CPTR 325: System Administration

Chapter 1.B: System Administration Ethics

CPTR 325: System Administration

Chapter 1.B:
System Administration Ethics
In this chapter, we will discuss the following:
• Ethical Issues and the System Administrator
• The System Administrator: Power and Responsibility
• The Ten Commandments of System Administration Ethics
CPTR 325: System Administration

Ethical Issues and the System Administrator

• A system administrator's role involves maintaining a technological
environment conducive to user productivity and satisfaction.
• This includes technical tasks, such as system maintenance and
troubleshooting, as well as non-technical responsibilities like
safeguarding personal rights and managing various duties within
constraints.

What are your Primary Responsibilities?

1. The community 2. Individual Users
CPTR 325: System Administration

Ethical Issues and the System Administrator

A system administrator has partial or Full control the entire organization system.

Figure 1. The role of a system admin can be underappreciated in a company, Source:

https://images.techhive.com/images/idge/imported/imageapi/2014/10/07/20/20140724_sysadmin_day-small-100479433-primary-idge.jpg
CPTR 325: System Administration

The System Administrator: Power and

responsibility
“”Great power comes with great responsibility.” – Uncle Ben, a fictional character from
Spiderman.

- System administrators play a critical role in maintaining systems to achieve organizational goals.
- Coworkers rely on sysadmins' efficient work for their own productivity.
- Poor preparation or inaccuracy from sysadmins can lead to widespread disruptions like offline
operations, glitches, and data corruption.
- Such disruptions result in loss of productivity for other workers.
- Sysadmins must ensure smooth operations to uphold organizational productivity and success.
CPTR 325: System Administration

The System Administrator: Power and

responsibility
As a SysAdmin, we are prone for temptations on using their powers.
For example, as the system administrator with the highest-level privileges on a server,
you have the power to:
• Read anyone’s private messages and the files saved in their home folders.
• Make changes to any files, including personal and company documents
• Send falsified messages as if they came from other users.
• Delete some or all files
• Delay fixing a problem for an employee just because you don’t like him or her.
• Delay fixing a problem just because you can
• Disregard security measures intended to protect systems and data
CPTR 325: System Administration

The System Administrator: Power and

responsibility
• Some system administrators may attempt to secure their job by configuring systems in
a way that only they can understand and change.
• This short-sighted approach may initially provide job security but ultimately leads to
being viewed as a threat to the company rather than an asset.
• Such behavior represents an abuse of power and undermines trust within the
organization.
• It's essential to resist the human tendency to abuse power and instead prioritize
collaboration, transparency, and ethical conduct in system administration roles.

“All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” – Lord Acton
CPTR 325: System Administration

The System Administrator: Power and

responsibility
Always remember:
• Good job are always available for well trained tech-
people.
• If you have not trained yourself well, you are not
worth keeping as an employee.

Figure 2. Man sculpting himself statue, Source d6b697d9e689c4ebb4070ead7b943a7e.jpg (467×700)

(pinimg.com)
 The Ten Commandments of
System Administration Ethics
What are the 10 Commandments according to Ljubuncic and Litterer
(2019) in their book “System Administration Ethics”:
1. Separate Roles 6. Do Not Go Where You Are Not Wanted
2. Respect Privacy 7. Follow Procedures and Get Out
3. Do Not Change Data 8. Communicate Change
4. Do Not Steal Intellectual Property 9. Do No Harm
5. Do not Steal Computers / Hardware 10. Break Glass in an Emergency
REFERENCES:
A. TEXTBOOKS AND REFERENCES
• Ljubuncic and Litterer (2019). System Administration Ethics. Apress.
• Kasssahun Ashenafi. (2018). Operating Systems Administration. African Virtual University.
• Gatera, Thadee. (2018). Network Administration. African Virtual University
• Limoncelli & Hogan & Chalup (2017). The Practice of System and Network Administration. Addison-Wesley
• Burgess, Mark. (2004). Principles of Network and System Administration 2nd Edition. John Wiley and Sons,
Ltd.
• Wells, Nicholas (2000). Guide to Linux Installation and Administration. Course Technology

B. WEBPAGES / WEBSITES
• Rizk, Ziko. (2020). Microsoft Windows Server Admin II. OER Commons.
https://www.oercommons.org/courses/cs-240b-microsoft-windows-server-admin-ii/view
• Fried, Ryan. (2019). Computer Network Security. OER Commons.
https://www.oercommons.org/courses/computer-network-security/view
• Musabe, Richard. (2018). Introduction to Computer Security. OER Commons.
https://www.oercommons.org/courses/introduction-to-computer-security/view
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