Bursic 8:00 A.M.
Group R9
CODES OF ETHICS AND CHALLENGES IN SOFTWARE INNOVATIONS
THAT ENSURE SECURE EMAIL SECURITY
Kwaku Boampong (KWB18@pitt.edu)
INTRODUCING THE CODE OF ETHICS
AND MY NAE CHALLENGE
I will be focusing on how the NSPE Code of Ethics for
Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers
Code of Ethics applies to the NAE challenge of my choice.
The NAE challenge that I am going to connect these codes
of ethics to, is, the challenges in software innovations that
ensure a secure email security. This is a broad topic, but I
am going to maintain one important aspect of email/internet
security, which is providing better security for data flowing
over various routes on the Internet so that the information
cannot be diverted, monitored, or altered. The only way to
complete this task is for engineers to continue making
“protocols for directing data traffic on the Internet can be
exploited to make messages appear to come from someplace
other than their true origin” [1]. I believe that it is important
for engineers to continue making these protocols,
specifically the “data monitoring switch”[2] because without
them, it is significantly easier for “attackers”[3] to bypass
email and Internet security systems. Ethics applies to this
NAE challenge because as stated by the NSPE code of
ethics, cannon 1, engineers must “hold paramount the safety,
health, and welfare of the public [4].” This shows the
importance of studying ethics because it gives the basic
background and the tasks that an engineer must accomplish.
Freshmen engineers should study this challenge and the code
of ethics because this NAE challenge relates to everyone in
the world as everyone uses cyberspace and the code of ethics
can help freshmen understand their duties as an engineer if
they continue to pursue it as a career.
BACKGROUND ON NAE CHALLENGE
AND DETAILS ON THE FOCAL ASPECT
The world of cyberspace and communication is a complex
one with numerous insecurities. Serious breaches of cyber
security in “financial and military”[3] computer systems
have already occurred. “Identity theft is a burgeoning
problem due to these breaches”[2]. Viruses and other cyberattacks plague computers and “disrupt commerce and
communication on the Internet”[3]. Communication these
days depends on computers and it is difficult for residents of
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering
the United States to trust this main form of communication
due to the numerous breaches in cyberspace security.
Cyberspace security continues to pose some of the most
difficult challenges engineers have faced. Engineers
continue to face the challenge of “protecting the
confidentiality and integrity of transmit tted information and
deterring identity theft”[5] in cyberspace. It is important for
engineers to continue developing innovations that prevent
“attackers”[3] from breaching email and Internet security
systems.
The data-monitoring switch is an innovation that can
prevent these attackers. A data-monitoring switch is a
“networking hardware appliance that provides a pool of
monitoring tools to access traffic from a large number of
network links”[6]. This innovation is specifically used for
directing data traffic in cyber space to prevent things that
come from some other place other than their “true origin,
such as spam messages that carry viruses. The monitoringswitch pre-filters traffic to “offload tools and direct them to
the location according to one-on-one and many-to-many port
mappings”[6]. When a number of monitoring tools are
connected to the data-monitoring switch’s tool ports, copies
of traffic from any of the network ports can be switched to
any of the tools using the data monitoring “switch’s
management interface”[2]. A unique characteristic of
the data-monitoring switch, as opposed to matrix switches
and aggregating Taps, is that it can support port mappings.
This data-monitoring switch has numerous aspects to it,
which make it extremely complex. Although engineers
clearly put significant thought in constructing this innovation
to benefit email and cyberspace, there are bound to be ways
for “attackers”[3] to bypass this security. For example,
“attackers”[3] eventually determine ways to breach
command lines, which allow them to still get into out email
and harm our cyberspace security. This may be hard to
believe due to all of the work put into this innovation, but
gives Engineers more of a reason to continue working to
improve.
HOW MY NAE CHALLENGE CONNECTS
TO MY CODE OF ETHICS
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October 21, 2011
Kwaku Boampong
The NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers and the American
Society of Civil Engineers Code of Ethics applies to my
NAE challenge in numerous ways. The NSPE Code of
Ethics for Engineers develops a main focus of the
importance of engineering as a “learned profession [7]”. “As
members of this profession, engineers are expected to
exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity.
Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality of
life for all people. Accordingly, the services provided by
engineers require honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity,
and must be dedicated to the protection of the public health,
safety, and welfare.”[4] This clearly relates to my NAE
challenge because the data-monitoring switch was created to
prevent “attackers”[3] from entering the somewhat secure
email/cyberspace of the public and harming peoples
identities. According to the NSPE code of ethics Engineers
are required to work towards the protection of public welfare
and preventing the loss of identity is surely the protection of
public welfare. Another connection from the NSPE code of
ethics that connects to my NAE challenge is the professional
obligation of an engineer to “strive at all times to serve the
public interest”[7]. To serve the public interest an Engineer
must continue to improve innovations to ensure that it
satisfies it’s purpose. The data-monitoring switch used to
protect cyberspace and email security is still not fully secure
because some “attackers”[3] find ways capable of bypassing
this security. Based on the NSPE Code of Ethics, engineers
must continue to add to this innovation until it is fully secure
and prevent all “attacker” from accessing our personal
information through cyberspace and email.
I also found a certain connection between the American
Society of Civil Engineering Code of Ethics and my specific
NAE challenge. For example, Cannon 3 of this code of
ethics states that, “engineers shall act in such a manner as to
uphold and enhance the integrity and dignity of the
engineering profession”[7]. In my opinion, one way for an
engineer to enhance the integrity and dignity of the
profession is to accomplish each and every task to the best of
their ability and continue to add on to an innovation if it
does not satisfy the needs of the people. This connects to my
NAE challenge because it is a difficult task to fully ensure
security in email and cyberspace security because there are
numerous ways that your security can be breached. This is
why engineers must continue to follow this code of ethics
and develop newer innovations to protect our Internet
security. This NAE challenge affects the safety and welfare
of the public in a great way because if our identities are
accessed through cyberspace, many civilians in the United
States of America could end up victims of credit card fraud
and lose a substantial amount of money. That is why
engineers must continue to follow the NSPE and the
American Society of Civil Engineering Code of Ethics
because they both show the importance of an engineer’s job
towards benefitting my NAE challenge.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING
FRESHMAN ENGINEERS THE CODE OF
ETHICS
As stated by the NSPE code of ethics, “Engineering is an
important and learned profession. As members of this
profession, engineers are expected to exhibit the highest
standards of honesty and integrity. Engineering has a direct
and vital impact on the quality of life for all people.
Accordingly, the services provided by engineers require
honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be
dedicated to the protection of the public health, safety, and
welfare. Engineers must perform under a standard of
professional behavior that requires adherence to the highest
principles of ethical conduct”[4]. This provides the basis of
what you need to follow to be an Engineer.
I believe that it is extremely important to teach freshmen
engineers the NSPE Code of Ethics and the American
Society of Civil Engineers Code of Ethics. For example, an
engineer’s job is extremely important to the society and
students must understand that before going into the
profession of engineering. One way for students to
understand these is through the teaching of the codes of
ethics. If these ethics are embedded into their mind as young
engineers, they are bound to follow them through out their
entire career. With these codes of ethics young engineers can
be certified and are guaranteed to one day help society and
most importantly cyberspace and email security.
CONCLUSION
The NAE challenge of completely ensuring a secure
cyberspace can one day be accomplished through the use of
the data-monitoring switch developed by engineers. I believe
that this specific protocol for directing data traffic can be
very beneficial with the correct development. Engineers
must also be taught these codes of ethics as freshmen
because it allows them to fully grasp the knowledge and the
duty of an engineer. Also, by instilling the NSPE Code of
Ethics and the American Society of Civil Engineering Code
of Ethics into young engineers, they will understand the
importance of improving innovations and aiding the public.
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Kwaku Boampong
Therefore, giving them the mindset and certification
necessary to continue to improve email/cyberspace security.
REFERENCES
[1] Kaplan, Dan. "Cybersecurity, the next Frontier for NASA Engineers Messaging - SC Magazine Australia - Secure Business Intelligence." IT
Security News, Security Product Reviews and Opinion - SC Magazine
Australia - Secure Business Intelligence. SC Magazine, 2 June 2011. Web.
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[2] Ramirez, Jessica. "Educating Elite Hackers and Cybersecurity Experts."
The Daily Beast. 9 Mar. 2010. Web. 02 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/03/09/educating-elitehackers.html>.
[3] "Introduction to the Grand Challenges for Engineering - Engineering
Challenges." Grand Challenges for Engineering. Web. 02 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9221.aspx>.
Oct. 2011. <http://www.scmagazine.com.au/Feature/259366,cybersecuritythe-next-frontier-for-nasa-engineers.aspx>.
[4] "ASCE Code of Ethics." ASCE Code of Ethics. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.
<http://wadsworth.com/philosophy_d/templates/student_resources/0534605
796_harris/cases/Codes/asce.htm>.
[5]"New Automation Standards Tackle Cybersecurity Threats - Engineer
Live, For Engineers, By Engineers." Engineer Live - Engineering News |
Engineering Jobs | Engineering Product Reports. Asian Engineer, 2 Oct.
2010. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://www.engineerlive.com/Asia-PacificEngineer/Safety_Environment/New_automation_standards_tackle_cybersec
urity_threats/23490/>.
[6] Wolff, Josephine. "Interview With Cyber-Security Czar Howard
Schmidt." The Daily Beast. 21 Dec. 2010. Web. 02 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/12/21/interview-withcyber-security-czar-howard-schmidt.html>.
[7] NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers." National Society of Professional
Engineers. National Society of Professional Engineers”. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html>.
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
Amadei, Bernard. "Engineering for the Developing World - Engineering
Challenges." Grand Challenges for Engineering. Web. 21 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/7126/7356.aspx>.
"Cyber Security Standards." Science Daily: News & Articles in Science,
Health, Environment & Technology. Science Daily. Web. 02 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/c/cyber_security_standards.htm>.
"Cyber Security Tips." US-CERT: United States Computer Emergency
Readiness Team. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/>.
Grand Challenges for Engineering. Web. 02 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/>.
Stephen, Unger H. Responsibility in Engineering: Victor Paschkis vs
Wernher Von Braun. Print.
Unger, Stephen H. "IT Professional." IT Professional. Print.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you, Dan Budny and Beth Bateman Newborg for the
specifications for the formatting of this research paper.
Thank you to Diane Kerr, writing instructor, for proper
guidance in how to go about completing this research paper.
.
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