WGU Ethics In Technology QCO1 WGU (QCO1) Ethics In Technology Exam Questions

Answer : B

Contingent workers (temporary employees, contractors, or freelancers) can help fill workforce gaps, but they lack deep familiarity with internal business processes, which can be a disadvantage.

Why Internal Business Process Understanding is a Concern?

Contingent workers are not deeply integrated into company culture, workflows, and long-term strategies.

They require time to adapt to internal systems, which can slow productivity initially.

Unlike full-time employees, they may not retain or transfer institutional knowledge to future projects.

Why Not the Other Options?

A . Any skills gained during employment will be lost to the company at the project's completion. -- While true, documentation and knowledge-sharing can mitigate this loss.

C . The company may require the same worker for other projects. -- This is a potential benefit, not a disadvantage.

D . The company does not have to provide benefits throughout the project's lifecycle. -- This is an advantage, not a disadvantage.

Thus, the correct answer is B. Internal business process understanding will be minimal given the temporary nature of the workers.

Reference in Ethics in Technology:

Harvard Business Review (2022). Managing Contingent Workers Effectively.

Kalleberg, A. L. (2000). Nonstandard Employment Relations: Part-time, Temporary, and Contract Work.

Answer : D

A social audit is the process of evaluating a company's ethical, social, and corporate responsibility performance. The executive team reviewed past ethical and social responsibility efforts, set new goals, and shared the results with employees and the board, which aligns directly with a social audit.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Business Ethics and Corporate Accountability -- Companies must evaluate their social and ethical impact to maintain ethical leadership.

Ethical IT Management (ISO 26000 & CSR Frameworks) -- Businesses should regularly assess their ethical and social impact.

Transparency and Ethical Leadership -- Sharing findings with employees and stakeholders promotes a culture of accountability.

IT and Digital Ethics -- Ethical technology use involves regular review and reassessment of ethical commitments.

Since the company reviewed its ethical and social responsibility goals and communicated them, it completed a social audit (D is the correct answer).

Answer : D

Employers have the right to reject candidates based on public social media content that suggests illegal activity or violates company policies.

Why is drug use a valid reason for dismissal?

Illegal drug use may violate company policies and raise concerns about reliability, safety, and professionalism.

Many industries, especially cybersecurity and government-related jobs, require security clearances, which prohibit drug use.

Answer : B

The first step in ethical decision-making for IT professionals is to develop a problem statement, which involves clearly identifying and defining the ethical issue at hand. Before choosing solutions, an IT professional must fully understand the nature and scope of the problem.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Ethical Decision-Making Models -- Models like the Kidder Ethical Decision-Making Model and Rest's Four-Component Model emphasize problem identification as the first step.

ACM Code of Ethics -- Encourages IT professionals to assess issues carefully before taking action.

Deontological Ethics (Kantian Ethics) -- Ethical decisions require a clear understanding of duty and obligations, which begins with defining the problem.

Business & IT Governance (COBIT Framework) -- Ethical IT management requires problem assessment before action.

Thus, the correct first step in ethical decision-making is B. Develop a problem statement

Answer : A

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) is a U.S. federal law that governs the privacy and security of consumer financial information. It contains three key rules:

Financial Privacy Rule -- Regulates how financial institutions collect and disclose personal financial information.

Safeguards Rule -- Requires financial institutions to implement security programs to protect consumer data.

Pretexting Protection Rule -- Prohibits deceptive attempts to obtain personal financial information.

In this case, the Financial Privacy Rule is relevant because it provides consumers with a way to control how their financial data is shared. This rule:

Requires financial institutions to provide privacy notices detailing how they collect, use, and share customer information.

Gives customers the right to opt-out of sharing certain types of financial information with third parties.

Since the customer is concerned about their mortgage details being shared, they can use the Financial Privacy Rule to control such disclosures.

Why Not the Other Options?

B . Pretexting -- Involves identity theft or fraudulent attempts to access financial data, which is not relevant here.

C . Consumer Protection -- A broad concept that does not specifically address financial data privacy.

D . Safeguards -- Focuses on securing customer data from breaches, not on controlling data sharing.

Thus, the correct answer is A. Financial privacy as it directly addresses the customer's concern.

Reference in Ethics in Technology:

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (1999), 15 U.S.C. 6801-6809.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guide to the GLBA Financial Privacy Rule.

Solove, D. J. (2020). The Privacy Law Fundamentals. IAPP.

Answer : B

The consultant was hired by the organization to test its cybersecurity and identify vulnerabilities. This is the role of a white hat hacker, also known as an ethical hacker.

Why White Hat Hacker?

White hat hackers conduct security assessments legally and ethically to help organizations strengthen their cyber defenses.

The consultant demonstrated SQL injection attacks in a controlled manner to expose weaknesses without malicious intent.

Ethical hacking is a recognized practice under cybersecurity frameworks like NIST and ISO 27001.

Why Not the Other Options?

A . Cybercriminal -- Engages in illegal hacking for personal or financial gain, whereas the consultant was hired to help the organization.

C . Cyberterrorist -- Motivated by political or ideological goals, not cybersecurity testing.

D . Black Hat Hacker -- Malicious hackers who exploit vulnerabilities for personal benefit, unlike ethical hackers.

Thus, the correct answer is B. White Hat Hacker, as the consultant was conducting authorized penetration testing.

Reference in Ethics in Technology:

CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) Guidelines.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework.

OWASP Top Ten Security Risks (2023).

Answer : C

A Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack is a cyberattack in which a hacker floods a target system with an overwhelming amount of requests, causing it to crash, slow down, or become unavailable. In this scenario, the hacker takes over multiple computers and forces them to flood a target site, which is a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack, a more advanced form of DoS.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Cybersecurity Ethics (ACM & IEEE Codes of Ethics) -- DoS attacks violate ethical and legal principles, causing harm to organizations and users.

Hacking Ethics (White Hat vs. Black Hat Ethics) -- Ethical hackers prevent DoS attacks, whereas malicious hackers exploit vulnerabilities.

Cybercrime Laws (Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, GDPR, CFAA) -- DoS attacks are illegal and punishable under international cybersecurity laws.

Utilitarian Perspective on Cybersecurity -- Defending against DoS attacks protects public and private digital infrastructure, benefiting society.

Thus, the correct answer is C. Denial-of-service (DoS), as the hacker floods the target site with excessive data queries.