Chapter 9

Privacy, Security and Ethics

1. Identify the most significant concerns for effective implementation of computer technology.

2. Discuss the primary privacy issues of accuracy, property, and access.

3. Describe the impact of large databases, private networks, the Internet, and the Web on privacy.

4. Discuss online identity and major laws on privacy.

5. Discuss cybercrimes including creation of malicious programs such as viruses, worms, Trojan horse, and zombies as well as denial of service attacks, Internet scams, identity theft, cyberbullying, rogue Wi-Fi hotspots, and data manipulation.

6. Detail ways to protect computer security including restricting access, encrypting data, anticipating disasters, and preventing data loss.

7. Discuss computer ethics including copyright law, software piracy, digital rights management, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, as well as plagiarism and ways to identify plagiarism.

Introduction

The ubiquitous use of computers and technology prompts some very important questions about the use of personal data and our right to privacy.

This chapter covers issues related to the impact of technology on people and how to protect ourselves on the Web.

People

Technology has had a very positive impact on people, but some of the impact could be negative.

Most Significant Concerns:

 Privacy – What are the threats to personal privacy and how can we protect ourselves? Security – How can access to sensitive information be controlled and how can we secure hardware and software?

 Ethics – How do the actions of individual users and companies affect society?

Privacy

 Privacy – concerns the collection and use of data about individuals

Three primary privacy issues:

 Accuracy – responsibility of those who collect data must be secure and correct

 Property – who owns data and who has rights to software

 Access – responsibility of those who control data and use of data

Large Databases

Large organizations compile information about us daily

 Big Data is exploding and ever-growing

·         90% of the data collected has been collected over the last 2 years

 Data collectors include

·         Government agencies

·         Telephone companies

·         Credit card companies

·         Supermarket scanners

·         Financial institutions

·         Search engines

·         Social networking sites

 Information Resellers/Brokers

·         Collect and sell personal data

·         Create electronic profiles

Personal information is a marketable commodity, which raises many issues:

·         Collecting public, but personally identifying information (e.g., Google’s Street View)

·         Spreading information without personal consent, leading to identity theft

·         Spreading inaccurate information

§  Mistaken identity

·         Freedom of Information Act

o   Entitlement to look at your records held by government agencies

Private Networks

Employee monitoring software

·         Employers can monitor e-mail legally

o   A proposed law could prohibit this type of electronic monitoring or at least require the employer to notify the employee first

The Internet and the Web

·         Illusion of anonymity

o   People are not concerned about privacy when surfing the Internet or when sending e-mail.

When browsing the web, critical information is stored on the hard drive in these locations:

·         History Files

·         Temporary Internet Files

o   Browser cache

·         Cookies

·         Privacy Mode

·         Spyware

History Files and Temporary Internet

Files

   Include locations or addresses of sites you have recently visited

Temporary Internet Files / Browser Cache

·         Saved files from visited websites

·         Offers quick re-display when you return to the site

Cookies

o   Cookies are small data files that are deposited on your hard disk from web sites you have visited.

o    First-party cookies are generated only by websites you are visiting

o   Third-party cookies are generated by an advertising company that is affiliated with the website.

v   Also known as tracking cookies that keep track of your Internet activities through 3^rd party cookies

v  Refer to the accompanying graphic displaying how to block 3rd party cookies

Privacy Modes

o    

o    

·         Ensures your browsing activity is not recorded on your hard drive

·         Incognito Mode

o   Google Chrome

o   Private Browsing

o   Safari

Privacy Threats

·         Web bugs

o   Invisible images or HTML code hidden within an e-mail message or web page.

o   When a user opens the message, information is sent back to the source of the bug

·         Spyware

o   Wide range of programs that are designed to secretly record and report Internet activities, add Internet ad cookies.

·         Computer monitoring software

o   Invasive and dangerous

o   Keystroke Loggers

v  Record activities and keystrokes

·         Anti-Spyware programs

o   Detect and remove privacy threats

Online Identity

·         The information that people voluntarily post about themselves online

·         Archiving and search features of the Web make it available indefinitely

·         Major Laws on Privacy

o   Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act protects personal financial information

o   Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects medical records

o   Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) resists disclosure of educational records

Security

Involves protecting individuals or organizations from theft and danger

·         Hackers

o   Gain unauthorized access with malicious intent

o   Not all hackers are illegal

Cybercrime / Computer Crime

·         Criminal offense that involves a computer and a Network

o   Effects over 400 million people annually

o   Costs over $400 billion each year

Forms of Computer Crime

·         Malicious Programs – Malware

o   Designed by crackers, computer criminals, to damage or disrupt a computer system

o   Computer Fraud and Abuse Act makes spreading a virus, a federal offense

o   3 most common programs

v  Viruses – migrate through networks and attach to different programs

v  Worms – fills the computer with self-replicating information

v  Trojan horse – programs disguised as something else

Ø  Zombies are computers infected by a virus, worm, or Trojan Horse

Cyber Crime

·         Denial of Service

o   (DoS) attack attempts to slow down or stop a computer system or network by flooding it with requests for information or data

·         Rogue Wi-Fi hotspots

o  Imitate free Wi-Fi networks and capture any and all information sent by the users to legitimate sites including usernames and passwords

·         Data manipulation

o   Finding entry into someone’s computer network and leaving a prankster’s message

Internet Scams

A fraudulent or deceptive act or operation to trick someone into providing personal information or spending money for little or no return

·         Identity Theft

o   Illegal assumption of someone’s identity for purpose of economic gain

·         Cyber-bullying

o   Use of the Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post content intended to harm

·         Phishing

o   Attempts to trick Internet users into thinking a fake but official-looking website is legitimate

Types of Internet Scams

Measures to Protect Computer Security

Principle measures to ensure computer security

·         Restricting access

·         Encrypting data

·         Anticipating disasters

o    Physical security

o    Data security

o    Disaster recovery plan

·         Preventing data loss

Restricting Access

·         Biometric scanning

o   Fingerprint scanners

o   Iris (eye) scanners

·         Passwords

o   Dictionary attack

o   Uses software to try thousands of common words sequentially in an attempt to gain unauthorized access to a user’s account

Automated Security Tasks

Ways to perform and automate important security tasks

·         Security Suites

o   Provide a collection of utility programs designed to protect your privacy and security

·         Firewalls

o   Security buffer between a corporation’s provide network and all external networks

·         Password Managers

o   Helps to create strong passwords

Encryption

Coding information to make it unreadable, except to those who have the encryption key

• E-mail encryption protects emails

• File encryption protects files

• Web site encryption uses HTTPS protocol for protection

o   HTTPS – hypertext transfer protocol secured

• Virtual private networks (VPNs)

o   Encrypts connects between company networks and their remote users

• Wireless network encryption restricts access to authorized users

o   WPA2 – Wi-Fi Protected Access

Anticipating Disasters

·         Anticipating Disasters

o   Physical Security protects hardware

o   Data Security protects software and data from unauthorized tampering or damage

o   Disaster Recovery Plan describes ways to continue operating in the event of a disaster

·         Preventing Data Loss

o   Frequent backups

o   Redundant data storage

v  Store off-site in case of loss of equipment

Making IT Work for You ~Cloud-Based Backup

·         Cloud-based backup services such as Carbonite provide cloudbased backup services.

 

Ethics

Standards of moral conduct computer Ethics – guidelines for the morally acceptable use of computers

·         Copyright

o   Gives content creators the right to control the use and distribution of their work

o   Paintings, books, music, films, video games

·         Software piracy

o   Unauthorized copying and distribution of software

v  Digital rights management (DRM) controls access to electronic media

v  Digital Millennium Copyright Act protects against piracy

Plagiarism

Representing some other person’s work and ideas as your own without giving credit to the original person’s work and ideas.

Careers in IT

·         IT Security Analysts maintain the security of a company’s network, systems, and data.

·         Bachelors or associate’s degree in information systems or computer science

·         Experience is usually required

·         Must safeguard information systems against external threats

·         Annual salary is usually from

·         $62,000 to $101,000

·         Demand for this position is expected to grow

A Look to the Future the End of Anonymity

• Most forums and comment areas on websites allow users to post messages anonymously
• Some use this for abusive and threatening comments

• Online harassment
• Cyberbullying
• Stalking
• Damaging reputations