Ethical Issues with Hacking Essay Example for Free

Ethical Issues with Hacking Essay There is a new crime on the verge of being on Americas top ten crimes list, computer hacking. Computer hacking is the practice of unlawfully gaining access to and sometimes tampering with information in a computer system. Since the cyber age, the use of computers has slowing integrated into most of societys everyday life and since then new crimes have emerged as a result of this age. The access of information readily available at the click of a button, can be very enticing to unlawfully acquire, but the companies who hold this important information has a duty to keep all files and information safeguarded. As a result of the cyber age, no longer are there just mundane crimes in America such as murder or assault. There has been a new crime wave, crimes of technologies. Cyber crimes are now listed in the top leading crimes of today. Out of the top ten crimes in America during 2012, computer related crimes were at number seven and number ten. Seven being computer theft, and ten being identity theft, with computer hacking rising on that list daily. With careful planning and updated online security, cyber crimes such as, hacking can be decreased. According to the New York Times, they said that, new security protocols and stronger firewalls, which monitor computer networks for suspicious traffic, could help to deter a person from hacking. Security experts say companies must also adapt their security systems to protect against attacks through smartphones and tablet computers. Although such mobile devices increase convenience for workers, they essentially a create a new door into the network, which then needs its own security watchdogs. A company is committed to keeping all the information as private as possible. When a person decides to hack into a companys database, email or website, they are not only putting their self at risk, but everyone involved will be negatively effected. The company who got hacked will most likely be publicized and their confidentiality of their patients information has now been corrupted. Lawsuits can follow for the company or the individual hacker if they get caught and it could also be very damaging for the individual who might have gotten their information hacked in the process. Policy Position Companies and their employees have a duty to uphold a certain standards when dealing with the consumers personal and private information. Dell has outlined some preventive steps that can be taken on a company and a personal level to prevent hackers from infiltrating a computer networking system. Among these steps are the following: Education- Hackers aren’t the only ones who can gain power from information. By educating yourself and employees about the types of scams that exist on the Internet and how to avert them, you are putting yourself one step ahead of the cyber criminals. Use a firewall- Firewalls monitor traffic between your computer or network and the Internet and serve as a great first line of defense when it comes to keeping intruders out. Use comprehensive security software and keep your system updated- Because hackers have a wide variety of ways to access your system and information, you need comprehensive security software that can protect you from all angles. Secure your wireless network- Hackers can access data while it’s in transit on an unsecured wireless network. You can keep the hackers out by enabling the firewall on your router and changing the router’s administrator password. î€Å' Use strong passwords- Although it may be easier for you to remember short passwords that reference your birthday, or pet’s name, these kinds of passwords also make it easy for hackers. Strong passwords can go a long way in helping secure your information. According to the FBI, â€Å"the threat that criminal hackers pose to corporate and government information systems has spiked in the past five years.† Stakeholders including the company, employees and customers have the right to know about privacy-laws and should know that any information that is gained unlawfully and shared with the public comes with major consequences. Stakeholders must know what is at stake when information is compromised. Upon being hired an employee must know their companys policy regarding information that can be disclosed. An employee has the duty to take actions based on ethical standards that must be known and recognized by all who are involved. â€Å"In Maryland, accessing and telling the world about another persons personal information is an invasion of privacy that may make the hacker liable for money damages to the victim.† (Lawyers.com, 2013) You, an employee, a hacker and the company has the duty to respect privacy of information and action. â€Å"A person who violates subsection (c)(1) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.† (2010 Maryland Code CRIMINAL LAW. TITLE 7, section 7-302) Other customers of that company may feel their privacy information and action should be respected by others. The other customers feel like the customer has a duty to them to uphold their privacy and not share it with third parties or other people they did not give permission. Bottom line is that companies have the same problems with theft of intellectual property and personal information just as much as everyone else, but we expect more from them to keep their customers information secure. Privacy-laws are put in place for people can abide by those laws. Stakeholders must act in an ethical and moral manner when it concerns intellectual property, because if not, everyone can be negatively effected is this policy is not followed. REFERENCES Right of Publicity: Overview. (2013). Retrieved Feb 1, 2013, from http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/publicity Email Hacking is a Serious Crime. POSTED IN Privacy Law BY Lawyers.com (2013). Retrieved Feb 2, 2013, from http://communications-media.lawyers.com/privacy-law/Email-Hacking-Is-A-Serious-Crime.html Computer Intrusions. (2013). Retrieved Feb 9, 2013, from http://www.fbi.gov/aboutus/investigate/cyber/computer-intrusions 2010 Maryland Code CRIMINAL LAW. TITLE THEFT AND RELATED CRIMES Subtitle 3 Crimes Involving Telecommunications and Electronics Section 7-302 Unauthorized access to computers and related material. (2010). Retrieved Jan 31, 2013, from http://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/2010/criminal-law/title-7/subtitle-3/7-302/ Object1 https://docs.google.com/viewer? a=vq=cache:IDTKbmw6TzwJ:www.dell.com/downloads/ca/support/top_10_steps_to_protect_agains t_cybercrime_dell_en.pdf+steps+to+deter+hacking %2Bdellhl=engl=uspid=blsrcid=ADGEESj9mmGDd6D6c0Lbe5C-q06ZyXHh2rVmleQtWvkHTrRrt5ws07evPDNcipr3HEDdwBwcvOqq3zQVevNqmb1ae6A17RjPOoi7eGQd K_RmrRb4d_xO57dfK5Y-8FYICKa1UG8PV9isig=AHIEtbRvNOTu6CU5StjeP3LyY_Q_a0WyBQ Drew, C., Kopytoff, V. (2011). Deploying New Tools to Stop the Hackers. Retrieved Feb 8, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/18/technology/18security.html?pagewanted=all_r=0