the network right now, you cannot determine if the problem is unique to her machine or if the problem affects the entire network. Probing further, you also learn that she’s unable to print. You decide this problem is probably easier to troubleshoot from the user’s computer. Using the structured troubleshooting method, outline the things you must check and the questions you must ask when you arrive at the user’s office. Based on the possible responses to your questions, describe the actions you will take to correct the potential causes. (10 Marks) One of the users in our company reports me that she’s unable to log on to her email account. So, I asked her some questions- How long the duration of your user account? Do you sure the log on user name and password is correct. When it starts to unable to log on to your email? After I arrive at the user department, I check her computer and network. I also learn that she’s unable to print to a network printer. Probing some of the check, other users of this department can able to log on to their email account and can able to print. Therefore, I ask her a couple of quick questions again- What has changed since the last time you worked? Have you installed anything on your own? Are there applications on your computer that arent on other computers? Firstly, I check the power is plugged in, the Caps lock is on, all the cables are attached and network permissions for her computer. Then I check that she can get a connection online or not by browsing Google website and I see there is no connection online. So, I check the Ethernet cable and connection setting. In checking her problem, I document that what I do, so I can undo it if I need to. I use Ping to check the computer can contact an IP address of another PC or not. (Ping is the simplest and most useful diagnostic tool to become familiar with and well worth a few minutes experimentation.) The reply message is â€Å"Request timed out†. It is because of the connection or routing error. Then I restart the computer because 90% of all problems disappear when the computer is restart. To check the router, I Ping the local router, and it fails. So, the problem of the local LAN or the router is sure. Then, I find the router and switch to check the LED display. And I think they ar e not normal, so I switch the unit OFF, remove and immediately replace the power connection, then switch the unit ON. After it has done, I go back to the computer and retry to Ping the local router. I have successfully sent a message to the local router and receive a response. Then, I check the computer can get a connection online or not, and can able to browse the website or not. Then I see the computer successfully get a connection online. So, I check the email account can be able to log on or not and the printer can be able to print or not. Then I see the problems of the user are successfully solved. Task 3 Produce a Security Review report, which details the specific threats to network security for ALL of the topics identified in Task 1, namely Access Control, User Authentication, Firewalls, Virus Protection, and Accessing the Internet, along with your proposed solutions aimed at reducing the risks associated with each threat. (35 Marks) Access Control Access control can identify the users, and verify their identity through an authentication process so they can be held responsible for their actions. Good access control systems record and timestamp all communications and transactions so that access to systems and information can be audited later. The primary objective of access control is to preserve and protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information, systems, and resources. I use role-based access control and rule-based access control to identify the user. Role-based access control systems allow users to access systems and information based on their role within the organisation. It allows end-users access to information and resources based on their role within the organisation. Roles based access can be applied to groups of people or individuals. Rule-based access control systems allow users to access systems and information based on pre-determined and configured rules. Rules can be established that allow access to all end-users coming from a particular domain, host, network, or IP addresses. User Authentication User authentication is an important aspect of network computer security. For network computer, harm can be caused by hacking, malicious messages, viruses, malwares, adwares, email attachments, downloading illegal materials and many other types of activity. Moreover, the secret information of the company can be stolen by the attacker using spywares and Trojan horses. User authentication will reduce this harm by limiting individual’s access to a few systems, rather than the whole Internet. Network operating systems include tools that enable administrators to specify a number of options and restrictions on how and when users can log on to the network. There are options for password complexity requirements, logon hours, logon locations, and remote logons, among others. After a user is logged on, file system access controls and user permission settings determine what a user can access on a network and what actions a user can perform on the network. So I specify the numbers of options and policies for user authentication. I specify that the password is required for all users of the company, to use the company’s computer. The user password length must be typically a minimum of five to eight characters and user passwords must have three of these four characteristics: lowercase letters (such as abc), uppercase letters (such as ABC), numbers (such as 123), and special characters (such as [emailprotected]#). And I specify the policy that can lock the user account to prevent from logging on, when a user enters an incorrect password five times. According to the user account and password, I control which user can access to the network and what he/she can do on the network. Firewalls Firewalls protect against outside attempts to access unauthorized resources, and they protect against malicious network packets intended to disable or cripple a corporate network and its resources. Second use of firewalls placed between the internet and the corporate network is to restrict corporate user access to internet resources. Firewalls can identify and block remote access Trojans (Trojan horse). Trojan horse is a program that purports to be a useful software tool, but it actually performs unintended (and often unauthorized) actions or installs malicious or damaging software behind the scenes when launched. Sometimes get some program via ICQ or via IRC and believe this program to be something good, while in fact running it will do something less nice to the computer. Such program is called Trojan horses. The difference of a Trojan and a virus is that a virus has the ability to self-replicate and to distribute itself, while a Trojan lacks this ability. A special type of Trojan is Remote Access Trojans (RAT). These Trojans once executed in the victim’s computer, start to listen to incoming communication from a remote matching program that the attacker uses. When they get instructions from the remote program, they act accordingly, and thus let the user of the remote program to execute commands on the v ictim’s computer. Firewalls can identify and block remote communication efforts to the more common RAT and by thus blocking the attacker, and identifying the RAT. There are many other types of Trojan horses which may try to communicate with the outside from the computer. Whether they are e-mail worms trying to distribute themselves using their own SMTP engine, or they might be password stealers, or anything else. Many of them can be identified and blocked by a firewall. So, I run the firewall on the server and all the desktop computers to protect Trojans, malware, and to prevent users from accessing offensive Websites or bandwidth-intensive content that might not be the best use of an employee’s time or the network’s bandwidth. Firewall devices from different vendors vary quite a bit in configuration details, but they are all based on one premise: Rules are created to determine what type of traffic is allowed to enter and exit the network. To configure a firewall, I build rules that allow only certain packets to enter or exit the network. The firewall can examine all incoming packets and discard packets with a destination address of the network’s restricted segment. Virus Protection In internet-connected networks, virus attacks are a regular threat. Users download programs, bring disks from home, memory sticks, and open e-mail attachments are normal computing activities, but they can also bring viruses into the network. A virus is a program that spreads by copying itself into other programs or documents. Computer virus can attack computer systems and perform a variety of functions ranging from annoying to dangerous. Its individual purpose is to disrupt computer or network operation by deleting or corrupting files, formatting disks, or using large amounts of computer resources. If a server file accessed by other users on the network is infected, the virus can spread through the network in a matter of seconds. To protect the spread of viruses, one of the most effective ways is to buy virus-protection software from a reputable source. Antivirus software is program that can scan and remove known viruses which have contracted. Most antivirus software is also designed to detect and prevent worms and viruses. The software can also be set to automatically scan disks when inserted into the disk drive, scan files when downloaded from the Internet, or scan e-mail when received. However antivirus software is available in many commercial and open source versions, the license-version of the antivirus software from reputable source is more secure and reliable than others. So, I run the standard antivirus software from reputable source in server and every desktop computer, and turn-on the scanning features. But by running antivirus software can only protect against viruses that it knows about. Therefore, virus definition files (update files) for antivirus software are needed to download from the internet daily or weekly. To get the maximum protection against viruses on the computer, make sure to keep antivirus definition files current. Another way to protect the data from virus infection is â€Å"backup the files† which helps to recover the data if the original files infected by the virus. Accessing the Internet The internet access is the essential thing to communicate between internal or external organisation for many purposes. Thousands of companies have discovered the pervasive power of the Web in distributing information, selling products, supporting customer service, and staying in touch with clients and customers. By using the internet, we can get important business information which is necessary for competition and improvement of the company. However the internet is useful for us, but also the internet attack can harm the business. The internet attacks are organised and designed to steal information and resources from the customers and the organisation. Input validation attacks using the Common Gateway Interface (CGI), Active Server Pages (ASP), and Cold Fusion Markup Language (CFML) programs stem from either a web developer or vendor failure. The basic problem happens from the lack of sanitizing the input to a particular script. Without input validation and sanitizing, it is possible for attackers to submit a particular character, along with a local command, as a parameter and have the web server execute it locally. Sometimes, the virtual website of the attackers steals user information and user’s credit card details. If all kinds user can get permission to access the network, the private information of the organisation can be stolen by the attacker using the internet. So that I control the user access to the network resources by using access control and identifying the user account to verify the network permission for the user. Task 4 Create a set of Acceptable Use Policies for each of the following: Accessing the WWW Email Usage Instant Messengers and chat rooms Each of these documents should provide a set of guidelines for users which will minimise any associated security threats. (30 Marks) To minimise any potential risks and associated security threats of the organisation’s network, all the staff of the company should agree the following policies for accessing the World Wide Web, email usage, instant messengers, and chat rooms. All the staff has responsibility to use the resources in an efficient, effective, ethical and lawful manner. In our organisation, access to the internet is available for the staffs to support informational, educational and communicable. So, staffs should agree the following internet access policies. Policies for accessing the WWW The use of Internet is strongly restricted to official company business†. Personal use or time spent for personal gain is strictly prohibited. Authorisation for Internet access must be obtained through your supervisor. Once authorisation is approved you are responsible for the security of your account password and you will be held responsible for all use or misuse of your account. You must maintain secure passwords and never use an account assigned to another user. Staffs are strongly prohibited to accessing internet websites that contain obscene, hateful, pornographic, politics or otherwise illegal material. Never copy or transfer electronic files without permission. Prohibit copying and sending any confidential or proprietary information, or software that is protected by copyright and other laws protecting intellectual property. Downloading a file or application from the Internet can bring viruses with it. Should be scan all downloaded files with standard virus prevention software before being saved on the company’s network. All downloaded applications must be accepted by the company’s IT administrator or company owner before being installed on the company’s network. Hacking into unauthorised areas and other employee’s computers are strictly prohibited. Confidential information is not to be transmitted over the internet without proper encryption. Introducing any form of computer virus or malicious software into the corporate network is strictly prohibited. Email usage policy Email is to be used for company business only. Company confidential information must not be shared outside of the Company without authorisation, at any time. When conducting company’s business, only use the company’s official email account for staff such as [emailprotected] Staffs are not to conduct personal business using the Company computer or email. All messages must show the genuine sender information (from where and from whom the message originated). The representation of yourself as someone else, real or fictional, or a message sent anonymously is prohibited. Emails for the purposes that violate company status or regulations, or for an illegal or criminal purpose may not be sent or forwarded through a company’s network. Management has the right to access all e-mail files created, received, or stored on company systems and such files can be accessed without prior notification. Email attachments can bring viruses, you should scan for virus after and before downloading the attachments with standard virus prevention software. Do not open any e-mail attachments if you do not recognize the sender. Forwarding of company confidential messages to external locations is strongly prohibited. Introducing any form of computer virus or malicious software into the corporate network is strictly prohibited. Policies for instant messengers and chat rooms Chats, also known as Internet Relay Chat (IRC), as well as Instant Messaging (IM), are very popular modes of quickly communicating with others. In using these IRC and IM, staffs should agree the following policies. These policies provide staffs with effective and consistent instant messaging (IM) use and content standards. Staffs are prohibited from downloading and using personal instant messenger software such as MSN or Yahoo to transmit messages via the public internet. All IM communications and information transmitted, received, or archived in the companys IM system belong to the company. The instant messaging and chatting system is intended for business use only. Staffs are prohibited from wasting computer resources, colleague’s time, or their own time by sending personal instant messages or engaging in unnecessary chat related to business. Treat messages as business records that may be retained and used as evidence in litigation, audits, and investigations. Always use professional and appropriate language in all instant messages. Staffs are prohibited from sending abusive, harassing, threatening, menacing, discriminatory, disrespectful, or otherwise offensive instant messages. Staffs may not use instant messengers and chat rooms to transmit confidential, proprietary, personal, or potentially embarrassing information about the company, employees, clients, business associates, or other third parties. Introducing any form of computer virus or malicious software into the corporate network is strictly prohibited. Task 5 Prepare and deliver a short presentation to your tutor using a presentation package like Power Point which summarises the major points in your Security Report and your proposed Acceptable Usage policies. (10 Marks) I prepare and deliver a short presentation to the tutor using a Power Point presentation which summarises the major points in my Security Report and my proposed Acceptable Usage policies. Network computerised system can contain various potential threats. To minise that risks, network security is required. In this presentation, I want to talk about five topics to configure network security Access Control User Authentication Firewalls Virus Protection Accessing the Internet Access control can control the user account and identify the user. It can verify user identity through an authentication process so users can be held responsible for their actions. Primary objective of access control is to preserve and protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information, systems, and resources. I use role-based access control and rule-based access control to identify the user. Role-based access control systems allow users to access systems and information based on their role within the organisation. Roles based access can be applied to groups of people or individuals. Rule-based access control systems allow users to access systems and information based on pre-determined and configured rules. Rules can be established that allow access to all end-users coming from a particular domain, host, network, or IP addresses. User authentication can determine the identity of a network user. For network computer, harm can be caused by hacking, malicious messages, viruses, malwares, adwares, email attachments, downloading illegal materials and many other types of activity. User authentication can reduce this harm by limiting individual’s access to a few systems, rather than the whole internet. Network administrator can control user log on and specify user permission on the network. So, I configure some options and policies for user authentication. I specify that the password is required for all users of the company, to use the company’s computer. The user password length must be typically a minimum of five to eight characters and user passwords must have three of these four characteristics: lowercase letters (such as abc), uppercase letters (such as ABC), numbers (such as 123), and special characters (such as [emailprotected]#). And I specify the policy that can lock the user account to prevent from logging on, when a user enters an incorrect password five times. According to the user account and password, I control which user can access to the network and what he/she can do on the network. Firewalls protect against outside attempts to access unauthorised resources, and they protect against malicious network packets intended to disable or cripple a corporate network and its resources. And also use to restrict corporate user access to inter resources. Firewalls can identify and block remote access Trojans (Trojan horse). Network administrator can configure the rules for what type of traffic is allowed to enter and exit the network. The firewall can examine all incoming packets and discard packets. In internet-connected networks, virus attacks are a regular threat. Users download programs, bring disks from home, memory sticks, and open e-mail attachments are normal computing activities, but they can also bring viruses into the network. To protect the spread of viruses, one of the most effective ways is to buy virus-protection software from a reputable source. Antivirus software is program that can scan and remove known viruses which have contracted. Most antivirus software is also designed to detect and prevent worms and viruses. The software can also be set to automatically scan disks when inserted into the disk drive, scan files when downloaded from the Internet, or scan e-mail when received. But by running antivirus software can only protect against viruses that it knows about. Therefore, virus definition files (update files) for antivirus software are needed to download from the internet daily or weekly. To get the maximum protection against viruses on the computer, make su re to keep antivirus definition files current. Another way to protect the data from virus infection is â€Å"backup the files† which helps to recover the data if the original files infected by the virus. Accessing the internet is the essential thing to communicate between internal or external organisation. However the internet is useful for us, the internet attack can harm the business. The internet attacks are organised and designed to steal information and resources from the customers and the organisation. If all kinds user can get permission to access the network, the private information of the organisation can be stolen by the attacker using the internet. So that I control the user access to the network resources by using access control and identifying the user account to verify the network permission for the user. To minimise any potential risks and associated security threats of the organisation’s network, all the staff of the company should agree the policies for accessing the World Wide Web, email usage, instant messengers, and chat rooms. All the staff has responsibility to use the resources in an efficient, effective, ethical and lawful manner. Reference Web Reference www.en.wikepedia.org www.businesslink.gov.uk www.3w.net www.answer.com www.procompgroup.com http://humanresources.about.com http://netsecurity.about.com http://answers.yahoo.com www.zytrax.com www.windowsnetworking.com www.cryer.co.uk Book Reference Title: Guide to Networking Essentials (Fifth Edition) Author Name: Greg Tomsho, Ed Tittel, David Johnson Access date time: 13 July 2009, 6:30 pm Title: Fundamentals of Hardware and Operating Systems (Operating System Technologies) A+ Fifth Edition Author Name: Charles J.Brooks Access date time: 15 July 2009, 5:00 pm Title: Fundamentals of Hardware and Operating Systems (Software Service Technicians) A+ Fifth Edition Author Name: Charles J.Brooks Access date time: 16 July 2009, 7:00 pm

Facilitate the Counselling Process Essay

DECLARATION I declare that this assessment is my own work, based on my own personal research/study . I also declare that this assessment, nor parts of it, has not been previously submitted for any other unit/module or course, and that I have not copied in part or whole or otherwise plagiarised the work of another student and/or persons. I have read the ACAP Student Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct Policy and understand its implications. I also declare, if this is a practical skills assessment, that a Client/Interviewee Consent Form has been read and signed by both parties, and where applicable parental consent has been obtained. Part 1. 1. Briefly describe how you could support Vara to work with her uncertainty and difficulties about making the right choices for her future. As Vara’s counsellor I think I could support Vara by helping her find a bit more clarity in her life. She seems to be at a point in her life when she wants to implement some changes, but she is still somewhat unsure of what she wants. I would start with open and respectful questions, giving Vara an opportunity to think further afield than her current situation. As Vara is still somewhat unsure of her goals, I would use a broad approach to explore some of Vara’s resistances and past experiences. So that she could identify what her strengths are, and the resources that she may have available to her. Once Vara has identified what some of her goals may be, I could use the SMART technique with Vara. I believe that this technique would be beneficial to Vara’s counselling, as she could then identify if the goals she has chosen are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. 2. Briefly describe three interventions you could use to support Vara to gain clarity and understanding and make the appropriate changes in her life. Three interventions I could use to support Vara in gaining some understanding and clarity, to make the appropriate changes in her life are. Behavioural interventions, cognitive interventions, and interactional (systemic) interventions. I believe behavioural interventions would be beneficial for Vara. She has stated that over the years she has acted ‘the dutiful wife’ to placate her husband. Using a behavioural intervention can help Vara develop new behaviours in regards to her relationship with her husband Alec. She could role play new behaviours in counselling to gain some confidence. Cognitive interventions, deal more with the thoughts, beliefs and attitudes that Vara has towards herself and her husband Alec. Using this intervention can help Vara think differently about her current situation. Vara has stated that she is ‘fed up and wants to end the marriage’ but she is afraid to voice this to her husband, as she is worried about what his reaction may be. Vara is also experiencing feelings of anxiety in regards to how she will cope on her own. In counselling I think it would be helpful for Vara to identify her strengths, so that she can feel more confident.  Interactional (systemic) interventions deal with relationship patterns with other people, tasks or situations. Using this intervention will help Vara identify that her relationship with Alec has formed a pattern. Her role in the relationship is to placate Alec and act ‘the dutiful wife’. While Alec’s role is to be in control, he is the ‘traditional’ male and expects Vara to tend to his every need. Vara could use role play in counselling to try a different pattern of behaviour. 3. Identify and briefly describe how you could help Vara identify and use her unknown strengths. I could help Vara identify her unknown strengths, buy asking open respectful questions. During Vara’s counselling I could help her identify her past achievements. Before she married Alec and came to Australia, she worked as a teacher. This type of profession is suited to someone who has strength of character. Vara has also gone out and found herself a part time job, and is saving her money, so she is more than capable of supporting herself financially. Vara has raised three children who all seem to be doing well in their lives. Vara has the support of her two close friends, Julie and Maria. I would ask Vara to identify, when in her past she has overcome adversity, what were some of the strategies she used, that were successful in making changes. 4. Briefly describe two micro-skills you could use to clarify Vara’s feelings about her situations. Two micro-skills I would use to help Vara clarify her feelings about her situation are Reflection of feelings and reflection of content and feelings. Reflection of feelings will ensure that Vara knows, I have understood how she is feeling about her situation and that I can empathise with her. This micro-skill is useful for helping Vara gain some clarity about her feelings. For example, when Vara describes how she is feeling about ending her marriage, I could say something like this, ‘you’re feeling fed up’. Another example would be when she talks about whether she should leave her husband is, ‘you’re feeling anxious’ and ‘you’re feeling conflicted’. Reflection of content and feelings is another micro-skill I would find useful for Vara. Reflection of content and feelings is different to reflection of feelings,  as it combines paraphrasing and reflection of feelings. Again the aim of this skill is for Vara to have some clarity concerning her feelings about her situation. For example when Vara describes how she is feeling about ending her marriage, I could say something like this, ‘you’re feeling fed up with your relationship’. When Vara talks about whether she should leave her husband, I could say, ‘you’re feeling anxious about whether you will manage on your own’ and ‘you’re feeling conflicted about ending the relationship with Alec as you still love him’. Part 2. 5. Explain how will you monitor and review Vara’s and your own perceptions of the counselling process to ensure it remains of value. In regards to Vara’s resistance to take any of the steps she had decided on in earlier sessions. I would ask some open questions to determine why Vara is resistant to taking the steps she decided on. I could ask her ‘what stopped you from taking these steps’. It is more than likely that the steps Vara decided on taking may have been too ambitious for her at this time. As Vara has only had six counselling sessions, she may need to take a step back, and explore her issues a bit more. I would try to help Vara recognise that she is in control of her life and ultimately she is the best judge of her readiness to change. In regards to monitoring myself during the counselling process, I would be having regular sessions with my supervisor. This will help me identify any blind spots I may have in the counselling sessions with Vara. If I felt stuck with Vara, having a supervisor will ensure that I have access to advice from an experienced counsellor. Supervision is essential for my own wellbeing and for Vara’s as well. 6. Briefly describe how you would respond to this disruption in the counselling process. I would respond to Vara’s concerns by saying something like this, ‘although you have been seeing me for six weeks now, I am hearing that you are experiencing feelings of hopelessness and uncertainty, in regards to the effectiveness of counselling. It might be worthwhile to explore the option of seeking some other type of help’. I would not want to pressure Vara into  continuing with counselling, if she really felt that it was not helping her. I would let her know that if she ever decides to resume counselling with me, I would be more than happy to see her again.

Measure Power- International Relations

Answer to Question 1 Power in international relations is measured first by the economic standing of the states involved, that is, by the state’s current economic status. Immanuel Wallerstein proposed that economic power may well be the key to understanding power relations between countries belonging from the First and Third World; the latter as source of raw materials and skilled manpower and the former the producer of finished product Those countries which have a large military have the high probability of compelling other countries (which have relatively weaker armed force) to obey its political will. — A state can be powerful in three different senses: economic, geographical, and militarily. A large country may have a considerable bargaining power in international relations as in the case of China; a military state like the Soviet Union and an economic power like Germany. Answer to Question 2 During ancient times, power is roughly measured by the geographical size of a state. The terms â€Å"empire, kingdom, vassal state, and satraps (vassal kingdoms)† prove that saliency of state size as a factor of power. During the middle ages, the same can be applied but with much modification. Those kingdoms and duchies close to the Roman See were given special favors (such as blessings to be crowned the next king or duke), hence they become powerful. In modern times, technology and high economic output (GNP) is the measurement of power; as reasons stated earlier (only the predominant measurement of power is recognized). Answer to Question 3 Both countries have large armed forces, with a large arsenal of nuclear weapons. The United States is an economic power, while the Soviet Union has faced serious economic turndowns. US is the â€Å"leader† of NATO and USSR of the Warsaw Pact countries – the former is more solid and militarily efficient, and the latter of loose military federation of countries. Nevertheless, in world history, both countries were deemed as superpowers for their ability to compel other nations to obey its political agenda. References: Wallerstein, Immanuel. 1974. The Modern World System. 2nd volume. New York Academic Press. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_power      

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