The Code of Honor

Appendix A: The Cybersecurity Code of Honor

The challenge we have set before all of us, for those in the trenches all the way to the executive offices, is a big ask. Many leaders and policymakers consider cybersecurity to be the economic and security threat of our age. The stakes are high. It is one thing to write a code of honor and a cybersecurity ethics book, but executing these principles is a completely different matter. Our life experiences and professions serve as daily reminders of this difference and the importance of practicing our principles in the real world. However, let us assure you that we are far enough along the journey to champion the worthiness of such an endeavor and all that it will require. As we have said before, the benefits are far-reaching—corporately, professionally, and personally. Someone once said, “Right isn't always easy, but it is always right.”

It is hard enough to teach, train, and practice a high ethical standard, but it is further compounded by situations where the ethical response is not always clear. The real-life, painstaking examples we have explored in this book give us a glimpse into those complexities. And not to pile on, but the complex realities of our world do not always serve us well. Culturally, many have been indoctrinated to respond based solely upon how they feel. Of course, there is nothing wrong with being aware of our emotions, but not to the exclusion of additional vitally important concerns about others and the impacts ...