Professional Conduct
A Code of conduct is a fundamental guideline in every profession. They not only install a sense of ethics in service delivery but also improve the level of the delivery of these services. Information Technology security professionals are some of the IT professionals under the IT Professional codes and conduct.
In this report, we seek to analyze the various codes of conduct that guide Information Technology Security professionals. In analyzing these codes, we seek to find out how necessary, sufficient, and consistent these codes of conduct are, in relation to the Information Technology Security Profession. This report also seeks to discuss the relationship between the implications of these codes to the Kantian and Utilitarian ethical theories. The basis of this discussion is to link the professional codes of conduct to these theories.
Background Information
An Information Technology Professional is a person who works in an Information Technology field or department either as a part-time contractor or a permanent employee of the company (Tavani 2011). These people are prominent in any organization which seeks to improve its productivity. Their prowess in data entry, maintenance, and protection helps in ensuring the safety of company data.
Data security systems are vital in protecting valuable information about individuals, governments, and organizations. Data is any material that can be stored, manipulated, or send to and from a computer (Newman 2010). Security risks are a serious occurrence in Information Technology. Risk is an occurrence that requires independent quantification (Sennewald 2011). Cybercrimes, for instance, are risks that increase with the increase in Internet use. Computer security personnel should be proactive in their thinking so that they can avoid data insecurity. They should also possess security skills to enabled them to create a system to maintain information security in the organization (Newman 2010).
Information Technology codes of ethics are guidelines that help IT, professionals, to make decisions based on moral considerations. These codes help IT security professionals to act in the public interest. They also help the IT Security professional to maintain honesty and integrity as they practice their IT security details. The codes also help the professionals maintain competence in their duties as an IT security professional. Organizations try to foster ethical practices among their employees in order to protect their businesses and safeguard their shareholders from unethical behavior (Mehan 2008).
An IT Security Professional is a person who has the responsibility of preserving the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of the information. These professionals also help in maintaining the availability and reliability of information (Mehan 2008). Protection of vital information that belongs to the organization makes the organization gain trust from the shareholders (Mehan 2008).
Codes of ethics are guidelines that help in enforcing the ethical conduct of professionals. The codes help in guiding IT personnel into abiding by the rules and regulations that guide their profession. These codes of conduct do not exist to solve ethical problems but to guide the moral activities of the profession. The professional codes help to motivate workers, improve their ethical practices, and help them succeed in their profession (Souryal 2010).
Rationale
The rationale of this report is to outline the various codes of conduct that govern IT, security professionals. These codes help in maintaining information security and improve the efficiency and functionality and of the IT security professionals.
Problem definition and scope limitation
This professional conduct report seeks to help IT Security Professionals in carrying out their duties. It seeks to give them guidance from the existing IT codes of conduct and ethical values. The scope of this report brings out the various codes that guide IT security professionals and the validity of these codes in relation to ethical conduct. The code of conduct instills discipline in IT security professionals as they carry out their duties. This report highlights these codes of conduct in order to educate IT security professionals on what they should do. The report, however, covers just a few codes of conduct. The few codes included in this report show the relation between Kantian and Utilitarian theories from a broad perspective. The report did not also cover the challenges faced by the IT security professional in carrying out their duties. This is because the challenges that the security personnel face are similar to other IT fields. One can, therefore, relate to what they see in other IT departments.
Organization of the rest of the report
This report brings out, in a systematic way, the various codes of conduct that guide IT, security professionals. These codes are explained by the use of examples to help IT professionals understand what they should and should not do.
The main body of the report
For many years now, the professional forensic societies and certification organization has been the sources of ethical guidance for forensic science. These codes, however, vary depending on the department, organization, or country. It is also evident that these codes rarely influence the practitioner as most of them overlook the codes. The employer, therefore, has a crucial role to play in the endorsement of these codes of professional conduct. This will involve making the employees sign a membership agreement so that they abide by the codes (Downs & Swienton 2012).
There are a number of codes of conduct that guide professionals in the forensic science department. These codes could also guide the IT security professional in carrying out their duties as used by the Forensic Science Society in the UK (Institute for Criminal Justice Ethics 2005).
According to the social code of conduct, professionals should adhere to the constitution and codes of conduct of their society. Every profession, for instance, has certain codes that guide the professionals in that area. These codes may vary depending on the organization or department. IT security professionals should, therefore, strictly adhere to the codes that dictate their conduct in that job (Koreneff 2005). The IT security professionals, for instance, should observe credibility, honesty, and confidentiality while handling information. IT security professionals should credit all the Intellectual materials that they use in their communication (Kizza 2010). In some companies, for instance, security personnel are responsible for writing and posting information on the company website. They should, thus, respect patent and copyright laws carrying out this role.
These professionals should also be honorable in the way they handle themselves as they carry out their professional duties. It is, upon the IT security personnel, to maintain professionalism in carrying out their duties. The specialists should not divert their attention from work and resort to using the information in their custody for issues that do not relate to their work (Kizza 2010).
The professionals should promote the interest of their society as they carry out their duties. The security personnel should realize that they are under the codes of IT security and should adhere to act in accordance with the codes. Their actions should, therefore, be of benefit to the IT security department. The professionals should also maintain dignity and the welfare of society. They should respect the information that is in their custody. Using of organization information or employee data for personal gains, therefore, is unethically and professionally incorrect (Kizza 2010). These specialists should also respect the privacy of their fellow employees. They should avoid the temptation of tapping into employees’ e-mails, fax messages, or telephone conversations as this is an invasion of privacy.
They should also maintain high standards of competence and integrity in their services. IT security professionals should carry out their duties effectively and efficiently. They should avoid carrying out their tasks haphazardly as this contradicts the codes of conduct of their society. Their services should be aimed at bringing satisfaction to the customer as well as protecting the reputation of the IT society.
IT security professionals should also be honest and trustworthy. They should not make deceitful remarks or give misleading information that could throw the organization into turmoil and put the IT society into disrepute. Since they have access to internal and external information, they should carefully analyze and deliver correct information to the management for appropriate action (Kizza 2010).
The activities that professionals undertake should be in line with their profession. General guidance on relevant subjects that pertain to their professional codes of conduct should be considered. Whenever they do not know what to do, they should ask for directions or clarifications from their superiors so that they do the correct thing. They should also adhere to daily rulings and directives given by the council of the society.
Conclusion
This report shows, therefore, that the creation of a code of conduct does not happen in a vacuum (Mamic and International Labour Office 2004). It, therefore, involves thorough consultation to enable coverage of crucial sections of the IT security profession. These codes of conduct, therefore, should be followed to the later. Punishment, in the IT security code of conduct, seeks to deal with those who disobey these professional codes. Adherence to the codes of conduct, therefore, helps to create trust between IT professions and the organization. It also helps the professionals to be efficient in carrying out duties.
Ethical Theories
This report seeks to highlight two significant theories that focus on codes of conduct and professional ethics. These theories are Kantian ethical theory and Utilitarian theory. The report also highlights the implications that these theories have on the professional code of conduct for IT security personnel. It also seeks to indicate which theory works for and against the code and conduct that governs Information Technology Professional.
Background Information
An ethical theory is a theoretical examination of morality. It is the theory of morals. In this case, a theory seeks to explain what is morally correct and what is wrong (Kizza 2010). Honesty and trustworthiness, for instance, are codes that guide IT, professionals. On their own, these two are moral values that help a person do what is right. The main principle in the case of ethics and professional codes is to make professionals responsible and accountable in their work.
Rationale
The rationale of this report is to highlight the Kantian and Utilitarian theories as individual ethical theories in order to bring out their differences. These theories are then linked with their impact on the professional code of conduct, whether positive or negative.
Problem definition and scope limitation
This professional conduct report seeks to help IT security professionals to be ethical in their professional activities. The two theories, Kantian and Utilitarian, are defined and analyzed independently in order to bring out their ideological argument in relation to the code of ethics in IT professional conduct. There is also an indication of the implications that the Kantian and Utilitarian theories have on the code of conduct for IT professionals. The scope of this report is, however, limited to the link between the theories and the codes living out the criticisms of the theories. This is because in analyzing the two theories and their relation to the code, the criticisms come out clearly.
Organization of the rest of the report
The rest of this report brings out a summative analysis of the Utilitarian theory and Kantian theory. The relation of these theories to the conduct of IT security professionals has also been highlighted below.
Main body of the report
Several theories give ethical guidelines that professionals should follow when carrying out their tasks. Among these theories are Utilitarian and Kantian ethical theories.
The utilitarian ethical theory focuses on the reduction of unhappiness and the promotion of happiness. This theory states that action could either be right or wrong depending on its ability to elicit happiness or unhappiness (West 2004). This theory also states that laws and rules that govern morality and institutions should be evaluated to ensure that their outcome brings happiness. According to this theory, we cannot judge an action as right or wrong simply by looking at whether it is truthful or false. This decision originates from the belief that the evaluation of falsehood and truth depends on its context.
A lie, for instance, is morally wrong because of its harmful consequences. However, when a lie is told in order to benefit someone, it is can be considered morally correct (West 2004). This theory allows IT Security professionals to go against codes of conduct in cases that involve a person’s happiness. In this case, if adherence to a code leads to unhappiness, the professional should break the code and take an action that will make the person happy. This theory allows IT security professionals to ignore certain codes. The aim of ignoring these codes is to bring happiness to people. An IT professional, for instance, could break a code to prevent an innocent person from imprisonment.
The Kantian ethical theory comes from the writing of Immanuel Kant. This theory states that human beings are not a means to an end but an end in themselves (Wood 2008). This theory focuses on the social life of human beings. It emphasizes treating oneself and others respectfully. In this theory, Kant represents moral strictness without considering human feelings, happiness, and desire (Wood 2008). This theory also requires people to respect the rational nature of other human beings. This theory state that since every human being is worthy, the worthiness of all human beings is equal (Wood 2008).
In relation to professional conduct, this theory shows that IT security professionals should weigh the situation at hand and make a decision depending on what is right, not what they feel. In this case, therefore, one could either obey or disobey the codes depending on the situation. For instance, in a situation where a decision could affect a company or a person, one has to choose what he thinks is right.
Conclusion
The Utilitarian and Kantian theories seem to vary in how professionals should treat codes of conduct. The utilitarian theory gives way to human emotion instead of respect for professional conduct. The Kantian theory also gives way to human strictness and the belief of oneself hence making it a stumbling block on the implementation of professional conduct. However, due to its strictness, sternness, and support for respect of oneself and others, the Kantian theory seems more favorable to uphold IT professional conduct than Utilitarian theory.
Reference List
Downs, J.C & Swienton, A 2012, Ethics in Forensic Science. Codes of Ethics in Forensic Science Society: The Organizational Perimeters of Morality and Conduct. Melson, K. Elsevier Inc. USA.
Institute for Criminal Justice Ethics 2005, The Code of Conduct of the Forensic Science Society. Web.
Kizza, J 2010, Ethical and Social Issues in the Information Age. (4th ed.). Springer-Verlag, London Limited. New York. USA.
Koreneff, I 2005, Excel Snr High School Information, Pascal Press, Sydney, Australia.
Mamic, I & International Labour Office 2004, Implementing Codes of Conduct: How Businesses Manage Social Performance in Global Supply Chains, Greenleaf publishing, Sheffield, UK.
Mehan, J 2008, Cyberwar, Cyberterror, Cybercrime, IT Governance Publishing. UK.
Newman, R 2010, Computer Security: Protecting Digital Resources, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, MA, USA.
Sennewald, C 2011, Effective Security Managements (5th ed.), Butterworth-Heinemann, MA, USA
Souryal, S 2011, Ethics in Criminal Justice: In Search of Truth. 5th ed. Elsevier Inc. USA.
Tavani, H 2011, Ethics and Technology: Controversies, Questions and Strategies for Ethical Computing, (3rd ed.) Malloy Lithographers. USA.
West, H 2004, An Introduction to Mill’s Utilitarian Ethics. Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Wood, A 2008, Kantian Ethics. Cambridge university press. New York. USA.