Analyzing the Ethical Issues of Rent-A-Hacker Site Data Leakage

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the ethical issues arising from the Rent-A-Hacker site's data breach, which exposed the names and addresses of Australian buyers. The report begins by introducing the concept of ethics and its role in differentiating right from wrong, then proceeds to analyze the case using ethical theories such as utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, and contract theory. It discusses the criminal nature of hacking and its societal impact, emphasizing the importance of ethical guidelines and security measures. The report also provides recommendations for preventing such breaches and concludes by highlighting the need for ethical policies and guidelines in the usage of information technology, particularly in the context of computer ethics and design.

RUNNING HEAD: RENT-A-HACKER SITE LEAKS AUSTRALIAN BUYERS' NAMES
AND ADDRESSES 1
RENT-A-HACKER SITE LEAKS AUSTRALIAN BUYERS' NAMES AND ADDRESSES
Student Name
Institute Name

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Analysis...........................................................................................................................................3
Discussion of four classical ethical theories....................................................................................3
Utilitarianism...............................................................................................................................3
Deontology...................................................................................................................................4
Virtue...........................................................................................................................................4
Contract........................................................................................................................................4
Hacking and crime...........................................................................................................................5
Recommendation.............................................................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
Reference.........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The report will discuss in detail about the concept of ethics which is actually a field of study
which is specifically based on dividing or making the clear different between the right and
wrong. The theories help in analyzing the overall morality of the human behavior, laws, structure
and policies. The attempt of the authors here is to clearly justify the judgments on morality
discussed in reference with ethical principles of varied theories as well as an attempt to get the
moral intention about the feeling of right as well as wrong (Bredillet et al, 2015). The report will
discuss in detail about the hacking in information technology in context with the classical
theories.
Analysis
The used link is:
http://www.pressreader.com/canada/waterloo-region-record/20170422/281758449172066 http://
www.smh.com.au/it-pro/security-it/rentahacker-site-leaks-australian-buyers-names-and-addresses-
20150529-ghca3f.html
A case discussed about the current time when how people are taking helps from hackers to
actually know about the whereabouts of people in order to know their truth. These people justify
the work of hacking and how it is helping them. However it is important to understand here that
the hacking is a crime and it always impact the system and the society (Wilkins, 2014). The
Australian officials have recognized a group of people who are actually taking help from
professional hackers to know illegal things.
Discussion of four classical ethical theories

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Utilitarianism
The theory of utilitarianism is based on the fact that what needs to be done. It further discusses
that all kind best possible actions are the one that has the power to increase the utility. The
concept of utility can be defined in so many ways and normally it is in connection with the well
being of many entities like human and other living things (Baum, 2016). The founder of this
concept is Jeremy Bentham and his definition says that the word utility means the sum of all kind
of possible pleasures that are the result from a specific action and minus all kind of suffering for
people part of the process. Hacking is one crime which anyways will harm people in the end
since it is invading the private space of the people. The groups of hackers who are extending help
to people who want it are confirming that people are taking the services for all wrong reasons
and even the information hacked for them is not safe also (Jones, 2016).
Deontology
The theory of deontology is also referred as Kantian ethics and it is described to so many
German philosopher named as Immanuel Kant. The theory is basically based on developing an
outcome based on enlightenment and rationalism for it. It is also based on the opinion that is only
internally a good thing along with a good will. It also depicts action that can only be good if they
are large and related to principle associated with it basically a duty towards moral law. Hacking
obviously questions the morality.
Virtue
Virtue is a word that is descries the normative based ethical theories. The main aim of virtues is
mind as well as character. The virtue also discuss in detail about the overall nature and
description of virtues and other associated issues. For instance, the processes of acquiring it or

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applying it in many actual life examples or existence of it in universal human attitude are some
of the examples of virtue ethics (Dipert, 2016).
Contract
The observation by many modern theorists of social contract says that many communities form
rile for a common or a mutual betterment of people. There can be a college or school in a form of
community or there are communities with the school fraternity that have different set of rules as
well as standards that people can understand or not. It they cannot understand it actually exists
from the part of community and just as people are free to completely decline the citizenship of
people and also take up the people in some other country (Dolezel & Morrison, 2017).
Hacking and crime
A big part of security of the computer is related with protecting the computer based resources as
well as data which is completely against all the unauthorized or intentional disruptions of issues.
Such kind of acts is usually termed as process of hacking. The hacking process can also be
defines as the use of skills in computer in order to gain all type of unauthorized access to
resources. People like hackers are also very skills users that can use the talent to get access and
often form a group or network with varied other hackers to share the data or knowledge
(Bredillet et al, 2015). There are number of self recognized hackers as well which are often
justified as the hacking based function to argue and the cause can be no real disadvantage and
despite make an positive influence. The positive influence is associated with the act of hacking
and it is also being argued that it further frees the data to gain advantage and also improves the
systems and software exposed to any kind of security holes. Such kinds of consideration are also

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an important part a process known as hacker code of ethics which is actually a set of theories that
helps in guiding number of activities for number of hackers (McLaughlin & Gogan, 2015).
Recommendation
The process of hacking and cracking that tends to very ungrateful and can be termed as form of
crime or rather cybercrime. There are so many types of crimes and not all the compromise or
adjustments with computer security (Abu-Shaqra, 2015). It can be saved through following the
below discussed guidelines: -
1. Definition of guidelines on varied patch polices. Whenever it is possible, the most
immediate security update must be utilized specifically with external systems and this
further applies on different application and operating systems.
2. The used of database by web based application must be restrictive by nature and as per
HTTP request, for example is limited through Apache.
3. One can also follow a two stage definition with their service based interface for the rise in
database of the level of security (Abu-Shaqra, 2015).
4. The guidelines of security are also based on the access to varied web services as well.
5. The access to interface and administration must also be limited in a way that can help in
accessing and get it from the complete internet.
6. The process of outsourcing of eh administration is based on interfaces that are also
present internally.
7. The process of auditing by different number of specialists (Abu-Shaqra, 2015).
8. There are possible checkup of the web based application with the help of reviewing the
code.

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Conclusion
Ethical based analysis is associated with privacy and security challenges in hacking and can help
the professional to indentify and also solve many moral confusions and dilemmas. It further
yields ethical policies along with guidelines for the sake of usage of IT (Njuguna, 2016). Also, it
can also be identified as computer ethics not just for the sake of usage of information systems
needed some kind of moral reflection and it is also based on designs since it shows set of moral
values and consist of choices based on morality.

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Reference
Abu-Shaqra, B. (2015). Technoethics and Organizing: Exploring Ethical Hacking within a
Canadian University (Doctoral dissertation, Université d'Ottawa/University of Ottawa).
Baum, K. (2016, October). What the Hack Is Wrong with Software Doping?. In International
Symposium on Leveraging Applications of Formal Methods(pp. 633-647). Springer
International Publishing.
Bredillet, C. N., Tywoniak, S., & Dwivedula, R. (2015). Reconnecting theory and practice in
pluralistic contexts: issues and Aristotelian considerations. Project Management
Journal, 46(2), 6-20.
Bredillet, C., Tywoniak, S., & Dwivedula, R. (2015). What is a good project manager? An
Aristotelian perspective. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2), 254-266.
Dipert, R. R. (2016). Distinctive ethical issues of cyberwarfare. Binary bullets: the ethics of
Cyberwarfare, 56.
Dolezel, D. M., & Morrison, E. E. (2017). Improving the Curriculum with Ethics: Gaps between
Perceived Ethical Challenges of Practitioners and Educators. Journal of Curriculum and
Teaching, 6(1), 45.
Jones, S. (2016). Doing the right thing: computer ethics pedagogy revisited. Journal of
Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 14(1), 33-48.
McLaughlin, M. D., & Gogan, J. (2015). Why Cooperate? Ethical Analysis of InfoSec
Vulnerability Disclosure.

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Njuguna, A. G. (2016). Towards the Indirect Agency Theory.
Wilkins, L. (2014). My newsroom made me do it: The impact of organizational climate on
ethical decision-making. The Ethics of Journalism. Individual, Institutional and Cultural
Influence, 33-53.