Introduction
Hacking is a type of cybercrime that is majorly propagated through the internet. The propagators of this vice always take advantage of security lapses within the different systems. The reason for hacking is to allow access to a particular information that is considered private. This paper delves in assessing the morality of hacking with respect to the different cyber laws. Moreover, it utilizes the case study of Gary McKinnon to put the topic into perspective. The two sides of this case study are explored in details in the subsequent paragraphs. On one hand, it involves highlighting the reasons in support Gary McKinnon’s innocence. On the other hand, it elaborates the different reasons to show that Gary McKinnon breached the
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It must be noted that according to the Criminal Damage Act of 1971, information is considered as property. This law was used in UK to prosecute an offender who got access to a system. He was prosecuted and charged for causing damage to information even though the property was not tangible. Kant also noted that hackers always use subcultures that cover them from being seen and caught. The fact that the hackers use subcultures show that their acts are not morally acceptable (Levy 2010). Therefore, according to Kant, Gary McKinnon’s actions were wrong and went against the laws of morality (Bullock, 2005).
Utilitarianism on Gary McKinnon’s actions
Utilitarianism is considered as an act that majorly supports welfare of people that are engaged in activities. These activities can be good or bad. According to this theory, people should always engage in any activity that makes them happy. This theory highlights that when people find happiness, they always tend to prosper more. Thus, this law supports the actions of hacking if it is done to support the society’s welfare. This theory supports hacking as long as it is done to make the society and the propagator happy (Moor, 2007).
It is critical to highlight that Gary McKinnon decided to hack the system because he wanted to get an evidence of a cover-up. In this case, Gary McKinnon’s intention was not to delete the files in the system. He was trying to protect the interests of the
As the world becomes ever more involved within the digital realm, it is important to asses acts that may be morally questionable. Such acts like that of a hacker, Hack, and her unauthorized intrusion into a hospital database done purely for personal pleasure. It is my goal to prove that doing so is morally wrong. The proponent of this act, Mickey Soft, lists it as morally permissible for the following reasons:
Despite Kenneth argues that hacktivism is morally impermissible due to its moral disvalue by referring that hacker are trying to get away from punishment and negatively affect innocent third party, I believe that non-malicious hacktivism is morally permissible. I will attack her points by arguing if the intellectual property rights is unnecessary, there will not be any legitimate punishments. Then from the utilitirism side, I will discuss the moral value or benefits of hacktivism is over its moral disvalue to the whole society.
Ex: Hacking is a digital crime, whether it be for status quo, pleasure or criminal intent, all aspects of hacking is considered a digital crime. Most hackers, hack for status quo or pleasure, and feel as if they are not committing a crime as no harm is done. While some computer and of digital communication intrusion is caught, there are much that goes un-noticed, and unpunished. Leaving Hackers in the mindset that their criminal acts are acceptable and correct, as their needs are satisfied, and their criminal acts go unpunished.
In Herbert B. Dixon Jr.’s “Is Hacking the New Normal?”, the author is trying to convince the world to pay better attention to the technology in their lives. Dixon is addressing why he believes that the new “normal” is to live in a society where all technology is hacked and vulnerable all the time. Dixon creates the implied message that everything is a target, and should be handled as if it is a primary target of hacker’s attention and time, because it just might be. Dixon’s ideas are backed by statistics given by Peter Katel in his article “Identity Theft”, regarding the number of people that are attacked and how hard the economy is hit by the breach in security. Thus, showing just how many are attacked and giving validity to Dixon’s ideas about sources of information breaches. This source brings to light other sources of potential security breaches, and gives a new perspective regarding just “accepting” this new era. Dixon gives valid ideas on how to increase your safety but ultimately describes that nothing is completely safe.
One of the unethical considerations to put into perspective is the sophisticated use of Hacking/cracking. Hacking “To gain unauthorized access to data in a system or computer”. Also cracking, “which is the technique of the modification of software to remove or disable features which are considered undesirable by the person”. The unlawful and unethical use of these techniques have the features and sophistication to create devastation and destruction to our lives through the exploitation of technology. For example, as shown in Die Hard 4, this movie visually demonstrates how “Hacking” was frequently used to exploit technology to create a “fire sale”. This was used to achieve unethical outcomes to hackers which would cause devastation, unrest
Internet has changed and transformed lives of society and constructed line between virtual and non-virtual communities. People remained to live in virtual world so it encouraged to encounter more deviance. Juveniles are most familiar with the internet deviance because they are more likely to attach with digital technology. Due to frequent use of internet juveniles develop hacking behaviour which involve spreading virus, altering file, infiltrating software. In one study, hacking done by juveniles provided the predictor of hacking behaviour. To get better perspective of this behaviour there are two criminological theories
The ethical issues surrounding hacking, stem from several sources mainly dealing with order and control, and information ownership. What is difficult to decipher from all the media hoopla surrounding the terms, "hacker" and "hacking" is both the simultaneous sensationalism and the condemnation of said activities. Of course just recently, even a movie was made and was appropriately called Hackers. The term and all that it implies has truly entered our popular consciousness when Hollywood has made a box office movie on it. As the advancement of computer technologies and systems of information become increasingly more and more complex in today's fast paced modern world and said technologies become an integral
In the early days of computing, a hacker was primarily referred to as a computer guru, someone who is extremely technical with a high expertise in computer also known as “Expert Programmers”. Nevertheless, as technology is advancing at a face pace, hacking has adopted a completely different definition. The modern definition is someone who access a computer system primarily to steal or destroy information. Hacking has caused major harm in the realm of technology. Over the years, hackers have become much more lethal in their craft. They manage to break into complex information systems from entities such as banks, government agencies, and private businesses. Furthermore, they often manipulate their victims through social engineering in order to obtain financial benefits. Hackers hold different label such as: black hat hacker and white hat hacker in which all have their own motives.
A. Ethics is the collection of moral principles that controls the actions of an individual or a group. And managing the use of computers can be done by computer ethics which is set of moral principles that controls the usage of computers. Here in computer ethics we can find some common issues which contains privacy concerns, copyrighted electronic content and how the society is been affected by computers. Let us understand in brief about computer ethics by illustrating with an example that is approaching or entering into someone’s personal details or particulars though it may be attainable on a computer system but, according to computer ethics it would suggest that such an action is completely wrong.
-The technical definition of computer crimes is an act performed by a knowledgeable computer user, sometimes referred to as a hacker that illegally browse or steals a company 's or individual 's private information, but in general terms, it is the unauthorized use of a computer for personal gain, as in the illegal transfer of funds or to alter the data or property of others (Computer Crime, 2016). There are four major categories of computer crimes, first we will discuss using the computer as a target. When using the computer as a target, they must do two things: intrusion meaning to gain access to the computer and deny the owner of the computer access to the service and data. Intrusion is when the individual alters the data. To use the computer as a target, the hacker must alter the password and/or login and by doing this he is denying the owner access to the data. If a hacker makes a copy of data they are denying the owner rights to privacy of his or her data. The hacker will use that information to intrude upon another computer. One popular method that can be used to deny service is to
Hacking has evolved from juvenile’s curious action into serious criminal act. The low cost of computers and ease of accessing internet has allowed proliferation of criminals to use these tools to research and attack their targets. The main goal is criminal exploit and to exploit learn hacking techniques to accomplish goal. The use of electronic devices and internet leave behind digital marks and fortunately criminal first hackers have a difficult time erasing their trail allowing for the savvy digital forensics investigator to collect evidence and locate the criminal.
Almost 90 percent of our society now depends on complex computer based system. With the increasingly use of computer and explosive growth of the Internet has brought many good things: electronic commerce, online banking, e-mail, video conferencing etc. The improvement of systems security to prevent criminal hacker has become an important concern to society. There are many ways to protect those information systems; it seems that the Ethical Hacking is a better way. Therefore, whether to teach or not teach the "Ethical Hacking" as a course in Tertiary education has become an interesting argument. In this article will analysis the ethical, legal, and ethical implications of this issue.
Some of the issues that I would like to explore in this paper, are the intersection of information laws, and how they intersect with the ethical standards, and the actual practice. Since computers and technologies grow extremely fast, the laws are unable to govern new developments in the field. Therefor those that develop these systems and programs have an ethical imperative to, analysis the impact that these systems could have on others. When new technologies and standards are created, one must look at the effect of the technology, and the possible ways that someone could maliciously obtain, or misuse data.
As the world becomes more and more reliant on computers the computer hacking industry is greatly rising. With people such as Kevin Mitnick, who is known as a "computer terrorist" (Kjochaiche 1), computerized information isn't safe any more. Kevin is known as "the most high-profiled computer criminal and responsible for more havoc in the computer world today."(1) He considered this a fun and easy task. He got caught and thrown into prison, but once he got out nothing changed. Kevin stated that as long as the technology is there it just calls to people to break into it. Computer hackers usually start off young, thinking that it is nothing but a little harmless fun. But as they get older, they realize it has turned into
For some individuals, hacking can be a hobby they like to undertake in order to analyze how many computers or the systems they can gain access to. While hacking seems harmless, there are those who do this vice maliciously so that they can get access to customer/ client information, the details of credit cards, their passwords, email addresses and identity fraud (Riem, 2001). Having this unauthorized access to these information warrants an arrest, and should the criminals be found, they are liable for their crimes.