Credits: 5EC
Motivation: There are a wide variety of ethical and social aspects and problems related to cyber security, for example: Is ‘back-hacking’ allowed, and what are ethical issues are associated with this? And how do new security technologies affect privacy? This course explores these ethical issues and provides handles on how to deal with them.
Synopsis: This module on Ethics and Cybersecurity discusses the many ethical issues that arise in the protection against (cyber) crime, organised (cyber) crime and (cyber) terrorism. The module provides a short introduction into the ethics of computing, more specifically a discussion of value-sensitive design, that deals with the inscription into information technology at all levels of norms and values. In cyberspace, such norms are often connected to the distribution of access to information, e.g. who can access personal data. Another important part of the module will discuss the tension between human and constitutional rights violations (freedom, privacy and accountability) in addressing the threats. We will discuss some of the conceptual issues involved, such as how online norm violations are different from their off-line versions, and how can they be distinguished from each other. We also discuss whether and how the traditional normative and institutional frameworks (regarding identification, necessity, proportionality, discrimination and attribution) apply to the cyber world.
Aim: Introduction to ethics of information technology in general and cyber security in particular.
Learning outcomes: After completing this course the student can:
- Identify and critically reflect upon ethical issues related to cyber security
- Apply methods for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of ethical issues
- Explain, recognise and analyse ethical issues in the design of cyber security technology
- Explain, recognise and analyse ethical issues in cyber security practices and governance
- Explain and apply the value sensitive design approach
Lecturers: Prof Dr Jeroen van den Hoven (TUD/TPM), Dr Wolter Pieters (TUD/TPM and UT/EWI) and Dr Martijn Warnier (TUD/TPM)
Examination: Students write a research paper on a topic related to cyber security ethics
Contents: Information ethics, Privacy & ethics, Cyber crime, Cyber security governance & legislation, Relation between legal and ethical frameworks for cyber security, Cyber terrorism, Cyber warfare, Ethics of security policies, Ethical hacking, Ethics of cyber security research & testing
Core text: Various papers from the literature