第14章サイバー資源の品質とサイバーコンピューティングのガバナンス

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Understand cyber economics

• Relate to responsible computing

• Understand how cyber economics and responsible computing apply to Internet web/mobile solutions

• Understand how cyber economics and responsible computing apply to cloud solutions

• Understand how cyber economics and responsible computing apply to smart ecosystems solutions

• Understand how cyber economics and responsible computing apply to supersociety solutions

• See what cyber economics and responsible computing means to supporters and careers in IT

Optimizing the quality of cloud-based solutions, smart ecosystems, and supersociety solutions is quite difficult. The previous section focused on cybersecurity assurance and illustrated how difficult it is to protect IT solutions against undesirable use. In this section, we will look at cyber economics and understand the importance of responsible computing.

The sectors of the economy driven by digital information and the need for cybersecurity are referred to as cyber economics. This includes the risks of online economic transactions and the need for regulatory oversight to govern cybersecurity and cyber economics.

In cyber economics, at least three crucial aspects of cybersecurity require policy and legislation to help mitigate risks. The first is online identity theft, which refers to the illegal possession and use of an individual’s PII. Identity theft is the primary way cybercriminals steal money from consumers. The second is industrial espionage, which is the process of spying on an organization to steal trade secrets. The third is critical infrastructure, which refers to the network of utilities, roadways, railroads, and buildings necessary to support our transportation, commerce, and other systems vital to sustain daily life.

Organizations worldwide, including government agencies, are concerned about cyber economics and the associated risks. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Risk Economics project, under the Science and Technology Directorate, supports research to study cyber economics and look at the vulnerabilities and existing, as well as needed, controls.⁴⁰ The International Monetary Fund also published a paper examining cyber threats worldwide and concluded that the global financial system is facing increasing cyberthreats, and global cooperation is required to manage the threats.⁴¹ Regrettably, thus far, the U.S. and other nations have taken limited actions to address cyber economics risks.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies maintains an index of each country and territory’s global cyber strategies. The strategies cover overarching national doctrines, military strategies, digital content regulations, privacy laws, critical infrastructure strategies, commerce laws regarding internet services, and strategies/regulations regarding cybercrime.

Of 253 countries and territories in the world, 114 have guidance for commerce and 113 for privacy; 91 countries and territories cover crime, while 78 have national overarching strategies, and critical infrastructure is addressed by 63. The military is a focus for 31 countries and territories, while 35 have digital content regulations. The countries and territories with strategies in all areas is a short list that includes China, France, Germany, and Russia. The United States does not have digital content regulations, but all other areas are covered to some extent.

Despite the lack of guidance from governments and other institutions, organizations can use responsible computing, a systemic approach addressing current and future challenges in computing, including sustainability, ethics, and professionalism, to help protect against cyber threats. On May 10, 2022, the responsible computing consortium set forth a definition of responsible computing created by the Object Management Group (OMG) with IBM and Dell as founding members.

You can read the definition of responsible computing (https://openstax.org/r/76computing) from OMG, IBM, and Dell.

Although the initial idea of a responsible computing ladder rapidly turned into the familiar hexagon diagram framework (refer to Figure 14.2), the core principles and guiding questions have remained the same throughout its development and implementation.

40 U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology, “Cyber risk economics,” August 2, 2024. https://www.dhs.gov/ science-and-technology/cyrie 41 T. Maurer and A. Nelson, “The global cyber threat,” International Monetary Fund, Finance and Development, 2021. https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2021/03/global-cyber-threat-to-financial-systems-maurer.htm

For several years, IBM’s Academy of Technology (AoT) has worked on various aspects of Responsible.Computing(), detailing the framework dimensions, validating initial ideas and concepts with the client council, and jointly developing the Responsible.Computing() manifesto. The manifesto—the first outcome and deliverable—includes the six values of technologies and innovations, exclusive systems, data, conscious code, efficient use, and data centers. It also includes the principles of sustainability, circularity, openness, inclusivity, authenticity, and accountability.

Responsible computing is a systemic approach addressing current and future challenges in computing, including sustainability, ethics, and professionalism. It stems from the belief that we need to start thinking about our organizations differently regarding their impact on people and the planet. Some examples of responsible computing include designing data centers with a focus on efficiency and sustainability, emphasizing green energy and improving the handling and disposal of chemicals, toxic materials, and rare metals, responsible data usage providing high-quality inputs for computing systems, taking a holistic approach to decision-making, among others. Following is a discussion of each pillar of responsible computing.