Week-2: Legal and Ethical Considerations

This lab is design to help you explore UK cybersecurity laws (see below) and ethical issues through interactive and engaging scenarios.

Scenario 1: The Data Protection Dilemma

  • Brief: You are the IT manager at a retail company. A hacker demands a ransom after accessing customer data.
  • Tasks:
    • Identify: Research which laws apply?
    • Decide: Create a debate: Pay the ransom or report the breach? List pros and cons.

Interactive Activity:

  • Form groups and argue for different decisions.

Scenario 2: Surveillance Software Ethics

  • Brief: Your company considers installing employee monitoring software.
  • Tasks:
    • Analyse: Discuss privacy concerns and ethical issues in small groups.
    • Consult: Investigate GDPR and PECR guidelines about employee data.
    • Propose: Design a policy balancing security and privacy, then present it.

Scenario 3: A Hacker's Redemption

  • Brief: You are a white-hat hacker hired to test a company's security. You discover a significant vulnerability.
  • Tasks:
    • Legal Check: Research the Computer Misuse Act 1990's stance on ethical hacking.

Scenario 4: Data Breach at "TechCorp"

  • Brief: TechCorp experienced a data breach exposing sensitive user information.
  • Tasks:
    • Investigate: Identify which laws apply.

Discussion and Reflection

  • Group Discussion: Conduct a round-table discussion on balancing privacy and security.

Scenario 5: Applying the PSTI Act (2022) to Smart Device Compliance

You work as a compliance officer for TechSmart Ltd, a company planning to introduce a new Smart Home Hub to the UK market. The Smart Home Hub will connect with various IoT devices in a household, such as smart thermostats, cameras, and lights, providing seamless control for the user.

As part of your responsibility, you must ensure that the Smart Home Hub complies with the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act (2022), a law designed to enhance the security of consumer smart devices sold in the UK.

However, your legal team has asked you to provide specific details from the PSTI Act on the following three areas:

  1. Password Security: How should the Smart Home Hub handle default or easily guessable passwords?
  2. Security Vulnerability Reporting: What must be done to ensure consumers can report security vulnerabilities? What details need to be provided to consumers?
  3. Security Updates: How long must the company provide security updates for the Smart Home Hub, and what information must be communicated to consumers about these updates?

Your task is to research the PSTI Act and find the relevant sections that apply to these areas. You will then present your findings and recommendations to the legal team to ensure the Smart Home Hub complies with the Act before launching in the UK.

Tools:

  • The PSTI regime can be viewed here.

  • Feel free to use GenAI to help you naviagting through long documents, etc. But, make sure you read through as not all generated content is fully accuarte.

Task 1: Research and Identify Key Sections of the PSTI Act

  • Password Security:

    • Research and identify which part of the PSTI Act addresses password policies for smart devices.
    • What does the Act say about default passwords? What would you recommend to ensure that the Smart Home Hub is compliant in this area?

  • Security Vulnerability Reporting:

    • Identify the requirements for manufacturers and retailers under the PSTI Act for reporting vulnerabilities.
    • What information must be provided to consumers about how and where to report security issues?

  • Security Updates:

    • Investigate the PSTI Act to determine how long a smart device must receive security updates.
    • What does the law specify about informing consumers of these updates, and how can your company meet these requirements?

Task 2: Present Your Findings

Write a short report for the legal team covering:

  1. Key Compliance Areas:

    • Summarise the relevant sections of the PSTI Act that apply to password security, security reporting, and updates.

  2. Recommendations:

    • Provide clear recommendations for ensuring that the Smart Home Hub is compliant with the PSTI Act in each of the three areas.

Scenario 6: Ethical and Privacy Considerations for Linkio App

You work for Linkio, a start-up developing a social connection app that offers strong anonymity while connecting users based on shared interests and hobbies. The app also allows for secure peer-to-peer file sharing and group discussions. As part of the design team, you must consider potential privacy issues and ethical concerns before launch.

  • Relay on the Data Acts (DPA, UK-GDPR)

Task 1: Privacy and Data Protection

  1. Personal Data: Think about what personal information Linkio will collect from users.

    • Question: How can Linkio ensure that this data is protected from misuse and unauthorised access?

  2. User Privacy: Consider how Linkio can protect users' privacy during social interactions (e.g., messaging, group discussions, file sharing).

    • Question: What steps should be taken to ensure users feel safe and secure when using the app?

  3. Data Sharing: Reflect on how Linkio should handle sharing anonymised data with third parties (e.g., advertisers, research organisations).

    • Examples: Sharing user behavior patterns or preferences.
    • Question: What ethical issues arise when sharing user data with external companies, even if anonymised?

Activity:

Discuss in small groups how Linkio can manage and protect user data while still providing useful services. Share your ideas on how Linkio can maintain user privacy without compromising the user experience.

Task 2: Ethical Challenges in Social Apps

  1. User Behavior: Consider potential misuse of the app, such as stalking, harassment, or inappropriate behavior in group discussions.

    • Question: What ethical responsibilities does Linkio have to prevent harmful behavior and create a safe environment for all users?

  2. Trust: Think about how Linkio can build trust with its users by ensuring their interactions and data are secure.

    • Question: How can the app demonstrate its commitment to user privacy and safety, and what measures should be in place?

  3. Transparency: Consider how transparent Linkio should be about its data collection methods, algorithms for social matching, and any data sharing with third parties.

    • Question: How much information should Linkio reveal to users about how the app operates, and what should users know about how their data is handled?