Through this course I have learned many new ways to approach ethics relating to topics in cyber
security. For a majority of the topics, we discussed I was able to conceptualize new methods of analyzing
important subjects. Thought each case had its own unique and intriguing aspects I engaged more with
the cases involving Cyber conflict, Data Ethics and Whistle blowing.
Discussing data ethics opened my eyes more to understanding how our data is used and
handled. Understanding Europe’s GDPR regulations, and the protections it gives its citizens was
enlightening. I concluded that the United States should adopt and draft regulations like the GDPR using
the theory of contrarianism. Analyzing “But the data is already public” by Michael Zimmer I was able
to show how it is only fair for everyone that companies who handle data should do its best to disclose all
the ways a person’s data is being used and do their due diligence to conceal PII. It is also only fair that
anyone who handles data dose there best to prevent re identification of data sets. This can include
things such as “Terms of Service” agreements. Its only fair for companies to create TOS agreements that
are comprehensible to everyone. Shorter, more precise agreements with less verbose and technical
wordings are needed to ensure the public understand how data is handled. I was able to use Elizabeth
Buchanan’s paper titled “Considering the ethics on big data research: A case of Twitter and ISIS/ISIL” to
reach this conclusion.
The second case I found very enlightening was the case regarding whistle blowing. Watching the
Video “Collateral Murder” I was able to analyze the action of whistle blowing through the lens of
contrarianism. I analyzed whistle blowing with this ethical theory after reading “Whistle blowing and
Rational Loyalty”. The paper helped me understand that even though we should have loyalty to our
employers, this does have a limit if there is something morally with their actions and the way the
present themselves to the public. An employee’s loyalty should be in what the company represents and
not in there supervisors specifically. However, it is best that if an employee has a grievance with the
companies’ actions, they should take proper steps within the company to resolve the issue. Reading
“Care and Loyalty in the workplace” I was able to gain an understanding that protecting the public from
intentional harm takes priority over loyalty to an employer. If a company is doing something strictly
against their mission statement, they are being disloyal to public safety, and all proper channel within
the organization have been exhausted, it is acceptable to have an external investigation into the ethical
matters.
Last, I examined Cyber Conflict. Examining the ongoing Cyber warfare tactics used between
Israel and Iran. The theory of Deontology shows us that we must act with morality before taking any
action and that we should “act so that the maximum of your action can be willed as universal law”.
When regarding cyber warfare it is important to use it as a means to an end and to avoid harm to the
public. With cyber attacks on critical infrastructure between Israel and Iran, attacks that do more harm
than having a strategic purpose, we are only using cyber warfare to escalate. This can eventually lead to
tradition warfare or possible lives lost through cyber-attacks. Using the paper “Can there be a just cyber
war?” assisted me in this opinion. Also, after reading “An analysis for a just cyber warfare”. In this paper
I was able to learn more about target discrimination and non-combatant immunity. Acts of cyber
conflict, like those in Israel and Iran can not be considered a just war because its simply a means to
escalate which will eventually lead to traditional warfare or the loss of life by attacking infrastructure
like hospitals and power grids. Cyber attacks and cyber conflict should only be used to avoid escalation
and protect the public from bloodshed.
This course overall gave me a new perspective on the importance of ethical issues we face in the
cyber world