The Legal System and Ethics in Information Security Information Assurance The Legal System and Ethics in Information Security By Amna al Jafar.

Author Name, Published year Published by SANS Institute. Copyright SANS Institute Author Retains Full Rights. Author: Amit Raju Philip. Published in: 15 July 2002.

Introduction How to protect new technologies from the evils of crime. The need for laws to protect computer technologies from theft or illegal use. Problems that faced the legal system to keep it fast development of technology. Display few of the laws that have been developed specifically to address computer crime. Author describes the role that ethics have to play in the world of computer security.

What is Ethics in using computer software Define how people live and work. Critically affected culture and values. Assists and extends the ability of mankind to capture, store, process, understand, use, create, and disseminate information at a speed and scale which had never been thought possible before.

Challenges the Legal System Faces Rapid Technological Advancement. Technologically Inept Legal Personnel. Multiple Roles of Computers in Crime. Jurisdiction. Computer Crime kept Quiet. Inadequate Precedence. Motive and Age of Offenders. Anonymity Offered by the Internet.

What is Computer Law? Computer law should cover the following: 1. Copyrights 2. Contracts. 3. Trademarks. 4. Patents. 5. Tort. 6. Computer crime and utilities.

Laws and Statutes that apply to Information Security They determine how computer security intrusions should be handled and investigated. What kind of evidence is required in order to prosecute, perpetrators. Very often security policies will be based on the kinds of laws available.

Ethics in Information Security Formulate laws to enforce all sorts of behaviors acceptable to society. Instead, society depends on ethics to build awareness of socially accepted behavior. Ethics unlike laws, they cannot be forced on individuals. In fact different individuals may have different ethical beliefs. Ethics can be molded and modified to suit the situation much more easily.

Conclusion Computer technology expanded to cover all the world but with its separation it has many drops and challenges facing it. This increases the importance of computer security. It is important that companies develop healthy computer ethics to minimize intrusions from within.

Recommendation People should not: 1. Use a computer to harm other people, to steal or to bear false witness. 2. Interfere with other people's computer work. 3. Snoop around in other people's computer files. 4. Copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid. 5. Use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation. 6. Appropriate other people's intellectual output.

Recommendation People should: 1.Think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing. 2. Use a computer in ways that insure consideration and respect for your fellow humans.