Social, Ethical, Security and Professional Issues in Computing

COSC 1301

Objectives of this module:
 To discuss the social, ethical, security and professional issues in computing.

DATABASES

Almost everyone uses databases. Every phone call, every financial transaction and every visit to a doctor's office involves the use of a database. You became part of a database when you were born, went to school, joined Social Security and filled out a warranty card for a product that you purchased.

Some databases work behind the scenes to help keep records up to date. Databases are used in educational institutions, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, police departments, attorneys, farmers and libraries. These databases help to reduce the effort and time involved in accessing information.

Do you ever get the feeling that intimate details of your life are scattered about in various databases? More important, you have very little control over this information. You might be astonished by the number of organizations that collect, process, store and exchange information about individuals. Some of these organizations are government agencies, credit bureaus, insurance companies, banks and mail-order companies.

All of this information probably won't cause problems that is, if it is correct. If it isn't then the consequences could be shattering. Computers don't forget information, they remember it forever. In addition, computers have the ability to exchange information electronically and combine existing files. This increases the possibility that information provided for one purpose might be used for other purposes as well. For example,

The frequency of foul-ups can only be guessed at, but according to some estimates, 50% of current FBI records are inaccurate or incomplete. State records are only 12% to 50% accurate.

A mistake in your records is unlikely to get you arrested, but it could cost you a job, make it difficult to buy or rent a home, keep you from getting credit, force you to pay higher insurance premiums and affect your eligibility for some government benefits.

COMPUTER RECORD MATCHING

Another widely used technique is computer record matching comparing names and data in different databases. These 'match-up' programs are used by government agencies, mostly to detect fraud and waste in welfare and social service programs. Parents who fail to provide child-support, wage-earners who have defaulted on student loans and social welfare recipients who violate earnings rule can be identified in this way. The Selective Service System can determine the names of young men who have failed to register for the draft by comparing its lists with state driver s license records.

The IRS can flag taxpayers who underreport income by matching tax returns with information from employers, banks, stockbrokers, mutual funds and others. Through computer searches, the IRS can withhold refunds from defaulters on federal loans and from parents who fail to make child-support payments. People who owe money to Social Security may have amounts deducted from their federal tax refund.

PRIVACY AND YOU

These two examples (database errors and computer record matching) are just two examples of how personal information can be corrupted or abused. There are many more opportunities for inappropriate, unauthorized or illegal use of personal information. In some databases, the data is known to be incorrect but little consideration for the privacy and civil liberties has been given. Sometimes, it seems that agencies are very lax in their attempts to correct data that is known to be incorrect.

In 1992, a poll found that 45% of Americans agreed with the statement that "technology has almost gotten out of control". Seven out of ten U.S. consumers feel they have lost all control over how personal information about them is circulated and used by business, while 79% believe privacy ranks with "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as a fundamental right.

The concept of privacy is an elusive one because of its relationship to other concepts such as confidentiality, freedom, autonomy, solitude and secrecy. Privacy means control over exposure of self or information about oneself and freedom from intrusion. It is related to human vulnerability to harm as well as to the human need to retain a sense of control over one's personal life. Privacy denotes the right of an individual to decide how much personal information to share. It includes a right to secrecy of information and protection against misuse or release of this information.

Confidentiality is frequently used interchangeably with privacy. However, privacy is normally controlled by the individual while confidentiality is controlled by the person in whom one confides. In other words, controlling information about yourself is privacy and you controlling information about someone else is confidentiality.

There are some sites such as http://www.publicdata.com/ where an individual can find out things about others. At this site, there is a charge to obtain this information, but you can check out the free demonstration to see what all is available.

GETTING INVOLVED - YOUR PART

Each individual should be aware that mistakes do happen. Data in databases is not always correct. If you suspect that an error has occurred, investigate and if the need exists - correct the error.

Errors can enter a database through many routes. The error may be a careless mistake - such as typing a 10 instead of a 100. Errors can be intentionally entered - entering wrong data can sometimes lead to personal gain. Some companies use audit trails to identify the person who enters data into the database. If a change is made in the database, then the company can identify who made the change. However, even though the company can determine where the blame needs to be placed, sometimes the harm has already been done. Correcting the results of this type of incident can be very difficult.

Learning more about computers will help you in spotting abuses. Find out what databases have information about you. If you suspect that one contains some inaccurate data, then work to get it corrected.

COMPUTER CRIME

Crime is an area where computers play both a beneficial and a detrimental role. Computers can aid in preventing and solving crimes and have strengthened the court system by allowing easier access to laws and decisions already on the books. However, there is a reverse side. People having a good understanding of computers may use them as a means of illegally transferring funds to their possession. Such frauds are difficult to discover.

What does the term computer crime mean? Web defacements? DoS (Denial of Service) attacks? Compromised systems? Fraud? Theft? It appears that if you ask a dozen people then you will get a dozen different answers. Computer crime can be initiated using everything from the elegant insertion of some mischievous code to the down-and-dirty instance of copying data onto a floppy and walking out the door. Cutting-edge techniques and technology may or may not have anything to do with it. Generally, if the crime involves a computer in any way - then it is a computer crime. There are four areas: fraud, data theft, data manipulation and destruction. Computer-related crime is more of a problem than most people realize. Americans are losing billions of dollars annually to high-technology crooks whose activities go undetected and unpunished. Estimates of losses range up to $50 billion per year.

Here are some of the major computer crime types:

Computer crimes involve any criminal act that involves the use of a computer. Most computer crimes are discovered by accident. Many crimes are never discovered because company officials do not know enough about computers to detect them. Others are hushed up to avoid scaring customers and stockholders. Others fear that publicity will attract copycat crooks.

Computer sabotage is generally committed by an individual who does not benefit financially from the crime. It seems that the only motivation is destruction. A common technique is computer viruses. Computer viruses are transmitted either by shared disks or through data communications connections. Many new virus programs are released each month. A user must be vigilant and use some common sense to avoid being hit by a computer virus.

CRIME AND E-COMMERCE

American concern about 'cybercrime' is still high. Most people believe that not enough is being done to protect Internet customers. As a result, people are less likely to engage in e-commerce. For example, 62% of Internet customers say that customers need more protection and 61% say they are less likely to do business on-line. As the American society moves towards more e-commerce, these issues will need to be dealt with.

MALICIOUS SOFTWARE

Malicious software is any software written to cause damage to or use up the resources of a target computer. Malicious software is frequently concealed within or masquerades as legitimate software. In some cases, it spreads itself to other computers via e-mail or infected floppy disks. Types of malicious software include viruses, Trojan horses, worms and hidden software for launching denial-of-service attacks.

Viruses are the best-known type of malicious software. These programs secretly attach themselves to other programs. What makes them dangerous is that, before they do whatever damage they may be programmed for, they first copy themselves to additional program files. Thus, computer viruses infect and reproduce in a fashion somewhat analogous to biological viruses.

In addition to viruses, there is a growing threat from other types of malicious software, including Trojan horses, worms and denial-of-service attacks. Hostile Java applets are also an emerging threat.

A Trojan horse is a program that appears to perform a legitimate function but also performs a harmful activity when executed. Trojan horses are frequently used to steal passwords from computers. Unlike a virus, a Trojan horse does not replicate itself.

Worms use up computer resources such as memory and network bandwidth, slowing down both PCs and servers. In addition, worms sometimes delete data and spread rapidly via e-mail.

In denial-of-service attacks, specific Web sites are overwhelmed by an intentional onslaught of Internet traffic. Such attacks rely on launching programs, sometimes called zombies, that have previously been hidden on hundreds of Internet-connected computers that belong to unsuspecting third parties.

Hostile Java applets steal information from or cause damage to the computers of users who visit hostile Web sites. Victims may be tricked into visiting the sites when they click on links they receive via e-mail or networks.

The Chernobyl and Melissa viruses and the Worm.Explore.Zip program caused extensive PC damage after spreading themselves around the world through email in 1999. The threat is real. In 1995, the Concept virus was launched. It took 4 months for the Concept virus to become the most prevalent virus and it caused an estimated $50 million of damage. In 1999, the Melissa virus took only 4 days to become the most prevalent virus and it cost about $200 million in damage. In 2000, the Love Bug virus took only 5 hours to become the most prevalent virus and it cost more than $700 million in damage.

Experts believe that the worst is yet to come. The Love Bug virus was written by a group of college kids who lacked the sophistication of a seasoned professional.

Viruses are not just limited to PCs. A program billed as a Nintendo Game Boy emulator for Palm handhelds turned out to be a virus that deletes programs from the device.

Malicious software is a real threat for the on-line community - they should be taken seriously. However, some of the threats are actually a hoax. If you hear of a threat, please check it out. Don't forward emails that warn of threats without checking it out to see if it is a real threat or just a hoax - use one of the following links:
www.kumite.com/myths
www.datafellows.com/news/hoax
Symantec Virus Encyclopedia
Symantec Hoax Encyclopedia
www.avp.ch/avpve
or
go to a search engine and type the name of the virus that you want to know more about.

ETHICS

Companies can implement many security measures to protect computers and funds, but often the security of a system depends upon the ethics of the individuals who have access to the systems. COMPUTER ETHICS is a term used to refer to the standard of moral conduct in computer use. Ethics can govern an individual s attitude toward use of data in databases, toward behavior on the job and toward the copying of software.

Perhaps the most well-known matters involving ethics are the activities of hackers who feel challenged to break the security measures designed to prevent unauthorized access to a particular computer system. Regardless of the innocence which is often claimed in meeting such a challenge, hackers have sometimes erased valuable data or caused an essential system to breakdown or malfunction.

Often employees have the opportunity to use a company's computers and software for personal use. Some companies allow employees to use equipment on their own time and most have adopted standards of behavior regarding personal use. These standards are only as effective as the ethics of each employee. Gaining access to a database for illegitimate use or to copy copyrighted software may be relatively easy, but it is illegal and unethical.

It is the responsibility of each computer user to evaluate his or her own actions and determine the standards of morals to be followed. Only through ethical behavior will the ultimate security and privacy of computers and computer data be assured.

It is also the responsibility of each company to use data and information properly. One of the main ethical problems in the e-commerce arena centers on the controversy over data mining - the selling of consumer information by e-commerce merchants to on-line advertisers.

SCAMS

Electronic scams are a serious threat. Elderly computer users are defrauded in especially large numbers. They get conned because of their gullibility, politeness and an inability to say no. Younger people are targeted as well as seniors, but they are targeted for smaller amounts because they haven't accumulated the level of savings that older people have.

Perhaps the biggest factor is that many older folks are Net novices, making them less accustomed to sifting online facts from fiction, especially when trying to make sense of the many investment opportunities that litter the Web. Older folks think of the Web as media and assume that what is on the Web is close to the truth. They don't understand that the Web is full of liars and scam artists.

Some hints:

If someone has made a bad investment, then they may be ashamed to admit it. Reassure them that Web fraud is all too common and that you don't think less of them for being deceived. If the scam stays a secret, then more folks will suffer and the crooks will flourish.

PORNOGRAPHY

Pornography - the written, visual or spoken material that is intended to arouse the viewer - has been around since the days of the Greeks and Romans. But with each new medium, the quantity of the pornography, its ease of distribution and the number of people who have access to the tools to create porn grow.

Concerned parents, lawmakers, child advocacy groups, software developers and Internet service providers have spent countless hours debating how best to protect kids from pornography on the Web. Today, parents can buy a variety of software filtering tools or blocking solutions that do a good job of shielding kids from inappropriate software on the Net most of the time. The major objection to using filtering software are that it also often blocks kids from seeing perfectly reasonable content and that the means for identifying and labeling inappropriate sites are not very good.

Pornographers work very hard to attract people to their sites. Often, they rely on harvesting names from email lists. E-mails which have been forwarded numerous times will often have hundreds of 'live' email addresses. This is another reason to limit the emails that you forward or at least strip off the email addresses before you forward something.

Savvy pornographers know how to trick a search engine into making their site show up in searches for non-pornographic sites. This explains why you sometimes search on topics like "toys" or "teens" and find yourself confronted with a list of choices that often includes porn sites.

Also, pornographers prey on those with poor typing skills. The most famous 'typo-porn site' is Whitehouse.com (confused with Whitehouse.gov). Incorrectly typing in Disney, Sony or even Beanie Babies can get you into trouble as well.

The US government can make anti-pornography laws, but it is very hard to enforce laws internationally. However, it is important that we stop treating pornography in cyberspace as an unsolvable problem. It is a difficult problem, but we can find a solution.

ERGONOMICS

One of the most serious problems that faces computer users is Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). RSI occurs when the user performs the same motions over and over. This situation occurs when typing. For your long term health, productivity and efficiency, the standard advice is:

Here are some tips on how to help prevent RSI: Pay attention to your body. When you get aches and pains which are associated with the use of computers, then take a break. Any aches, pains, tingling, numbness or loss of strength in the hands, arms, shoulders or neck should be taken seriously.

eSTRESS

E-mail overload, crashing computers and ever-changing technology - it is no wonder that we are more frazzzled than ever. To combat this - balance your life. Parents need to ensure that their children do not spend too much time on the computer or in front of the TV set. All of us need to follow similar rules:

In summary, strive for balance in your life.