Computer Ethics and Privacy Laws

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Questions and Answers

What is social engineering in the context of computers?

A type of malware that gains unauthorized access to a computer system

A type of computer virus that targets employee monitoring systems

The act of gaining unauthorized access or obtaining confidential information by taking advantage of trust and naivety (correct)

The process of restricting access to certain material on the Web

What is the primary concern regarding employee monitoring?

It is a type of content filtering

It improves employee productivity

It violates employee privacy (correct)

It is a type of social engineering

What is the main purpose of content filtering software?

To improve the performance of a computer network

To monitor employee computer use

To detect and remove malware from a computer system

To restrict access to certain material on the Web (correct)

What is the purpose of the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA)?

To filter out inappropriate content on the internet Signup and view all the answers

What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act related to?

Limiting access to credit reports to those with a legitimate business need Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential risk in computer systems?

Wireless security risks Signup and view all the answers

What is a common ethical issue in computing?

Information privacy Signup and view all the answers

What is an important aspect of managing computers securely?

Managing computing securely, safely, and ethically Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a program that hides within a computer and allows someone to take control of it from a remote location?

Rootkit Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a malicious program that copies itself repeatedly, using up system resources?

Worm Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a network attack that involves flooding a network with traffic to make it unavailable?

Denial of Service (DoS) attack Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a malicious program that attaches itself to a program or file, and replicates itself when the program or file is executed?

Computer Virus Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a group of compromised computers that are controlled remotely to conduct malicious activities?

Botnet Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a technique used to make malicious network traffic appear legitimate?

Spoofing Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a program that appears to be legitimate but contains malicious code?

Trojan Horse Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a program that is used to detect and prevent unauthorized access to a network?

Firewall Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a program that is used to detect and analyze unauthorized access to a network?

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a vulnerable computer system that is set up to attract and detect hackers?

Honeypot Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Computer Security Risks

A computer security risk is any event or action that could cause a loss of or damage to computer hardware, software, data, information, or processing capability.
Types of cybercrime perpetrators:
- Hackers
- Crackers
- Script kiddies
- Corporate spies
- Unethical employees
- Cyberterrorists
- Cyberextortionists

Internet and Network Attacks

Types of malware:
- Computer virus
- Worm
- Trojan horse
- Rootkit
Symptoms of an infected computer:
- Operating system runs slower than usual
- Available memory is less than expected
- Files become corrupted or disappear
- Unknown programs or files appear
- Operating system shuts down unexpectedly
Types of network attacks:
- Denial of service (DoS) attack
- Distributed DoS (DDoS) attack
- Back door attack
- Spoofing
Security measures:
- Firewalls
- Intrusion detection software
- Honeypot

Unauthorized Access and Use

Types of unauthorized access:
- Unauthorized use
- Unauthorized access
Security measures:
- Acceptable use policy
- Disable file and printer sharing
- Firewalls
- Intrusion detection software
Access controls:
- Two-phase processes called identification and authentication
- User name
- Password
- Passphrase
- CAPTCHA
Biometric devices:
- Authenticate a person's identity by translating a personal characteristic into a digital code

Hardware Theft and Vandalism

Hardware theft: stealing computer equipment
Hardware vandalism: defacing or destroying computer equipment
Security measures:
- Physical access controls
- Alarm systems
- Cables to lock equipment
- Possessed objects
- Biometrics

Software Theft

Software theft: stealing or copying software
Types of software theft:
- Intentionally erasing programs
- Illegally copying a program
- Illegally registering and/or activating a program
Software licensing agreements:
- Permitted to install the software on one computer
- Make one copy of the software
- Remove the software from your computer before giving it away or selling it
Anti-piracy measures:
- Product activation
- Encryption

Information Theft

Information theft: stealing personal or confidential information
Encryption: a process of converting readable data into unreadable characters to prevent unauthorized access
Digital signatures:
- An encrypted code that verifies the identity of the sender
- Used to ensure that an impostor is not participating in an Internet transaction
Security techniques:
- Secure HTTP (HTTPS)
- Transport Layer Security (TLS)
- Virtual Private Network (VPN)

System Failure

System failure: the prolonged malfunction of a computer
Causes of system failure:
- Aging hardware
- Natural disasters
- Electrical power problems
- Errors in computer programs
Protection measures:
- Surge protectors
- Uninterruptable power supplies (UPS)

Backing Up – The Ultimate Safeguard

Backup: a duplicate of a file, program, or disk that can be used if the original is lost, damaged, or destroyed
Types of backups:
- Full backup
- Selective backup
Offsite backups: stored in a location separate from the computer site
Cloud storage: a type of offsite backup

Wireless Security

Wireless security risks:
- War driving
- Lack of security protection
Safeguards:
- Firewalls
- Wireless access point (WAP) configuration
- WPA or WPA2 security standards
- Change the default SSID

Health Concerns of Computer Use

Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
Tendonitis
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)
Computer vision syndrome (CVS)
Ergonomics: incorporating comfort, efficiency, and safety into the design of items in the workplace
Computer addiction: when the computer consumes someone's entire social life### Computer Addiction
Spending too much time on the computer can lead to overjoyed, irritable, and neglect of family and friends, as well as problems at work or school.
Computer addiction can cause an inability to stop using the computer when it's time to do so.

Ethics and Society

Computer ethics are moral guidelines that govern the use of computers and information systems.
Information accuracy is a concern, as not all information on the web is correct.
Intellectual property rights are the rights to which creators are entitled for their work.
A copyright protects any tangible form of expression.
An IT code of conduct is a written guideline that helps determine whether a specific computer action is ethical or unethical.

Green Computing

Green computing involves reducing the electricity and environmental waste while using a computer.

Information Privacy

Information privacy refers to the right of individuals and companies to deny or restrict the collection and use of information about them.
Huge databases store data online, making it important to safeguard your information.
When filling out a form, the merchant usually enters it into a database, and many companies allow people to specify whether they want their personal information distributed.

Cookies and Online Tracking

A cookie is a small text file that a Web server stores on your computer.
Web sites use cookies for various reasons, including personalization, storing users' passwords, tracking site visits, and targeting advertisements.

Spam and Phishing

Spam is an unsolicited e-mail message or newsgroup posting.
E-mail filtering blocks e-mail messages from designated sources, and anti-spam programs attempt to remove spam before it reaches your inbox.
Phishing is a scam in which a perpetrator sends an official-looking e-mail message to obtain personal and financial information.
Pharming is a scam where a perpetrator attempts to obtain personal and financial information via spoofing.

Privacy Laws

The concern about privacy has led to the enactment of federal and state laws regarding the storage and disclosure of personal data.

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Description

Understanding social engineering, employee monitoring, and privacy laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, in the context of computer ethics and society.