Cybersecurity Ethics

This course examines ethical issues relevant to ethics for cybersecurity professionals, including privacy, professional code of conduct, practical conflicts between engineering ethics and business practices, individual and corporate social responsibility, ethical hacking, information warfare, and cyberwarfare. Students will gain a broad understanding of central issues in cyberethics and the ways that fundamental ethical theories relate to these core issues.

Course Material –

Case Studies

Reflective Writing Assignment

After completing my cybersecurity course, I have been thinking a lot about the ethics of
cybersecurity. The course taught me the importance of respecting people’s privacy and
protecting their information from misuse. Exploring data ethics and professional behavior has expanded my view of ethics in cybersecurity. It’s interesting to see how ethics are involved in everything, from handling data to acting professionally. I enjoyed exploring these ethical principles and realizing their importance in the realm of cybersecurity. Data and professional ethics were the most used topics we covered in the course. During our discussions, we also explored real-life case studies highlighting the ethical problems faced by cybersecurity professionals, which further underscored the importance of ethical decision-making in this field. It was interesting to learn how these people handled these ethical situations in the past. Cybersecurity isn’t just about stopping cyber threats but also about doing it fairly and honestly. Sometimes, it can get tricky because you have to balance security with people’s rights, like freedom of speech or privacy. However, staying on top of the latest ethical guidelines and always doing the right thing is generally what you want to do. Another interesting topic was whistleblowing in cybersecurity. It was the unit that caught my attention the most because I had never heard of it and every story about it was interesting. Whistleblowers might do something because they think it’s the right thing to do, even though it could potentially get them into trouble with their bosses or the law. Additionally, our exploration of whistleblowing in cybersecurity showed us the ethical responsibilities of individuals within the profession, highlighting the potential risks and rewards associated with speaking out against wrongdoing. We learned about how tricky it can be to decide whether to blow the whistle or not, considering things like how bad the problem is, how likely it is to cause harm and if there are other ways to fix it. But even though it’s risky, whistleblowing is important for keeping the cybersecurity world honest and making sure everyone’s staying safe online. The realm of cybersecurity involves a complex and vital aspect known as cyber conflict. This presents ethical problems that intersect with data and professional ethics. How can we combat cyberattacks while minimizing harm to innocent individuals? It was a challenge to navigate the scenarios presented before me, but exploring measures that ensure fairness and safety in the digital world intrigues me. Learning about cyber conflict has served as a reminder of the ethical challenges shown in defending against digital threats while upholding values like fairness and accountability. After reflecting on everything that I’ve learned, I can say that diving into cybersecurity ethics has been a highlight of this course. It’s been cool to see how ethics play such a big role in keeping the digital world safe and secure. Every story in every topic that we covered in the course was cool to learn about and I hope as I learn more about cybersecurity, I will be able to make the right ethical choices in the field. I’m excited to keep exploring these ethical principles and doing my part to make the digital world a better place for everyone.