1. Computer Security Social Legal and Ethical issues
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2. Social Legal and Ethical issues
Sara Base, A Gift of Fire, Prentice Hall, 2003
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3. Social Legal and Ethical issues
The impact of computers and computer systems
The ATM example
Unemployment
Alienation and customer service
Crime
Loss of privacy
Errors
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4. Social Legal and Ethical issues
General Themes
Globalization of cyberspace
Tradeoffs of convenience vs privacy & security
Personal choices, Business policies and law
Negative or liberties and positive rights or claim rights
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5. Social Legal and Ethical issues
Main issues
Privacy
Freedom if speech
Can we trust computers
Intellectual property
Computer Crime
General social issues
Ethics
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6. 1. Privacy & personal information
Key aspects
Freedom from intrusion
Control information about oneself
Freedom from surveillance
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7. 1. Privacy & personal information
“Big brother is watching you”
Database security
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8. Database security Provisions of Privacy Act of 1974
Restricts data in federal government records to what is “relevant and necessary” to the legal purpose for which it is collected.
Requires federal agencies to publish a notice of their record systems in the Federal Register
Allows people to access their records & correct inaccurate info
Requires procedures to protect the security of the info in the databases
Prohibits disclosure of info about a person without their consent.
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9. The fourth Amendment, US Constitution
The right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, paper and effects against
unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be
violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon
probable cause, supported by Oath or
affirmation, and particularly describing the place
to be searched, and the persons or things to be
seized.
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10. Privacy & personal information
Satellite surveillance and thermal imaging
Automated toll collection and itemized purchase records
Search and surveillance tools
Fighting terrorism
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11. Databases and marketing
Credit bureaus
Principles for data collection & use
Collect only data needed
Inform people when data about them are collected, what is collected …
Offer a way for people to opt out
Provide stronger protection for sensitive data
Keep data only as long as it is needed
Maintain accuracy and security of data
Provide a means for people to access and correct data stored about them.
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12. Databases and marketing
Social Security numbers and National ID systems
Personal health and medical records
Public records: access vs privacy
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13. Privacy & personal information
Protecting Privacy: law & regulation
Is their a right to privacy
The free market view vs the consumer protection view
Contract and regulations
Conflicts with freedom of speech
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14. 2. Freedom of speech Encryption and interception of communications
Wiretapping
Telephone
New technologies
USA Patriot Act 2001:
Lets the government collect info from financial institutions on any transactions that differs from a customer’s usual pattern, and allows access to the government to many other kinds of personal information without a court order.
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15. Freedom if speech Carnivore
FBIs system for intercepting
FBI must first get a court order to intercept someone’s
The Carnivore system is used at the Suspects Internet Service provider and filters all s from that ISP, examining headers to find suspect .
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16. Freedom if speech NSA’s echelon
Similar to Carnivor, but on an international
Scale. Involves a partnership with intelligence
agencies of Canada, Britain, Australia and New
Zealand, and operates a huge system of listening
stations to intercepts satellite communication.
Targets terrorist and military activities
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17. Freedom if speech Cryptography and its uses
Uses of encryption
Criminal abuse: “ … unfortunately the same technology can be used by terrorists, drug dealers, … “
White House Press, 1994
Secrecy and export controls
Steganography
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18. Freedom if speech Secrecy
Clipper
Trust in government
How much does technology matter
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19. 3. Can we trust computers What can go wrong!
Billing errors
database accuracy
failures…
Increasing reliability and Safety
Overconfidence
Redundancy
Good design
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20. 4. Intellectual property
Problems with new technologies
Copyright Law
The fair use doctrine
Copying Music, Movies, Software Books
From floppies to the web
The Napster case
Beyond Napster
Software Piracy
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21. 4. Intellectual property
Ethical issues
Fuzziness about the ethics:
Arguments used include:
I cant afford to buy
The company is a wealthy corporation
Too expensive anyway
Making a copy from a friend is an act of generosity
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22. 4. Intellectual property
The future of copyright
Doomsday approach: copyright law will disintegrate.
Balanced solutions will be found by using a new approach and new technologies
Free software
Copyright or patent?
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23. 5. Computer Crime Hacking The Law Design secure “hack-free” systems
Catching hackers
Penalties appropriate to the crime
Discouraging and punishing “amateur” hackers
Design secure “hack-free” systems
Scams
Fraud, embezzlement, Sabotage
Identity theft
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24. 6. General social issues Impact on our society
Information Haves and have-Nots
The digital divide
Trends in computer access
Abdicating responsibility
Does the Technology create the need for itself?
“… The Web is alive and filled with life, nearly
as complex and natural as the primordial swamp…”
Who benefits most
Prohibiting bad technologies
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25. 7. Ethics
What is Ethics
The study of what it means to do the “right” thing
And what is the “right” thing?
Deontological theories
Utalitarialism
Natural rights
No simple answers
Right, wrong and OK
Negative and positive rights, or liberties and claim-rights
Distinguishing wrong and Harmful
Separating goals from constraints
Personal Preference and Ethics
Law and Ethics
Professional codes and Ethics
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