Cyber Ethics

Ethics in the classical sense, refers to the rules, standards and etiquettes governing the conduct of an
individual with others. In order to keep healthy environment in family and society certain ethics need to be
followed by the members. Similarly, it is very important to follow rules, protocols and standards while using
Internet to ensure smoothness of the system and also safety of self and others. The way we need to learn
good etiquettes (moral values) to be successful in society, same way we need netiquettes (Network
Etiquettes) to work and use the Internet/Cyber World safely. Let us understand some of the aspect of Cyber
ethics.

Cyber Ethics
1. Privacy: Privacy is the protection of personal information given online to a website by a user on all
occasions especially in e-commerce activity involving banking details. Primarily, it is the responsibility
of the concerned website to maintain privacy of user’s data. So, they must make terms and conditions
very clear. At the same time, users should also be responsible enough to go through the terms and
conditions (EULA – End Users License Agreement) very minutely and should not simply click on ‘I
Agree’. Also, they should not give permission to any application to access personal information
especially in case of mobile apps unless it is required.
2. Fraud: Cyber/Online Fraud –It is a fraud (crime) committed using Internet/digital system. It could be of
many types like banking fraud, nonexistent company, non delivered goods, stealing information etc.
Mainly, it happens with the unaware and unwatchful users who share their personal details with others
one way or the other.
3. Secure Data Transmission: It refers to sufficient and enough technical safeguards so that data travels
form source to target without being compromised or eavesdropped (secretly copied).
a. SSL- Secured Socket Layer: It is standard security protocols which establishes an encrypted online
links between server and browser in a communication. But this encryption/decryption is a standard
procedure followed by all servers, so everybody (hackers and crackers) became aware of this
system. Some terms
i. Hackers : Those experts who try to access information in an unauthorized way to find the loop
holes and to correct the loopholes if any.
ii. Crackers : Those experts who try to access information in an unauthorized way to misuse and
to take personal benefits.
iii. Encryption : Changing/Encoding the actual data into some coded data.
iv. Decryption : Changing/Decoding coded data to actual data
b. Data Encryption and Decryption : This is another popular tool to protect data. Here every server can
create rules for encrypting/decrypting data and also can keep changing the rules.
c. Safe protocols : Safe server protocol like https can be used for data security.
d. Anti-Virus: Use of up to date anti-virus.
4. Intellectual Property rights : Intellectual Property refers to original creativity/works such as an idea,
design, invention etc. created for the first time by an intellectual or company. Intellectual Property
Rights (IPR): are exclusive rights to an intellectual or company to use its ideas, design, invention etc.
without the worry of competition for a specific period. The four most popular of these rights are:
a. Patents: is an intellectual property right for a fixed time-period, which gives an inventor the
exclusive right to exclude others from making, using, or selling his/her invention.
b. Copyrights: is an intellectual property right that gives the creator of an original creative work he
exclusive right to determine whether and under what conditions it may be copied and used by
 others.
c. Trademarks (TM) : is an intellectual property right, which consists of a recognizable sign, design,
or expression to differentiate between products and services.
d. Trade Secrets: is an intellectual property right, which consists of a secret technique used by a
company in manufacturing its products to gain advantage over competitors.
5. Digital Property Rights : Digital Property: refers to digital information such as database, internet
accounts, cloud storage, audio, video etc. Digital Property Rights: refers to rights of owner of the digital
property that grant access and control of digital information to others
6. Plagiarism : It is copying of another person's ideas and other works while pretending that they are one's
own. Following are the ways to avoid plagiarism:
a. Paraphrase: is a way to express someone’s idea in own words.
b. Quoting: is a way in which a source is quoted exactly in its original way but within “block quotes”.
c. Citing: is a way in which at the bottom of the very page, details such as author’s name, date of
publication etc. are mentioned while using someone’s work.
d. Referencing: is a way in which at the end of the document, details such as author’s name, date of
publication etc. are mentioned while using someone’s work.

Software Licenses

It is legal document that provides details regarding the use and distribution of software. They either
prohibit or provide end users with the right to make copies of the software. They are classified as-
A. Open Source Software (OSS): These are the software in which the software publisher releases the
source code (HLL Code) to users under a license. It may grant permission to end users to make
modifications in the software as required by the user.
B. Closed Source Software (CSS): These are the software in which the software publisher releases
the object code (LLL Code) to users under a license. So, users are not allowed to make
modifications. They are allowed to use them as they are.
C. Proprietary Software: They are software for which the software publisher retains all intellectual
property rights. Usually they are paid and closed source software. They may/ may not allow
distribution
D. Free Software/ Freeware: They are usually free (unpaid) software with limited/unlimited
distribution rights. They may be closed or open source.
E. Shareware: These are limited version software given to user with restricted use. After some
payment complete software is given.

So, a software may be open or closed source. Also it may be free or paid.

Freedom of Information
1. Digital Divide : It is an uneven distribution in the access and use of information and communication
technologies among various groups. This technology may include the telephone, television, personal
computers and the Internet. The major factors responsible for it are social, economical and
technological inequality. India is a very suitable example for the same.
2. Digital Unity: It is opposite of Digital Divide, where equal opportunities are available to entire
society in terms of technology availability.
3. Net neutrality: This term came into being when ISPs wanted to have different data download rates
from different server. So, when we are allowed to download data on a uniform rate (Cost of Data
Pack) from any server, we call it a Neutral Net. If we need to pay different rates for different server,
we say Net is not Neutral.
Backups :
Backup are another copy of user’s data that are usually kept on another device and kept separately. Purpose
is to have data in case any thing goes wrong with working system (Computer). A professional user is always
adviced to keep backups. All the servers are also backed up on daily, even hourly basis. Some terms:
1. Full Backup : Full backup refers to copying entire data.
2. Differential Backup: It refers to copying only newly added data.
3. Off Line Backup: It refers to taking backup on a separate device eg. Pen drive, DVDs etc.
4. On Line Backup: : It refers to taking backup on a web server that can be accessed from any whereeg.
Google Drive, One Drive etc.
Some Major Issues
Viruses: Viruses are malicious code/program that comes to our computer unknowingly to damage data and
files. They come to our computer through other other devices that we use for copying data or when we
download some data from Internet. Viruses are broadly of these types
1. File Infectors
2. Boot Sector Virus
3. Macro Virus
Worms: A self-replicating virus that eats up entire disk space/memory.
Trojan Horse: It is a virus that appears harmless but keeps on deleting/damaging user’s file.
Sweepers: It is a virus that sweeps i.e. deletes entire data from system.
Adware: It is a program that deliver unwanted ads (usually pop up) on user’s computer.
Spyware: It is a virus that collects and sends crucial data to a particular web site for illegal use.
Denial of Service (DOS attack): It is a virus that eats up all the resources of the system and system comes to
a halt. The attacked system stops giving service to others.
Malware: It is a general term used for malicious software. All above terms belong to the category of
malware.
Spam: It refers to unsolicited or bulk mail sent by known/unknown sources usually for advertisement
purpose. These mails may be good source of viruses, specially its attachments
Password Guessing:Most of the hackers/crackers guess password dependent on other details of users like
dob, parents/siblings name etc. So, user should use very unique password and not related to any other
personal data.
Phishing: In phishing, an imposter uses authentic (look alike) looking email or web-site to trick user to
collect persona information that may be misused later. So, it is highly recommended to check the spelling of
URL and type them in browser at the place of clicking on a hyperlink.