Reference no: EM132307119
You work for Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) as an IT security analyst. You discover that the credit-reporting firm exposed the personal details of up to 143 million U.S. customers – or nearly half of the U.S. population – earlier this year. Sensitive information such as social security numbers, credit cards numbers, birthdays, addresses, and in some instances, driver’s license numbers were all compromised in the hack. You tell your immediate supervisor and he says he will take care of it. But weeks go by and you hear nothing from corporate leaders. Unbeknownst to you, some of the company’s top executives sold over $1.8 million worth of shares in the company just days after the breach was discovered. The public was not aware of the breach until more than six weeks later. Equifax’s shares fell more than 30% in seven days after breach was discovered.
Assignment Answer the following questions in a 2-3 page Word document that is double spaced with standard margins and a 12-point font. Answer the questions as they relate to you and your employer in the hypothetical situation described above. Make sure your answers are supported by research into the issue. You want expert support for your conclusions.
1. Why would this be an ethical issue? What values are implicated?
2. Whose conduct would you deem unethical?
3. Who are the stakeholders? Who is hurt and who is helped in this situation?
4. Hearing nothing from your manager, should you report the information to a federal or state government agency?
5. If you blow the whistle, could you lose the job you have?
6. Name two things you can do to remedy the situation and what are the potential consequences?
7. What should happen to the people who knew about the breach?