Intellectual Property Overview
Actual Exam Complete Questions
and Answers with Detailed
Rationales - Pass Guaranteed - A+
Graded
D333 Ethics Cybersecurity and Intellectual Property Overview Actual Exam 2026/2027
Complete Questions and Answers with Detailed Rationales - Pass Guaranteed - A+
GradedEthical Frameworks & Professional Ethics
Q1: Which ethical framework focuses primarily on the character and moral virtues of the
individual rather than rules or consequences?
A. Utilitarianism
B. Deontology
C. Virtue Ethics
D. Cultural Relativism [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The best answer is Virtue Ethics because it emphasizes the importance of
developing good character traits (virtues) like honesty and courage, rather than strictly
following rules (deontology) or calculating outcomes (utilitarianism).
Q2: According to Kantian deontology, how is the morality of an action determined?
A. By whether it produces the greatest good for the greatest number.
B. By the intention behind the action and whether it adheres to a universal moral duty or
rule.
C. By whether the action aligns with the cultural norms of the society.
D. By the character of the person performing the action. [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: This choice is correct because deontology is duty-based; it argues that an
action is moral if it is done out of duty and follows a maxim (rule) that could be
universally applied without contradiction.
Q3: A software engineer discovers a bug in a safety-critical system but decides not to
report it because fixing it would delay the product launch and cost the company money.
Utilitarianism would most likely evaluate this action as:
A. Moral, because the engineer has a duty of loyalty to the company.
B. Immoral, because the potential harm (loss of life) outweighs the financial benefit
(company profit).
C. Moral, because financial stability is necessary for the greater good of the employees.
D. Neutral, because morality depends on the engineer's personal intent. [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: This choice is correct because utilitarianism judges the morality of an action
by its consequences; risking lives to save money creates a negative utility (more harm
than good), making it the wrong choice under this framework.
Q4: Which of the following best describes "Cultural Relativism"?
A. The belief that there are universal moral truths applicable to all cultures.
B. The idea that morality is relative to the norms of one's culture.
C. The theory that ethical decisions should be based on social contracts.
D. The practice of judging other cultures by one's own standards. [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: This matches the definition of Cultural Relativism, which posits that what is
morally right or wrong depends entirely on the cultural context and there are no
universal standards to judge between them.
Q5: The ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct includes a principle to "Avoid
Harm." In the context of cybersecurity, this implies that computing professionals should:
A. Only protect systems that belong to paying clients.
B. Avoid any action that causes negative consequences, such as data loss or physical
damage, to the system or end-user.
C. Focus solely on preventing hacking attempts and ignore internal negligence.
D. Report all minor errors to law enforcement immediately. [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: This aligns with the ACM principle, which mandates that professionals
minimize negative consequences, including data loss, privacy violations, and harm to
health or property.
, Q6: "Whistleblowing" is often considered an ethical dilemma. Which of the following
justifications for whistleblowing is most aligned with Deontological ethics?
A. Whistleblowing is justified because it exposes the truth and upholds the duty to
honesty and public safety.
B. Whistleblowing is justified because it results in the best outcome for the
shareholders.
C. Whistleblowing is justified only if the whistleblower profits from the disclosure.
D. Whistleblowing is justified if the company's culture supports it. [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Deontology focuses on duty and rules; reporting illegal or unsafe acts is seen
as a moral obligation (duty) to tell the truth and protect the public, regardless of the
consequences.
Q7: A cybersecurity analyst uses a social engineering technique to trick employees into
revealing their passwords, in order to test the company's security posture. This practice
is known as a "white hat" attack. Under which ethical framework is this action potentially
justified, even if it involves deception?
A. Virtue Ethics
B. Utilitarianism
C. Relativism
D. Egoism [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Utilitarianism justifies the action if the outcome (preventing a massive data
breach that harms thousands) produces a greater good than the harm caused by the
minor deception of a few employees during the test.
Q8: Which of the following is a key component of Kidder's Ethical Checkpoints?
A. Calculating the financial profit margin of the decision.
B. Identifying the stakeholders who will be affected by the decision.
C. Checking the decision against the company's marketing strategy.
D. Ensuring the decision is popular with the public. [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: This choice is correct because a crucial step in Kidder's model is identifying
who will be hurt or who will benefit, allowing the decision-maker to evaluate the impact
on all parties involved.
Q9: The IEEE Code of Ethics states that engineers should "to the utmost of their ability,
undertake and assign tasks only when qualified by education or experience." This is
primarily an obligation to: