Management and the Technology Professional – B302

Case study answer 1

Although not illegal, the most compelling reason why First4Internet Ltd should not have developed the rootkit for Sony is because it leaves the end users computer vulnerable to attack from hackers, worms, and viruses. When consumers purchase CDs from large respectable companies, such as Sony, they expect the product to be of a high, flawless standard. In this case, when the user was prompted to install the additional software onto their computers the consumer would not expect the software to leave their computers vulnerable to hackers and viruses. Companies such as First4Internet Ltd have a moral duty to the consumer to provide products that maintain the highest standard of integrity. The fact that the software cannot be removed mean’s that when the vulnerability was exposed there was very little the user could do to patch up this vulnerability. This was particularly relevant to those who were not so knowledgeable with computers and internet security and hadn’t installed appropriate anti-virus and firewall software. The result of this is consumers loosing trust in Sony which in turn may decrease their profits due to reduction in sales, the opposite of which was what the software was designed to do. First4Internet Ltd should have had all of this in mind before producing such software.

It could be argued that despite the program First4Internet Ltd created being legal, it could be used by third-party hackers to gain unauthorised access to a computer with the software installed which violates section 1 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990. As a result the company could be liable for violation of professional codes of conduct. With the benefit of hindsight great care should have been taken during the design phase of this software to ensure it remained true to the professional codes of conduct in which the company is obliged to follow. This would have ensured First4Internet Ltd did not produce such a vulnerable piece of software.