Problem:
Ethics question:
Suppose you wrote a non-malicious virus, just to see if you could do it; it only displays a box on the screen saying it has been installed successfully, and then deletes itself. Is that ethical behavior?
Please justify your answer with principles of ethics, not just your own opinions. Now suppose that to try out your virus, you inform a friend, attempt to pass the virus to her, and succeed.
Is that ethical behavior?
Justify your answer, again based on principles of ethics. Now suppose you release the virus without warning to a larger set of people. Is that ethical behavior? Justify your answer, again based on principles of ethics. At what point does your behavior change from ethical to unethical? Is the point based on size? Number of affected systems?
Effect of virus?
Something else?
Please describe the principles of ethics.