Ethical Dilemmas: Data Security and the ACS Code of Conduct Review

This essay discusses ethical issues within a company, focusing on an incident where files were sent unencrypted due to management pressure, violating the Australian Computer Society Code of Professional Conduct. It highlights the importance of data encryption for security and integrity, referencing the ACS code's emphasis on public interest, quality of life enhancement, honesty, competence, and professional development. The analysis reveals how the organisation's decision to prioritise speed over security compromises stakeholder interests, potentially leading to data theft, reputational damage, and financial losses. The essay concludes by recommending adherence to ethical practices and the ACS code, even at the expense of potential business opportunities, to maintain integrity and ensure secure data transmission.

Running head: ETHICAL ISSUES
ETHICAL ISSUES
Name of student:
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Author’s note:

1ETHICAL ISSUES
Introduction
This essay aims to discuss the topic ethical issues in a company. The company that
has been observed as doing unethical practises is that several files were sent to an
organisation without encryption of the files as the pressure of the management made them do
it. This topic is briefly discussed in this essay with following the Australian Computer
Society Code of Professional Conduct.
An unethical practise is done by an individual when there is a pressure from the
organisation or the intent of the individual of doing unethical practise. In the selected
Youtube video, the individuals were asked by the organisation to send some files without
encrypting them as it was an emergency. The method of encryption is a process of altering
the information in such a method that it makes the file unreadable for the unauthorised users
(Shapiro, Whittemore & Tsen, 2014).
Discussion
The methods of encryption are commonly utilised for sending confidential data over
the internet or the physical layer. This helps in securing the information and also keep the
integrity of the data. The ACS professional code of conduct presents protocols are regulations
that states that the organisations should maintain this law for maintaining the professionalism
and keep the dignity, honour, and effectiveness (Sanchez, 2014). This laws claims that the
individuals should identify the people who are potentially affected by the work and explicitly
consider the interests. Any potential claims should be raised with the stakeholders among the
professional activity and the unaccepted or illegal requirements of the public. This law claims
that the individuals should place the interest of public above everything else and work
towards this intent of serving the common people (Burmeister, 2017). This rule also states
that the individuals should endeavour towards the preservation of integrity, continuity, utility

2ETHICAL ISSUES
and security of the ICT. In this video, the issue that is claimed is that the files need to be
delivered the files a month early, and the IT individual claims that the unencrypted files are
not the correct method of sending the files as this method of sending files without encryption
possesses a threat of getting hacked or it gets stolen during transmission. Hence, the IT
individual is not violating any code of conduct as the individual is reluctant to send the files
without encryption. The second rule that is claimed by the ACS professional code of conduct
is that the individuals should work towards enhancing the quality of life of the individuals
who are affected by the work (Watson Jr et al., 2015). This rule also states that in the work of
any individual, the role of ICT that is played should be identified for enhancing the quality of
life of the people and specifically the disabilities and the disadvantaged. Individuals should
work towards protecting and promoting the safety and health of the people who are affected
by the work. This rule also claims that the individuals should attempt towards increasing the
feelings of personal competence, satisfaction and the control of the people who are affected
by the work. In this video, the people who are working under the management can get
affected in the case of data loss or data theft. This can lead to the damage of reputation of the
company and the employees can get affected severely. This rule of ACS code of conduct is
violated by the IT individual as he agreed to send the files without encryption.
The third rule that is presented by the ACS code of conduct is that the individuals
should present honesty in representation of the skills, services, knowledge and the products
(Contakes, 2015). This rule means that any practise of inducement or bribery should be
rejected when it is offered and it should also be not presented. The individuals should be able
to distinguish between the opinions that are personal and professional. It states that estimates
that are realistic should be provided for the projects that are in control of the individual. This
rule is violated by the organisation as they agreed to send files without encryption to a partner
gaining an opportunity of expanding the business and make profit. The professionalism is not

3ETHICAL ISSUES
maintained in this video as it should have been done by sending files without encryption to
the partners ensuring the safe transmission of files over the internet. Another rule that is
presented by the ACS code of conduct is that competence is expected from the individuals
who are working in an organisation (McDermid, 2015). This rule states that the individuals
should work diligently and competently for the stakeholders. This rule is violated by the
organisation as the correct method of transmission of files is maintained and this could affect
the stakeholders extensively. In the situations of data theft or cybercrime, the data can get lost
and the process of data retrieval could cost the stakeholders a significant amount of money
and time. Even if the data is retrieved, the integrity of the data is lost and this could mean
severe harm to the reputation of the organisation and harm to the business of the organisation.
The fifth rule that is presented by the ACS code of conduct is that the individuals should
work towards the development of their own professionally and the development of the staff
(Santin & Kaups, 2015). By practising any unethical activities in the organisation, it could
lead to the incorrect development of the individuals who are working in the organisation. The
process of sending unencrypted files over the internet to some other individual could create a
situation of other individuals practising this method and in the long future it could somehow
lead to data loss and data theft of the organisation. The method of encryption secures the data
of any organisation and it can provide a suitable method that can be followed by the other
members of the organisation for maintaining the integrity of the data and provide security to
the data. The sixth rule of the ACS code of conduct states that the organisations and the
individuals who are the member of ACS should enhance the ACS integrity and enhance the
respect of the members for securing integrity of the organisation (Venables, Tan & Pradhan,
2014). This rule is not maintained by the organisation as the integrity of the methods of
transmission of data is not followed by the organisation.

4ETHICAL ISSUES
Therefore, it is recommended that the IT individual should not engage in the unethical
practises of work and even if the organisation loses a potential client, the organisation should
follow the rule of ACS code of conduct and maintain the laws. The method of encrypting is
slow and it takes significant amount of time for securing the data but it is important while
sending any confidential information over the internet.
Conclusion
Therefore, the ACS code of conduct helps in maintaining the integrity of a workplace
and provides rules for strong business processes. An unethical practise is done by an
individual when there is a pressure from the organisation or the intent of the individual of
doing unethical practise. The methods of encryption are commonly utilised for sending
confidential data over the internet or the physical layer. This helps in securing the
information and also keep the integrity of the data. The ACS professional code of conduct
presents protocols are regulations that states that the organisations should maintain this law
for maintaining the professionalism and keep the dignity, honour, and effectiveness.

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References
Burmeister, O. K. (2017). Professional ethics in the information age. Journal of Information,
Communication and Ethics in Society, 15(4), 348-356.
Contakes, S. M. (2015). Misconduct at the lab? A performance task case study for teaching
data analysis and critical thinking. Journal of Chemical Education, 93(2), 314-317.
McDermid, D. (2015). Ethics in ICT: an Australian perspective. Pearson Higher Education
AU.
Sanchez, L. T. (2014). Disruptive behaviors among physicians. Jama, 312(21), 2209-2210.
Santin, B., & Kaups, K. (2015). The disruptive physician: addressing the issues. Bull Am Coll
Surg, 100, 20-24.
Shapiro, J., Whittemore, A., & Tsen, L. C. (2014). Instituting a culture of professionalism:
the establishment of a center for professionalism and peer support. The Joint
Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 40(4), 168-AP1.
Venables, A., Tan, G., & Pradhan, S. (2014). A collaborative framework for a cross-
institutional assessment to shape future IT professionals. Issues in Informing Science
& Information Technology, 11, 215-224.
Watson Jr, D. C., Robicsek, F., Sade, R. M., & Rainer, W. G. (2015). Are thoracic surgeons
ethically obligated to serve as expert witnesses for the plaintiff?. The Ethics of
Surgery: Conflicts and Controversies, 94.

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Appendix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5M7ohdZ6qA