The Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics

Book Review Chapter 17:

The Ethics of Cyber Conflict: DOROTHY E. DENNING

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Information-Computer-Ethics/dp/0471799599/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232853902&sr=8-1

Quote:  “it’s not a question whether attacks involve the use of force but rather, a framework for evaluating a particular attack or class of attacks”

    There are actually seven frameworks in which cyber attacks can be analyzed and evaluated from.

Learning Expectation:

    I want to learn how the author or the people in this chapter analyze these cyber attacks and learn what it really means. How bad can it get and what are the ways to help avoid them. Although I’d say it’s really difficult for people to pay attention and not do these kinds of acts but there are really hard headed people who do it for curiosity or even just for fun, which is I think very annoying. Why don’t we kill these people just for fun then?

Review:

    In this chapter it’s all about stealing. It’s about how hackers hack into systems and steal information. Some do it for curiosity, some do it for fun without even thinking of the consequences it has. These people just do it and don’t care who gets affected to what it can even do to the world. In my opinion this is really bad for the world. It is not impossible that they can destroy the world’s system and perhaps even control the world. So, I think nobody wants to deal with that or something like that happening at all because it’s very dangerous.

To come to think of it, these things that these hackers do are actually unethical. There are no ethics whatsoever. Not only is it unethical, it’s also illegal. These people must really be stopped.

In this chapter, one of the most interesting topics talked about is when cyber attacks constitute the use of force. It is said that not all cyber attacks are equal and that the impact of cyber attack that denies access to a certain website for a short time would be like nothing compared to hacking into air traffic control and causing planes to crash. It is not a question though on whether attacks involve the use of force but it is said that a framework for evaluating a particular attack or class of attack.

What I’ve learned:

    I have learned an interestingly that it’s not a question whether attacks involve the use of force but rather, a framework for evaluating a particular attack or class of attacks. I also learned that ethics in cyber attacks has three domains, which are: cyber warfare at the state level, hacktivism conducted by nonstate actors, and active response.

Questions:

1.    Can cyber attacks ever be stopped?

2.    Does this mean that systems are not secure?

3.    What if someone really takes control of the world?

4.    Will the government know what to do?

5.    Does the government have a programmer to fix situations like this?

Citation: (Kenneth Einar E. Himma & Herman T. Tavani, 2008)