CIS3210 Computer Networks. Ethics in Networking

Transcription

1 CIS3210 Computer Networks Ethics in Networking 1 Jason Ernst, University of Guelph - Fall 2011

2 Outline Benefits of Computer Networks Why Study Ethics & Cyberethics Privacy Property and Intellectual Property Encryption and Interception of Communications Reliance on Computer Networks Ethical Protocols and Use of Networks Freedom of Speech, Censorship, Accessibility Professional Standards for Ethical Behaviour

3 Benefits of Computer Networks Many obvious benefits Sharing files, data & information in general Revolutionized many fields and industries Connects people Reduces the need for travel Insert your own benefit here

4 Why Study Ethics & Cyberethics Knowledge about some of the current unsolved social issues related to networking To be a more rounded student To understand motivations for people we may be required to guard against (if you end up as a network admin for example) To understand both sides of issues, and grey areas To help you use your technical knowledge of networks in a responsible manner To help find a balance between use and misuse, security without over restriction

5 Privacy: Information expected to be private Location Usage information Cookies, History Profiling, Usage matching Secondary information use (other than what it was intended for) Usage matching: combining info from different databases to identify people

6 Privacy Users of computer equipment and networks usually expect their information to be protected Companies like Facebook may sell information in exchange for free use of their service How long is this information kept How is it used Google Keeps information on search history Can build up digital fingerprint profile Recently caught recording Wi-Fi AP mac addresses + locations + SSIDs, sample payload data on open networks

7 Google Streetview

8 Costs & Benefits of Using this Information Companies can use this information responsibly To provide increased service in particular areas To provide customized service to individuals Likes, dislikes, trends And Irresponsibly Losing the information Using the information to take advantage of customers Selling the information, using information to sell items are higher prices (amazon is rumoured to do this:

9 Poor Privacy: Philadelphia School District Gave out laptops to students (2010) Automatically collected webcam captures, IM monitoring etc. Justification was to identify someone in case of laptop theft Ended up capturing images of partially dressed students, students sleeping etc. Ended up settling out of court and revising their policy

10 Outline Benefits of Computer Networks Why Study Ethics & Cyberethics Privacy Property and Intellectual Property Encryption and Interception of Communications Reliance on Computer Networks Ethical Protocols and Use of Networks Freedom of Speech, Censorship, Accessibility Professional Standards for Ethical Behaviour

11 Property and Intellectual Property Virtual property Second Life WoW Intellectual Property Music, Movies, Research, Books, Corporate & Trade Secrets DRM vs Fair Use Real Property Identity Theft Banking, Mortgages, Stocks & Investments

12 Second Life: Digital Property

13 Second Life Digital Property What happens when servers shut down? Even services such as Xboxlive (online purchases) or Steam must respond to this question In some cases, ie) Xboxlive + EA game servers are shut after a couple of years for games like NHL, Tiger Woods etc. Who settles disputes? What is the jurisdiction of a country if the property physically exists on a server in another country?

14 DRM

15 DRM

16 DRM

17 DRM

18 Software Piracy Rates Source: Business Software Alliance

19 Music Sales: Piracy?

20 DRM: Spore Originally required online access to validate software Limited to only 3 activations After this reviewed by EA for further activations on case by case basis Resulted in class-action lawsuit

21 Outline Benefits of Computer Networks Why Study Ethics & Cyberethics Privacy Property and Intellectual Property Encryption and Interception of Communications Reliance on Computer Networks Ethical Protocols and Use of Networks Freedom of Speech, Censorship, Accessibility Professional Standards for Ethical Behaviour

22 Encryption and Interception and Hiding of Communications Encryption Originally illegal to export from United States Interception Used by governments to track people, find threats to security etc. Can also be used by individuals for identity theft, fraud etc. Stenography Hiding information in normal communications Ex) hiding information in images, facebook posts, spam headers

23 Stenographic Image Some process known only to each end of communicating parties

24 Benefits of Encryption and Stenography Can help people in dangerous situations communicate with the outside world Spies People in volatile countries People who fear political persecution Can help malicious people from accessing private information Banking Government Documents Online Voting

25 Cons of Encryption Makes it difficult for governments, police and authorities to identify threats to national security Some overhead required, so lowered performance in terms of computation and network performance Some forms of encryption have been broken provide false sense of security Ie) WEP

26 Case of Mistrust in WEP 2011: Man Hacks Neighbours Wi-Fi and tries to frame him for Child porn

27 Recently: Corporations forced to allow encryption to bypassed Research in Motion: Markets the security of their devices Bows to pressure from governments who will ban sale of their devices is encryption cannot be bypassed in their countries Google Backed completely out of countries where pressure was applied (China) regarding content

28 Ethical vs Unethical Hacking Breaking wireless networks for penetrating testing Determining vulnerabilities and fixing them Usually hired by the person / company you are doing this for For your own knowledge on your own equipment Hacking for National Security US/ Israel virus deployed against Iranian nuclear enrichment machines ethical? Hacking for personal gain Stealing money, corporate secrets, R&D from countries Neighbours Wi-Fi, especially in Canada with usage caps

29 Outline Benefits of Computer Networks Why Study Ethics & Cyberethics Privacy Property and Intellectual Property Encryption and Interception of Communications Reliance on Computer Networks Ethical Protocols and Use of Networks Freedom of Speech, Censorship, Accessibility Professional Standards for Ethical Behaviour

30 Reliance on Computer Networks Arab Spring Movement Egyptian Gov t cut most of country out from the Internet Large Outages Power outage in North America several years ago Some tasks strictly online now: Distance education courses News (many people do not get paper copies) Communications (many people use , skype, mobile phones) rather than landlines, mail, etc.) Video rentals (ie Netflix, Rogers on Demand etc)

31 Power Outage Million people affected Cellular communications disrupted Cable television, internet services disrupted Wired telephone access worked, but overwhelmed Dialup Internet Access Ham radio operators Radio broadcasters continued

32 Continued available of services Should corporations and governments offer traditional services at high cost? Ex) traditional mail, physical records, etc. How can we make current infrastructure more reliable? Self-healing networks Heterogeneous networks which use multiple technologies Redundancy Off-grid communication networks (solar, wind)

33 Ethical Protocols and Use of Networks The People vs ISPs Packet Shaping vs Traffic Usage Patterns Strain on Networks vs Investment How to provide equal QoS for people paying the same amount without traffic shaping? Investment from ISP Competing interest of investors who discourage investment by wanting more profits Requirements to provide service across broad sparsely populated areas

34 End of Profit for wireless carriers

35 VOIP Traffic Offsetting Traditional Voice Traditional wired Traditional cellular

36 Streaming Traffic Global Internet Phenomena Report: Spring 2011, Sandvine

37 Streaming Data Up to 30% of Internet traffic used by streaming services such as Netflix Vint Cerf (helped connect the first nodes on the APRAnet, also Google s Internet Evagelist ) Argues that significantly increasing capacity of the networks so that streaming is unnecessary will solve many problems with todays Internet

38 Responsibility for Poor Networks Is it up to the user to use applications and technology that does not put a strain on networks Is it up to the providers to continually provide faster networks with high capacity Is there some balance between? Packet shaping? Bandwidth Limit Caps? Government support to expand capacity?

39 Outline Benefits of Computer Networks Why Study Ethics & Cyberethics Privacy Property and Intellectual Property Encryption and Interception of Communications Reliance on Computer Networks Ethical Protocols and Use of Networks Freedom of Speech, Censorship, Accessibility Professional Standards for Ethical Behaviour

40 Freedom of Speech and Networking Social movements Occupy Arab Spring Toronto / Vancouver Riots Government control of Internet backbone Recall: DNS, registrars still under control of governments Government ability to cut whole populations off Internet Solutions include: Internet over Amateur Radio (Ham) Delay tolerant networking Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

41 Arab Spring: Organized by Social Media

42 Toronto Riots, 2010: Organized by Social Media

43 Vancouver Riots, 2011: Evidence Captured with Social Media e=related

44 Freedom of Speech and Networking What content is allowed on the Internet? Who decides? Who has jurisdiction to enforce? Ex) Torrent Tracker Websites (The PirateBay) Ex) Wikileaks Ex) Pornographic and Offensive content Libraries try to allow all content since it is their obligation to provide information, not deem information offensive The great firewall of China

45 Professional Standards for Ethical Behaviour RFC1087: Ethics and The Internet: ACM Code of Ethics: IEEE Code of Ethics:

46 Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics (Computer Ethics Institute, 1992) 1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people. 2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work. 3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files. 4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal. 5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness. 6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid. 7. Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation. 8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output. 9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing. 10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for your fellow humans

47 Next Classes Next Generation Networks Delay tolerant networks Wireless mesh networks Wireless sensor networks 3G, 4G, LTE, Mobile Networks Heterogeneous networks Green Communication

48 References Sarah Base, A Gift of Fire, Social, Legal and Ethical Issues for Computers and the Internet, ACM, IEEE Business Software Alliance