Introduction to Cybersecurity 2.1 – Chapter 1: The Need for Cybersecurity – Chapter 1 Ethics Quiz Answers
1. During a meeting with the Marketing department, a representative from IT discusses features of an upcoming product that will be released next year. Is this employee’s behavior ethical or unethical?
- ethical
- unethical
Explanation: Sharing information on a new product to the Marketing department of the same company is ethical behavior. It gives them ample lead time to begin development of a marketing plan for the new product.
2. An employee is laid off after fifteen years with the same company. The employee is then hired by another company within a week. In the new company, the employee shares documents and ideas for products that the employee proposed at the original company.
- unethical
- ethical
Explanation: Even though the employee was laid off, the employee probably signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with the original company. Any work or idea developed at the original company, regardless of who proposed the idea, is still the property of the original company. Depending on the level of severity of the breach, this could result in legal action.
3. An employee is at a restaurant with friends and describes an exciting new video game that is under development at the company the employee works for. Is the behavior of the employee ethical or unethical?
- ethical
- unethical
Explanation: It is not ethical to share a confidential product idea before it is released. Describing the game to a group of friends outside the company could leak the idea and jeopardize the new product offering.
4. An employee points out a design flaw in a new product to the department manager.
- ethical
- unethical
Explanation: Both the employee and the manager are within the same department and company so this behavior would be ethical.
5. Alicia, a company employee, has lost her corporate identification badge. She is in a hurry to get to a meeting and does not have time to visit Human Resources to obtain a temporary badge. You lend her your identification badge until she can obtain a replacement.
- ethical
- unethical
Explanation: Employees should never give their credentials to another employee, regardless of the situation or the familiarity with the other employee. Once your credentials are out of your sight, you have no idea what they are being used for.