Disccusion on Computing Issues

A typical problem in computer ethics arises because there is a policy vacuum about how computer technology should be used. Computers provide us with new capabilities and these in turn give us new choices for action. Often, either no policies for conduct in these situations exist or existing policies seem inadequate. A central task of computer ethics is to determine what we should do in such cases, i.e., to formulate policies to guide our actions. Of course, some ethical situations confront us as individuals and some as a society. Computer ethics includes consideration of both personal and social policies for the ethical use of computer technology.


Cyber Crime happens everywhere, in libraries, cafes, offices, and homes. The term cyber crime is used to include traditional crimes in which computers or networks are used to enable the illicit activity.

• Examples of cyber crime which the computer or network is a tool of the criminal activity include spamming and criminal copyright crimes, particularly those facilitated through peer-to-peer networks.
• Examples of cyber crime in which the computer or network is a target of criminal activity include unauthorized access (i.e., defeating access controls), malicious code, and denial-of-service attacks.
• Examples of cyber crime in which the computer or network is a place of criminal activity include theft of service (in particular, telecom fraud) and certain financial frauds.
• Finally, examples of traditional crimes facilitated through the use of computers or networks include other gullibility or social engineering frauds (e.g., hacking "phishing", identity theft, child pornography, online gambling, securities fraud, etc.).

To the popular press, "hacker" means someone who breaks into computers. Among programmers it means a good programmer. But the two meanings are connected. To programmers, "hacker" connotes mastery in the most literal sense: someone who can make a computer do what he wants—whether the computer wants to or not.

To add to the confusion, the noun "hack" also has two senses. It can be either a compliment or an insult. It's called a hack when you do something in an ugly way. But when you do something so clever that you somehow beat the system, that's also called a hack. The word is used more often in the former than the latter sense, probably because ugly solutions are more common than brilliant ones.

Definition of Hackers:

1. One who is proficient at using or programming a computer; a computer buff.
2. One who uses programming skills to gain illegal access to a computer network or file.
3. One who enthusiastically pursues a game or sport.

In order to prevent hackers from intrude our system, there are some available tools or software, for example:

Firewalls – keep hackers and criminals out of your computer by activating your built-in firewall or downloading a firewall for your computer. Firewall software will allow you to surf the internet and download content you want, but it’ll prevent hackers from getting into your computer.

Antivirus Software – even the most email-savvy user can’t stop every virus from entering their computer. Antivirus software, when it is kept up-to-date, can stop most viruses from causing damage to your computer and other computers. Most antivirus software can be downloaded from the internet.

E-mail Filters – many viruses are passed via email. To cut down on the amount of unwanted and unknown email tat fills your inbox, use email filters. Many email clients have filters built-in to the programs.

Certain down, computer ethics are just like other ethical problems. We need to respect the rights of others. We need to have permission before we can gain access to the computer system. In Malaysia , just like in many other countries, computer hacking has been classified as a criminal act under the Malaysian Computer Crimes Act, 1997. It has been classified as a serious crime. Those found guilty can face a fine of RM50,000 to RM100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5-10 years or to both.