computer ethics

Doing the Right Thing

Computer Ethics

Plagiarism

• Downloading somebody else’s works as if it were your own.

• Plagiarism is a serious offense. The more famous you get, the more you’re at risk.

• In college writing, it’s fine to make use of someone else’s effort as long as you use your own words and give credit.

• Plagiarizing copyrighted materials is called copyright infringement

Privacy & Encryption

• Privacy – refers to an individual’s ability to restrict or eliminate the collection, use, and sale of confidential personal information.

• Encryption – refers to a coding or scrambling process by which a message is rendered unreadable by anyone except the intended recipient. Coded Message

Cipher text• Refers to a coded message

Decode the message below

V YBIR LBH

ORYC BRX WRR

A B C D E F J H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Global Unique Identifiers (GUID)• A unique identification number that is generated

by a computer hardware component or a program.

Privacy at Work. (Things to Remember)

• Except in the case of an emergency, never use your employer’s telephone system for professional calls. Make all such calls from a pay telephone.

• Never use the e-mail account your employer gives you for professional purposes. Get your own account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), and be sure to send and receive all personal mail from your home computer.

• Assume that everything you do while you’re at work – whether it’s talking on the phone, using your computer, taking a break, or chatting with co-workers is being monitored and recorded.

Protecting your Privacy OnlineTo safeguard your privacy on the internet do the following:

• Browse anonymously by surfing from sites such as “The Anonymizer” or “The-cloak”

• Disable cookies on your Web browser or use cookie management software, such as Junkbuster.

• Use a “throw-away” e-mail address on a free Web-based service such as Hotmail.

• Tell children not to divulge any personal information to strangers online without first asking permision.

• Don’t fill out site registration form unless you see a privacy policy statement indicating that the information you supply will not be sold to third parties.

Computer Crime: Tools and Techniques

• Password guessing

• Shoulder surfing

• Packet sniffers

• Dumpster diving

• Social Engineering

• Superuser status

SALAMI SHAVING AND DATA

• Salami Shaving – a programmer alters a program so that it subtracts a very small amount of money from each account.

• Data Diddling- insiders modify data so that it’s difficult or impossible to tell that they’ve stolen fund or equipment.

COMPUTER VIRUSES• Computer Virus - a computer program that can copy itself and

infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user.• File infectors – attached themselves to a program file.• Boot sector virus – propagates by means of in infected program, but

it installs itself at the beginning of a hard drive.• Macro Virus – Take advantage of the automatic command

execution capabilities• Executable File- program that can run on a given computer

Platform.• E-mail Attachment-a computer file that is included with an e-mail

message.Plain Text – safe file

MORE ROGUE PROGRAMS• Time bombs- also called logic bombs, are designed to sit harmlessly

on a system until a certain event or set of circumstance causes the program to become active.

• Worm – resembles a computer virus in that it can spread from one computer to another. Can propagate over a computer network.

• Trojan Horse – is disguised as a useful program, but it contains hidden instructions to perform a malicious task instead. Sometimes a trojan horse is disguised as a game or a utility program that users will find appealing.

ATTACKERS• Hackers – computer hobbyist who enjoy pushing computer system to

their limits

• Crackers – obsessed with gaining entry to highly secure computer systems

• Cyber Gang – bring crackers together by means of the internet and physical meetings.

• Computer virus Author - Makers of Computer Viruses

• Disgruntled Employees – Kick out employees

• Fraud Artist - Swindlers & Shills

Cyberstalkers & Sexual Predators• Cyberstalking – define as the use of the internet e-mail, and other

electronic communication media to harass or threaten a person repeatedly.

• Cybersex - a virtual sex encounter in which two or more persons connected remotely via a computer network send one another sexually explicit messages describing a sexual experience. It is a form of role-playing in which the participants pretend they are having actual sexual relations

INFORMATION WARFARE

• IW – the use of information technologies to corrupt or destroy an enemy’s information and industrial infrastructure.

• Electronic Warfare – The use of electronic device to destroy or damage computer system.

• Network Warfare – hacker-like attacks on the nation’s network infrastructure, including the electronic banking system.

• Structural Sabotage – Attacks on information systems that support transportation, finance, energy and telecommunication.

Spotlight Ethics

• Plagiarism – The presentation of Somebody else’s work as if it were your own.• At some colleges, plagiarism can get you thrown out of school on

the first offense.

• Copyright Infringement – Plagiarizing copyrighted material.

Ten Commandments for Computer Ethics1. Thou shalt not use 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 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 propriety software for which you have not paid.

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 write or the system you design.

10. Thou shalt use a computer in ways that show consideration and respect for your fellow Humans.

Summary• Respecting yourself

• Respecting Others

• Respecting Academic Integrity