Ethical Framework For Cybersecurity
The Six Pillars of Character is a framework developed by the Josephson Institute of Ethics. They serve like a roadmap for personal and professional ethics, offering guidance on how to be our best selves. Let’s break them down and how they apply to Trusted Tribe and Cybersecurity in general:
- Trustworthiness: This one’s all about being honest and straight-up. It means keeping your word, being reliable, and sticking to your principles. Think of it as being the person others can always count on. In cybersecurity, trust is paramount. Users and clients need to trust that their data and privacy are being protected. This is particularly true when handling sensitive information and dealing with vulnerabilities or breaches.
- Respect: It’s as simple as treating people well. Respect means considering others' feelings and views, and not just bulldozing over them. It’s about appreciating our differences and treating everyone with dignity. Cybersecurity involves respecting the privacy and rights of users too. It includes understanding and adhering to ethical guidelines and legal requirements related to data protection and privacy laws. Respect in interactions, both within the team and with clients or users, is crucial for maintaining a positive and ethical working environment.
- Responsibility: This is taking charge of your actions and owning up to your choices. It’s about being accountable for what you do (or don’t do) and always striving to do your best, whether at work or in your personal life. Professionals in cybersecurity are responsible for safeguarding critical information from unauthorized access and cyber threats. They must be accountable for their actions, especially when managing security protocols and responding to incidents. Taking responsibility for continuous learning and staying updated with the latest security trends is also vital.
- Fairness: Fair play is key here. It’s about making decisions that are unbiased and equitable, giving everyone a fair shot. It’s the golden rule of playing by the rules and making sure others do too. This involves unbiased and ethical decision-making too. In cybersecurity, this might mean ensuring that security measures are applied consistently and fairly, without discrimination. Fairness is also important in incident response, ensuring that actions are taken based on evidence and not prejudice, speculation, or conjecture.
- Caring: This is the warm and fuzzy one. Being caring is about showing kindness and empathy, genuinely looking out for others, and doing things that help and support them. Cybersecurity professionals need to care about the impact of their work on the lives of individuals and the functioning of organizations as well. This includes a commitment to preventing harm, such as data theft or financial loss, and considering the broader societal implications of cybersecurity policies and practices.
- Citizenship: Good citizenship is about being a solid member of the community. It means doing your bit to make the world (or at least your corner of it) a better place, like volunteering, respecting laws, and looking out for the environment. Good citizenship in cybersecurity involves contributing positively to the safety and security of the digital community. It means staying informed about global cybersecurity trends, participating in knowledge sharing within the cybersecurity community, and adhering to laws and regulations that govern digital security and data privacy.
These six pillars serve as a foundational guide to ethical behavior and character development, promoting a moral, ethical, and socially responsible way of living in our Tribe. If they don't resonate with you, we're not going to be a good fit. But if they do, you're the kind of person we want around.
This is the world of Trusted Tribe: secure, connected, empowered