Ethics and Security

1.    Explain the ethical issues surrounding information technology.

Ethics is the principles and standards that guide our behaviour towards other people. The ethical issues that surround technology include the following:

1. Intellectual property.
2. Copyright
3. Fair use doctrine
4. Pirated software
5. Counterfeit software

Privacy is one of the largest ethical issues facing organisations. Privacy is defined as the right to be left alone when you want to be , to have control over you own possessions, and not be observed without your consent.

Privacy is related to confidentiality, which is the principle that certain information will remain outside public domain.

2.    Describe and explain one of the computer use policies that a company might employee

One computer use policy that a company might employee is the internet use policy. This policy contains general principles that are used to guide the proper users of the internet within the organisation. The policy:

o    Describes available internet services.

o    Defines the purpose and restriction of internet access.

o    Complements the ethical computer use policy.

o    Describes user responsibilities.

o    States the ramification for violations.

3.    What are the 5 main technology security risks?

4.    Outline one way to reduce each risk.

• human error - such as severity can be minimised by proper training of employees.
• technical failure - severity can be minimised by having backup infrastructure ready to go.
• natural disaster - severity can be minimised by a disaster recovery plan, e.g. a hot site.
• deliberate acts e.g. virus, spam, malware - severity can be minimised by virus protection software.
• management failure - severity can be minimised by having high procedural standards and an effective back up policy.

5.    What is a disaster recovery plan, what strategies might a firm employee?

·         The process of regaining access to computer systems and data after a disaster has taken place

—  All firms should have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in plan

—  This plan lists things like –

◦      Communications plan

◦      Alternative Sites – hot or warm site

◦      Business Continuity

◦      Location of Backup data