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Computer Ethics: Page - 1

Computer technology has become essential in daily life but has also created problems like cybercrimes. Computer ethics is a set of moral principles for appropriate computer use and addresses issues like intellectual property, privacy, and how technology impacts society. Examples of computer ethics guidelines include respecting copyrights, following software license agreements, and avoiding hacking or software piracy. Adhering to computer ethics helps ensure technology benefits society and protects individuals from online threats.

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845 views4 pages

Computer Ethics: Page - 1

Computer technology has become essential in daily life but has also created problems like cybercrimes. Computer ethics is a set of moral principles for appropriate computer use and addresses issues like intellectual property, privacy, and how technology impacts society. Examples of computer ethics guidelines include respecting copyrights, following software license agreements, and avoiding hacking or software piracy. Adhering to computer ethics helps ensure technology benefits society and protects individuals from online threats.

Uploaded by

Agrippa Mungazi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Computer Ethics

Computer technology is used in various applications and computers have become an essential
part of our daily lives. This dependence on computer technology has also created many
problems such as cybercrimes, data theft, etc.
 Ethics is a set of moral principles that govern the behaviour of an individual or group
of people.
 Computer ethics is a set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers.
 Computer ethics is the application of moral principles to the use of computers and
the Internet.
 Examples of computer ethics issues include intellectual property rights (such as
copyrighted electronic content), privacy concerns/policies, and online etiquette, or
netiquette and how computers affect society.
 Computers make it easy to duplicate and redistribute copyrighted
electronic/digital content, however, it is ethical to respect copyright guidelines as
computer ethics suggest that it is wrong to so without the author’s approval.
 It is important to understand and follow the license agreement (SLA) when using
software.
 Using commercial software without paying for a license is considered piracy and is a
violation of computer ethics. 
 Other unethical uses of computers include hacking, cracking and vandalism of
computer hardware.
 Computer ethics helps ensure new technologies positively affect society when
considered during the development of the technology, for example, artificial
intelligence is affecting existing jobs and human communication.
 The computer world is evolving and computer ethics continues to create ethical
standards that address new issues raised by new technologies

Importance of Computer Ethics


 Computer ethics essentially protect individuals online from predation:
o they prevent breach of privacy,
o identify theft,
o interference with work and unlawful use of proprietary software, among other
events.
 Computer ethics govern the behaviour (govern social, financial and legal uses of
computers worldwide) of users online.
 The code of computer ethics, (Ten Commandments), instructs users not to harass
other users, use computers to spy or use computers to gain access to private
information.
 The ethics prevent the taking of intellectual information without compensation and
prevent users from using computing resources without compensation or authorization.
 The ethics also mandate the use of machines in a manner considerate and respectful of
others.

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Examples of computer ethics
These are some guidelines of computer ethics that can be used as a computer user:
 Avoid the use of computer to harm other people such as create a bomb or destroy
other people works.
 Users also should not use a computer for stealing activities like breaking in to a bank
or company to steal data.
 Make sure a copy of software had been paid by the users before it is used. This is
because software is an intellectual product.
 People must also not use other people's computer resources without authorization
because it can be declared as hacking.

Ethical computing is a system of moral principles a person should follow while using a
computer at their home, school, and office. The Computer Ethics Institute has developed the
following Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics that can be used as guidelines of how to
remain ethical when using your computer.
Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics
1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.
4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software you have not purchased.
7. Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper
compensation.
8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people’s intellectual output.
9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the
system you are designing.
10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that insure consideration and respect for
your fellow humans.
Computer and Information Technology Crime

The ethical spectrum for computer issues runs from that which is ethical, to that which is unethical,
to that which is against the law – computer crime

Defrauding the system

 An illegal entry into a computer system, direct or indirect, for the purpose of personal gain is
considered – FRAUD
 Computers can be both an invitation to fraud and a tool to thwart fraud

Negligence and Incompetence

Not all computer crime is premeditated. Negligence or incompetence can be just as bad for an
organization as a premeditated crime.

The Cracker Problem

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What is unauthorized access and how is it achieved?

 Use of a computer or network without permission


 Hackers typically break into computer by connecting to it and then logging in as a legitimate
user Hacker, or cracker, is someone who tries to access a computer or network illegally

Software Piracy and the Theft of Intellectual property

 Federal copyright law automatically protects software from the moment of its creation.
 The same law protects other Intellectual property (books, films, audio recordings and so on).
 Software theft is act of stealing or illegally copying software or intentionally erasing
programs
 Software piracy is illegal duplication of copyrighted software

Basic Security Concepts


 Three basic security concepts important to information on the internet are
confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
 Concepts relating to the people who use that information are authentication,
authorization, and nonrepudiation.
 When information is read or copied by someone not authorized to do so, the result is
known as loss of confidentiality.
o For some types of information, confidentiality is a very important attribute.
Examples include research data, medical and insurance records, new product
specifications, and corporate investment strategies.
o In some locations, there may be a legal obligation to protect the privacy of
individuals.
o This is particularly true for banks and loan companies; debt collectors;
businesses that extend credit to their customers or issue credit cards; hospitals,
doctors’ offices, and medical testing laboratories; individuals or agencies that
offer services such as psychological counselling or drug treatment; and
agencies that collect taxes.
 Information can be corrupted when it is available on an insecure network.
 When information is modified in unexpected ways, the result is known as loss of
integrity.
 This means that unauthorized changes are made to information, whether by human
error or intentional tampering.
 Integrity is particularly important for critical safety and financial data used for
activities such as electronic funds transfers, air traffic control, and financial
accounting.
 Information can be erased or become inaccessible, resulting in loss of availability.
 This means that people who are authorized to get information cannot get what they
need.
 Availability is often the most important attribute in service-oriented businesses that
depend on information (for example, airline schedules and online inventory systems)
 Availability of the network itself is important to anyone whose business or education
relies on a network connection.

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 When users cannot access the network or specific services provided on the network,
they experience a denial of service.
 To make information available to those who need it and who can be trusted with it,
organizations use authentication and authorization.
 Authentication is proving that a user is the person he or she claims to be. That proof
may involve something the user knows (such as a password), something the user has
(such as a “smartcard”), or something about the user that proves the person’s identity
(such as a fingerprint).
 Authorisation is the act of determining whether a particular user (or computer
system) has the right to carry out a certain activity, such as reading a file or running a
program.
 Authentication and authorization go hand in hand – users must be authenticated
before carrying out the activity they are authorized to perform.
 Security is strong when the means of authentication cannot later be refuted – the user
cannot later deny that s/he performed the activity.
 This is known as nonrepudiation

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