Ethics - IT Security (Cloud Computing)

1.Introduction

In the recent years, the discussion of cloud computing has penetrated into the breadth of mass population. Information technology (IT) professionals have claimed that cloud computing has the ability to transform every industry, in terms of revenues, productivity, and operational efficiency. The claim for cloud computing to be the “next big thing” seems to be right, in the light of the current scenario (Muregesen, 2013). The term “cloud” has been used to demonstrate the global nature of its services; in the same way, World Wide Web is used to indicate the universal scope of the Internet. As explained by James, Bhopal, & Bhupendra (2012), “Cloud computing is the virtualization of computer programs/IT services through an internet connection rather than installing applications on every office computer” (p.1658). In order to research IT ethics in cloud computing, there is a need to understand the appropriate context of the research ethics.

A research work is a responsible task, which expects an ardent approach. A research study is expected to be founded on the fundamentals of ethics. Resnick (2011) explains the general perception, associated to moral & ethics. He elaborates that ethics are used to discriminate between legal and illegal. In other words, it is about differentiating between the right (just) & wrong (unjust) practices. Therefore, a research work has to consider a number of ethical norms (Ramzan, Munir, Siddique, & Asif, 2012). From the general perspective, a researcher has to face many issues while drafting his masterpiece. These issues include all the elements of a responsible publication such as plagiarism, associated risks, confidentiality concerns, and other similar issues (Resnik, 2011). These are likely to question the integrity of a research work. The notion of research ethics is important for a researcher as it helps in employing the standard practices. Research ethics cater the requirements of the standard code of conduct (Resnik, 2011). Adherence to ethical norms is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, research norms populate the aims of a research work; a research work is aimed to present error free information or factual findings. In order to achieve the objective of an honest research, the ethical standards serve as a guideline. Secondly, the research aim is to develop a sense of mutual respect among the collaborators (Resnik, 2011). In this regard, research ethics guide how to embed the values of mutual respect and fairness while coordinating for the research.

While it is essential to acknowledge the IT ethics in any new Information and Communications Technology (ICT) paradigm; it is also essential to discuss the ethics associated to the research methodology. The write up discusses how the author attempts to incorporate elements of research ethics, in order to pursue this research practice. In this regard, it is essential to present an outline which demonstrates the true context of ethical practices as embedded in the nature of this study. In order to highlight the various dimensions of ethical considerations, this paper documents the principles in the light of available ...