The Code of Honor

CHAPTER 1One Code to Rule Them All?

“The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life.”

– Albert Einstein

“The time is always right to do what is right.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Cybercrime and cybersecurity should be among the foremost concerns of every industry, service, and every civic interest. Why? Cyber technology effectively runs the modern world from banking to healthcare, retail to sanitation, and governance to modern warfare. Cybersecurity practitioners wield great power, are under intense pressure, work in a culture that is changing at warp speed, and often have profound responsibilities. The fast-paced environment of our industry can be a breeding ground for mistakes, misused authority, and even intentionally abused power. The unprecedented speed of innovation in the 21^st century has left us without a clear system of ethics for this great economic and security threat of our age. We would be remiss if we didn't begin by sharing some statistics with you reflecting how cybersecurity and cybercrime impact the world as we write this book. While the numbers may read like an archeological time capsule by the time you read them, it is our way of pulling the “fire alarm” in the midst of an unfolding global crisis.

• According to research, an estimated 53.35 million U.S. citizens were affected by cybercrime just ...