Ethical issues & Learning Objectives

Identify several ethical issues in how the use of information technologies in business affects: employment, individuality, working conditions, Privacy, crime, health, and solutions to societal problems
Propose several ways that business managers and professionals can help to lessen the harmful effects and increase the beneficial effects of the use of IT

IT Security, Ethics, and Society

IT has both beneficial and harmful effects on society and people Manage work activities to minimize the detrimental effects of IT Optimize the beneficial effects

Business Ethics

Ethics questions that managers meet as part of their daily business decision making include: Equity Rights Honesty Exercise of corporate power

Categories of Ethical Business Issues

Corporate Social Responsibility Theories

Stockholder Theory Managers are agents of the stockholders Their only ethical responsibility is to increase the profits of the business without violating the law or engaging in fraudulent practices Social Contract Theory Companies have ethical responsibilities to all members of society, who allow corporations to exist Stakeholder Theory Managers have an ethical responsibility to manage a firm for the benefit of all its stakeholders Stakeholders are all individuals and groups that have a stake in, or claim on, a company

Principles of Technology Ethics

Proportionality - The good achieved by the technology must outweigh the harm or risk; there must be no alternative that achieves the same or comparable benefits with less harm or risk Informed Consent - Those affected by the technology should understand and accept the risks Justice The benefits and burdens of the technology should be distributed fairly Those who benefit should bear their fair share of the risks, and those who do not benefit should not suffer a significant increase in risk Minimized Risk - Even if judged acceptable by the other three guidelines, the technology must be implemented so as to avoid all unnecessary risk

Responsible Professional Guidelines

A responsible professional Acts with integrity Increases personal competence Sets high standards of personal performance Accepts responsibility for his/her work Advances the health, privacy, and general welfare of the public

Computer Crime

Computer crime includes Unauthorized use, access, modification, or destruction of hardware, software, data, or network resources The unauthorized release of information The unauthorized copying of software Denying an end user access to his/her own hardware, software, data, or network resources Using or conspiring to use computer or network resources illegally to obtain information or tangible property
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Cybercrime Protection Measures

Hacking

Hacking is The uncontainable use of computers The unauthorized access and use of networked computer systems Electronic Breaking and Entering Hacking into a computer system and reading files, but neither stealing nor damaging anything Cracker A malicious or criminal hacker who maintains knowledge of the vulnerabilities found for private advantage

Common Hacking Tactics

Denial of Service Hammering a websites equipment with too many requests for information Clogging the system, slowing performance, or crashing the site Scans Widespread probes of the Internet to determine types of computers, services, and connections Looking for weaknesses Sniffer Programs that search individual packets of data as they pass through the Internet Capturing passwords or entire contents Spoofing Faking an e-mail address or Web page to trick users into passing along critical information like passwords or credit card numbers

Common Hacking Tactics

Trojan House A program that, unknown to the user, contains instructions that exploit a known vulnerability in some software Back Doors A hidden point of entry to be used in case the original entry point is detected or blocked Malicious Applets Tiny Java programs that misuse your computers resources, modify files on the hard disk, send fake email, or steal passwords War Dialing Programs that automatically dial thousands of telephone numbers in search of a way in through a modem connection Logic Bombs An instruction in a computer program that triggers a malicious act

Common Hacking Tactics

Buffer Overflow Crashing or gaining control of a computer by sending too much data to buffer memory Password Crackers Software that can guess passwords Social Engineering Gaining access to computer systems by talking unsuspecting company employees out of valuable information, such as passwords Dumpster Diving Sifting through a companys garbage to find information to help break into their computers

Cyber Theft

Many computer crimes involve the theft of money The majority are inside jobs that involve unauthorized network entry and alternation of computer databases to cover the tracks of the employees involved Many attacks occur through the Internet Most companies dont reveal that they have been targets or victims of cybercrime

Unauthorized Use at Work

Unauthorized use of computer systems and networks is time and resource theft Doing private consulting Doing personal finances Playing video games Unauthorized use of the Internet or company networks Sniffers Used to monitor network traffic or capacity Find evidence of improper use
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Internet Abuses in the Workplace

General email abuses Unauthorized usage and access Newsgroup postings Transmission of confidential data Hacking Non-work-related download/upload free time use of the Internet Use of external ISPs

Software Piracy

Software Piracy Unauthorized copying of computer programs Licensing Purchasing software is really a payment for a license for fair use Site license allows a certain number of copies

Theft of Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property Copyrighted material Includes such things as music, videos, images, articles, books, and software Copyright Infringement is Illegal Peer-to-peer networking techniques have made it easy to trade pirated intellectual property Publishers Offer Inexpensive Online Music Illegal downloading of music and video is down and continues to drop

Viruses and Worms

A virus is a program that cannot work without being inserted into another program A worm can run unaided These programs copy annoying or destructive routines into networked computers Copy routines spread the virus Commonly transmitted through The Internet and online services Email and file attachments Disks from contaminated computers
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Top Five Virus Families of all Time

My Doom, 2004 Netsky, 2004 SoBig, 2004 Klez, 2002 Sasser, 2004

The Cost of Viruses, Trojans, Worms

Cost of the top five virus families Nearly 115 million computers in 200 countries were infected in 2004 Up to 11 million computers are believed to be permanently infected In 2004, total economic damage from virus proliferation was $166 to $202 billion Average damage per computer is between $277 and $366

Adware and Spyware

Adware Software that claims to serve a useful purpose, and often does Allows advertisers to display pop-up and banner ads without the consent of the computer users Spyware Adware that uses an Internet connection in the background, without the users permission or knowledge Captures information about the user and sends it over the Internet

Spyware Problems

Spyware can steal private information and also Add advertising links to Web pages Redirect affiliate payments Change a users home page and search settings Make a modem randomly call premium-rate phone numbers Leave security holes that let Trojans in Degrade system performance Removal programs are often not completely successful in eliminating spyware

Privacy Issues

The power of information technology to store and retrieve information can have a negative effect on every individuals right to privacy Personal information is collected with every visit to a Web site Confidential information stored by credit bureaus, credit card companies, and the government has been stolen or misused

Privacy Issues

Violation of Privacy Accessing individuals private email conversations and computer records Collecting and sharing information about individuals gained from their visits to Internet websites Computer Monitoring Always knowing where a person is Mobile and paging services are becoming more closely associated with people than with places Computer Matching Using customer information gained from many sources to market additional business services Unauthorized Access of Personal Files Collecting telephone numbers, email addresses, credit card numbers, and other information to build customer profiles

Protecting Your Privacy on the Internet

There are multiple ways to protect your privacy Encrypt email Send newsgroup postings through anonymous remailers Ask your ISP not to sell your name and information to mailing list providers and other marketers Dont reveal personal data and interests on online service and website user profiles

Cyberlaw

Laws intended to regulate activities over the Internet or via electronic communication devices Encompasses a wide variety of legal and political issues Includes intellectual property, privacy, freedom of expression, and jurisdiction The intersection of technology and the law is controversial Some feel the Internet should not be regulated Encryption and cryptography make traditional form of regulation difficult The Internet treats censorship as damage and simply routes around it Cyber law only began to emerge in 1996 Debate continues regarding the applicability of legal principles derived from issues that had nothing to do with cyberspace

Other Challenges

Employment IT creates new jobs and increases productivity It can also cause significant reductions in job opportunities, as well as requiring new job skills Computer Monitoring Using computers to monitor the productivity and behavior of employees as they work Criticized as unethical because it monitors individuals, not just work, and is done constantly Criticized as invasion of privacy because many employees do not know they are being monitored Working Conditions IT has eliminated monotonous or obnoxious tasks However, some skilled craftsperson jobs have been replaced by jobs requiring routine, repetitive tasks or standby roles Individuality Dehumanizes and depersonalizes activities because computers eliminate human relationships Inflexible systems
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Health Issues

Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) Disorders suffered by people who sit at a PC or terminal and do fast-paced repetitive keystroke jobs Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Painful, crippling ailment of the hand and wrist Typically requires surgery to cure

Ergonomics

Ergonomics Factors

Designing healthy work environments Safe, comfortable, and pleasant for people to work in Increases employee morale and productivity Also called human factors engineering

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Societal Solutions

Using information technologies to solve human and social problems Medical diagnosis Computer-assisted instruction Governmental program planning Environmental quality control Law enforcement Job placement The detrimental effects of IT Often caused by individuals or organizations not accepting ethical responsibility for their actions

Security Management of IT

The Internet was developed for inter-operability, not impenetrability Business managers and professionals alike are responsible for the security, quality, and performance of business information systems Hardware, software, networks, and data resources must be protected by a variety of security measures

Other Security Measures

Security Codes Multilevel password system Encrypted passwords Smart cards with microprocessors Backup Files Duplicate files of data or programs Security Monitors Monitor the use of computers and networks Protects them from unauthorized use, fraud, and destruction Biometrics Computer devices measure physical traits that make each individual unique Voice recognition, fingerprints, retina scan Computer Failure Controls Prevents computer failures or minimizes its effects Preventive maintenance Arrange backups with a disaster recovery organization