Cutting edge cyber security tools and technologies are essential for protecting businesses, governments and the general public. However, the same has the potential of being a double-edged sword, where the technology in the wrong hands can prove to be devastating and significantly damage the society and the general end user. While every cyber entrepreneur and investor definitely want to have a commercial success, it is essential that they chose their markets carefully, not only for sustained commercial success but towards ensuring that their immensely useful innovation does not land in the hands of users who can misuse the technology. Cyber security technologies such as those used for identity management, or monitoring could very well be utilized towards surveillance of general public, suppression of basic rights and even targeted oppression. Especially notable are general capabilities and special features that are subjects of significant debate in the technology industry and public policy circles around backdoor access and blanket surveillance which could very easily misused. In this session we will discuss ethical issues surrounding the commercial cyber security market and what are various options in ensuring we have some fundamental principles of making the right choice, while ensuring commercial success of these technologies.
By Val Mukherjee of the Cyber Future Foundation