Introduction to ethics
- 1. Professional Practices Lecture 1 Introduction to Ethics Syed Saqib Raza Rizvi
- 2. Definition • Ethics: “The science of morals; the department of study concerned with the principles of human duty. The moral principles by which a person is guided.” – Oxford English Dictionary • Moral: “Of or pertaining to character or disposition, considered as good or bad, virtuous or vicious; of or pertaining to the distinction between right and wrong, or good and evil, in relation to the actions, volitions, or character of responsible beings; ethical.” – Oxford English Dictionary • Terms will be used interchangeably – basically, knowing the difference between right and wrong.
- 3. Background Of Ethics •Ethics: a set of beliefs about right and wrong behavior. • According to Socrates (Greek philosopher, 477 - 399 BC):People will naturally do what is good, if they know what is right • Evil or bad actions are the result of unawareness about right and wrong • So, if a criminal were truly aware of the mental and spiritual consequences of his actions, he would neither commit nor even consider committing them • Therefore, any person who knows what is truly right will automatically do it
- 4. Introduction • In the industrialized world computers are changing everything: from education to health, from voting to making friends or making war. • Developing countries can also fully participate in cyberspace and make use of opportunities offered by global networks. • We are living a technological and informational revolution. • It is therefore important for policy makers, leaders, teachers, computer professionals and all social thinkers to get involved in the social and ethical impacts of this communication technology.
- 5. Cyber Ethics and Cyber Technology • Cyber-technology refers to a broad range of technologies from stand-alone computers to the cluster of networked computing, information and communication technologies. • Cyber-ethics is the field of applied ethics that examines moral, legal, and social issues in the development and use of Cyber-technology. • Internet ethics and information ethics.
- 6. Computer ethics: definition • Same as cyber-ethics, or • The study of ethical issues that are associated primarily with computing machines and the computing profession. • The field of applied professional ethics dealing with ethical problems transformed, or created by computer technology
- 7. Computer Ethics: Some historical milestones • 1940-1950: Founded by MIT prof Norbert Wiener: cybernetics- science of information feedback systems. • 1960s: Donn Parker from California examined unethical and illegal uses of computers by professionals. 1st code of professional conduct for the ACM. • Mid 1970: Walter Maner taught 1st course and starter kit in computer ethics.
- 8. Computer ethics history (cont.) • 1980: Issues like computer-enabled crime, disasters, invasion of privacy via databases, law suits about software ownership became public. • Mid 80s: James Moore of Darmouth, • Deborah Johnson of Rensselaer, Sherry Turkle of MIT, and Judith Perrole published article and books.
- 9. Computer ethics history (cont.) • 1990: Interest in computer ethics as a field of research had spread to Europe and Australia. • Simon Rogerson of De Montfort University (UK) Terrell Bynum, editor of Metaphilosophy (USA), initiated international conferences. • Mid 90s: Beginning of a 2nd generation of computer ethics with more practical action. • 2004: Interest spreads to Cotonou, Benin
- 10. Any unique moral issues? Deborah Johnson: Ethics on-line • The scope of the Internet is global and interactive. • The Internet enables users to interact with privacy. • Internet technology makes the reproducibility of information possible in ways not possible before. • The above features make behavior on-line morally different than off- line.
- 11. The debate continues: • James Moore: Computer technology is “logically malleable” unlike previous technologies. It can create “new possibilities for human action”. • Brey: disclosing non-obvious features embedded in computer systems that can have moral implications. • Alison Adams: Take into account gender-related biases. Combine feminist ethics with empirical studies.
- 12. Sample topics in computer ethics • Computers in the workplace: a threat to jobs? De-skilling? Health and safety? • Computer security: Viruses. Spying by hackers. • Logical security: Privacy, integrity, consistency, controlling access to resources. • Software ownership: Intellectual property vs. open source. • Software development: quality, safety
- 13. Computer Security • Viruses: programming code disguised • Worms: propagate w/o human intervention(involvement) • Trojan horses: gets secretly installed. • Logic bombs: execute conditionally. • Bacteria or rabbits: multiply rapidly. • Computer crimes: embezzlement(theft, misuse, stealing). • Hackers: vandalism or exploration.
- 14. Logical Security • Privacy invasion of email, files, and • own computer (cookies). • Shared databases. • Identity theft. • Combating terrorism: USA Patriot act.
- 15. Software Ownership • Knowledge: private greed, public good. • Profit vs. affordability • Freedom of expression and access to information • Right to communicate: share and learn in a globalized world. • Digital divide is immoral. • Open source software: Linux. Open access. • North-South information flow. Indigenous knowledge.
- 16. Codes of Ethics • Avoid harm to others • Be honest and trustworthy • Acquire and maintain professional competence • Know and respect existing laws pertaining to professional work • No personal interest • Be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data
- 17. Cases in 2012 • Cyber criminals target Skype, Facebook and Windows users • Cyber criminals targeted users of Skype, Facebook and Windows using multiple Black hole exploits in October, according to the latest threat report from security firm GFI Software. • Researchers uncovered a large number of Black hole exploits disguised as Windows licenses, Facebook account verification emails, Skype voicemail notifications and spam messages.
- 18. Cases Continues • Cyber attackers increasingly targeting applications, research shows • Web and mobile applications are the new frontiers in the war against cyber attack, according to a top cyber security risks report from Hewlett Packard (HP) published in May. • The report reveals that SQL injection (SQLi) attacks on web applications increased sharply from around 15 million in 2010 to more than 50 million in 2011.
- 19. Ashley Madison Hack 2015: 37 Million Users
- 20. The Conficker Worm 2008: Still Infecting a Million Computers a Year
- 21. Stuxnet Worm 2010: Iran's Nuclear Program Blocked
- 22. Home Depot Hack 2014: Over 50 Million Credit Cards
- 23. eBay Hack 2014: 145 Million Users Breached
- 24. The Melissa Virus 1999: 20% of the World's Computers Infected • Melissa is a fast-spreading macro virus that is distributed as an e-mail attachment that, when opened, disables a number of safeguards in Word 97 or Word 2000, and, if the user has the Microsoft Outlook e- mail program, causes the virus to be resent to the first 50 people in each of the user's address books. While it does not destroy files or other resources, Melissa has the potential to disable corporate and other mail servers as the ripple of e-mail distribution becomes a much larger wave. On Friday, March 26, 1999, Melissa caused the Microsoft Corporation to shut down incoming e-mail.
- 25. Case Continues •Therac-25 • Therac-25 was a medical linear accelerator, a device used to treat cancer. What made Therac- 25 unique at the time of its use was the software. Not only did the software ease the laborious set- up process, but it also monitored the safety of the machine. In this case on safety critical software, you will find that some patients received much more radiation than prescribed despite the software safety programming.
- 26. Case Continues • Machado • At age19, Richard Machado was the first individual to be convicted of a federal electronic mail (e-mail) hate crime. The Machado case is one example of a handful of similar incidents that have occurred since the advent of the Internet.
- 27. Case Continues • Hughes Aircraft • Between 1985 and 1987, the Microelectronic Circuits Division of Hughes Aircraft shipped hybrid microelectronics to every branch of the U.S. military without completing various environmental chip testing processes required by contract. This is a whistle-blower case where the allegations against Hughes Aircraft resulted in a criminal case and a civil case.
- 28. Cyber-Crime Cases • For more Cyber cases follow the link below • http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240174301/Top-10-cyber- crime-stories-of-2012 • http://abcnews.go.com/US/harvard-ethics-student-charged-hacking- mit-computer/story?id=14110364
- 29. Ten Commandments • 1. Not use a computer to harm other people. This is the foundation for computer ethics.
- 30. Ten Commandments • 2. Not interfere with other people’s computer work. Such as sending numerous thoughtless e-mails to larger issues like purposely sending computer viruses.
- 31. Ten Commandments • 3. Not snoop around in other people’s computer files. Don’t go looking through other people’s computer files unless given permission.
- 32. Ten Commandments • 4. Not use a computer to steal.
- 33. Ten Commandments • 5. Not use a computer to bear false witness. Don’t spread rumors or change your email address so that the receiver of an email believes that it came from someone other than yourself.
- 34. Ten Commandments • 6. Not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid. Once you buy a software system, music CD or DVD you should not make copies of that information and distribute it to your friends.
- 35. Ten Commandments • 7. Not use other people’s computer resources without authorization or proper compensation. This means do not surf the internet or print off large amounts of paper for personal use during work hours.
- 36. Ten Commandments • 8. Not appropriate other people’s intellectual output. Don’t upload information and take credit for it such as music, images and text.
- 37. Ten Commandments • 9. Think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing.
- 38. Ten Commandments • 10. Use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for your fellow humans. Just because you can’t always see someone face to face doesn’t give you the right to offer any less respect then you would offer in a personal encounter.
- 39. CASE STUDY • http://www.mit.edu/activities/safe/safe/cases/umich-baker- story/Baker/timeline.html • http://www.mit.edu/activities/safe/safe/cases/umich-baker- story/throwout.1
- 40. International Papers Links • http://www.ijie.org, International Journal of Information Ethics. • www.sans.org/topten.htm Top ten Internet security flaws that system administrators must eliminate to avoid becoming an easy target. • http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/ Computer ethics as a map. • http://www.neiu.edu/~ncaftori/ethics-course.htm • The ethics course I borrowed these overheads from.