Computer hacking – Is it Ethical

COVER PAGE

Title : Computer hacking – Is it Ethical?

Subject : OVBE

Level / Semester : I / Feb 2010

Programme : MBA-FULL TIME

Subject Tutor : Dr. Jaishree Desai

Name of Student : Vivekanandan M

Student’s Registration Number : GPBL-B/F10/15

Date of Submission : Mar 26, 2010

Word Count : 921 words

Word Limit : 1000 words

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Checklist

Students Name Vivekanandan M

Registration Number GPBL-B/F10/15

Date of submission of the Assignment 26/03/2010

Is the cover page in the correct format as indicated in the “Guidelines to writing Assignments”?

Yes

Have I done a complete spell-check of the Assignment? Yes

Have I done a complete word count for the Assignment? Yes

Does the table of contents include numbers? Yes

Are the pages numbered correctly? Yes

Are the figures numbered correctly? NA

Are the tables/charts numbered correctly? NA

Are the captions for the tables and charts proper? NA

Are the references/bibliography listed in the Assignment? Yes

Are the references cited correctly in the text? NA

All references material has been cited from the books & the University of Wales online library. Any other internet

source quoted is with the permission of the module tutor.

NA

Are the references in the text in the proper format as

indicated in the “Guidelines to Writing Assignments”

Yes

Has the soft copy of the Assignment been enclosed? Yes

Declaration:

All material written in this assignment is my own and I have not used any material, content or information of others claiming them to be mine. Wherever materials have

been used, proper citation has been done in the text. I am fully aware of the rules and regulations governing plagiarism. Should at any point of time my work be

suspected/investigated and established to have been plagiarized, I am aware of the consequences. I have read the Student’s Handbook in detail.

___________________ Signature of the student Date: 26/03/2010

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE No.

Introduction to Ethics 1

What is Ethics? 1

Reason for selecting this topic 2

Introduction to computer hacking 2

Ethics in computer hacking 2

Computer hacking – Is it Ethical? 3

Conclusion 4

Bibliography 5

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Introduction to Ethics:

During the past two centuries, world economy has grown drastically, per capita income rose

by 8 times when the world population has increased by 5 times. The rapid growth of

economic development has led to erosion of values and ethics. Today ethics has become a

tool for consistent economic growth and for managing complex economic problems.

What is Ethics?

Ethics is a field of study dealing with what is right or wrong for a given situation. Ethics can

also be defined as a method or procedure for deciding how to act.

There are 4 concepts of Ethics, developed by moral philosophers over a period of time, they

are,

1. Utilitarism

2. Deontologism

3. Relativism

4. Egoism

1. Utilitarism – In this view, morality of an action can be determined by its

consequences. An action is ethical if the consequences are good compared to bad for

the greatest number.

2. Deontologism – In this view, actions are not justified by their consequences. Factors

other than good determine the rightness of the action.

3. Relativism – In this view, there is no universal standard by which morality can be

judged. What is right for one society might be wrong for another society.

4. Egoism – In this view, one ought to act in his or her own self interest. This does not

mean that one should not obey laws.

Ethical Dilemma – Ethical dilemma is a complex situation in which none of the available

alternatives seems ethically acceptable. In other words, ethical dilemma is complex situations

in which guiding moral principle cannot determine which course of action is right or wrong.

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Global warming is defined as the increase in the average temperature of earth surface. The major

reason for global warming is Pollution, (i.e) emission of carbon di oxide. Power plants which uses fossil fuel

to generate electricity, emits maximum carbon di oxide to the atmosphere. Automobiles using fossil fuel

pollute the atmosphere by emitting harmful gases like carbon di oxide, nitrous oxide. Other reasons for

pollution include, burning of oil during winter, deforestation and transportation industry (airways, railways

and roadways).

Effects of Global Warming:

Increase in earth surface temperature has impact on the following systems and the consequences have

chain reaction impact on its subsequent systems.

Glaciers

Weather

Weather

Business

Glaciers – Rise in temperature causes the glaciers to melt, resulting in increase in sea level. Increase in sea

level leads to flooding of land.

Mixing of pure water from melting glaciers with salty sea water alters the gulf-stream pattern which regulates

temperature.

Melting of glaciers alters the balance of eco system in the polar region which includes – animals, plants.

Weather – Rise in temperature causes delay in monsoon, short/prolonged season like – winter, summer, rainy.

Delay in monsoon affects agricultural sector.

Because of increase in sea level, some areas in the earth will be flooded and other part of the earth might

experience heat wave.

Mankind – Shortage of food, because of Weather change, leads to malnutrition and death in humans. Shortage

Reason for selecting this topic:

In the present computer age, computer has become an important house hold item. Home users

have misconception about hackers and think hackers are the one who involve in computer

and cyber crime. Following sections explain who are hackers and the principles followed by

them.

Introduction to computer hacking:

Computer hacking is defined as the practice of gaining control and using remote computer

hardware and software, without authorization or exceeding authorized access. Hacking was

started at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a method to figure out how

computer systems worked. Hacker is a person who attempts to penetrate the security system

of the remote computer.

Hackers are intelligent people who want to know everything. Hackers do not break into a

system for stealing or destroying the data, instead they want to test their own security system

and gain deeper understanding of the system. Hackers use their hacking skills in legitimate

ways, such as becoming security consultant.

Ethics in computer hacking:

Every profession has code of practice adopted by professionals to regulate that profession.

Original hacker ethics was developed by MIT and Stanford during 1960s. Later during 1990s

new hacker ethics was published. Following are their principles,

1. Above all else, do not harm.

2. Protect Privacy

3. Waste not, want not

4. Right to communicate

5. Leave no traces

6. Share

7. Hacking helps security

8. Trust, but test

1. Above all else, do not harm – Do not destroy computer or delete data, if it is possible.

An ethical dilemma with this principle is when the data gets deleted accidentally.

2. Protect Privacy – Do not copy sensitive information from the remote computer.

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and roadways).




Glaciers

Weather

Weather

Business




temperature.







3. Waste not, want not – Do not waste computer resource.

There are millions of computers connected over internet, which are not used for more

than 10 hours in a day. A hacker can utilize those unused resources without damaging

the remote computer and its data.

4. Right to communicate – Hackers have the right to communicate with fellow hackers

for free flow of information.

5. Leave no trace – Do not leave any trace or trail or log of the exploit.

6. Share – Do not hide or hoard information. Information increases its value by sharing

with people.

7. Hacking helps security – Offer help in identifying weakness/flaw in security. Suggest

ways to enhance the security.

8. Trust, but test – Constantly test the system and find new ways to enhance the existing

system.

Computer hacking – Is it Ethical?

In this section, hackers are assessed based on the 4 concepts of ethics.

1. From the view of utilitarism, hackers are ethical if their action does not damage the

remote computer and its data.

Eg. Hacker identifying a flaw in network security.

2. From the view of deontologism, hackers are ethical, if they follow their code of

ethics.

3. From the view of relativism, hackers act can be considered as ethical in one country,

but unethical in another country. Cyber laws are different for different country, so a

hacker act will be ethical in the country whose cyber law is relaxed and unethical in

the country which has stringent cyber laws.

4. From the view of egoism, hackers are ethical if their action promotes their long term

goal.

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and roadways).




Glaciers

Weather

Weather

Business




temperature.







Conclusion:

Computer hacking is a problem solving skill which hackers use to demonstrate their technical

capabilities and not as an opportunity to harm others.

Computer hacking has also lead to development of new technology, which include UNIX

operating system, developed by former hackers Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson.

Corporate actively utilize the service of hackers to test the robustness of their security system

and identify issues in their security system.

4

Bibliography:

1. Class Notes and Presentation

2. http://www.theworldeconomy.org/ (Mar 21, 2010)

3. http://www.paecon.net/PAEReview/ethics/PardoGuerra29.htm (Mar 21, 2010)

4. http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Ethics_Main.html (Mar 21, 2010)

5. http://www.asqsandiego.org/articles/ethics1.htm (Mar 21, 2010)

6. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-computer-hacking.htm (Mar 25, 2010)

7. http://www.hackingalert.com/hacking-articles/computer-hacking-explained.php (Mar

25, 2010)

8. http://www.fiu.edu/~mizrachs/hackethic.html (Mar 25, 2010)

9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_code (Mar 25, 2010)

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and roadways).




Glaciers

Weather

Weather

Business




temperature.







http://www.theworldeconomy.org/

http://www.paecon.net/PAEReview/ethics/PardoGuerra29.htm

http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Ethics_Main.html

http://www.asqsandiego.org/articles/ethics1.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-computer-hacking.htm

http://www.hackingalert.com/hacking-articles/computer-hacking-explained.php

http://www.fiu.edu/~mizrachs/hackethic.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_code

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Computer hacking – Is it Ethical