Get WGU (QCO1) Ethics In Technology Exam Practice Questions - Real and Updated

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.

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 : A

The machine learning model unintentionally discriminates against minority job seekers because it was trained on historical hiring data that contained biases.

Why Exposing Bias in Data?

Machine learning systems reflect the biases present in their training data.

If past hiring decisions favored certain groups, the AI will replicate and reinforce those biases.

The audit revealed systematic discrimination, indicating bias in the data, not the AI itself.

Why Not the Other Options?

B . Acting fairly toward candidates -- The AI is not fair if it disproportionately excludes minority job seekers.

C . Exhibiting intent to harm applicants -- The AI does not have intent; bias is an unintended consequence of flawed data.

D . Scoring low humility measurement -- 'Humility' is not a standard AI metric; bias exposure is the actual issue.

Thus, the correct answer is A. Exposing bias that exists in the data, as the AI amplifies historical discrimination in hiring.

Reference in Ethics in Technology:

O'Neil, C. (2016). Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy.

Answer : D

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), organizations are required to store personal data only for as long as necessary and must securely erase or anonymize data once it is no longer needed for its original purpose.

This aligns with GDPR's 'Storage Limitation Principle' (Article 5(1)(e)), which mandates that data should be:

Kept only for as long as necessary for processing purposes

Deleted or anonymized when no longer required

Stored securely to prevent unauthorized access

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

GDPR Compliance (Article 5: Principles of Processing Personal Data) -- Enforces storage limitation and secure erasure.

Data Ethics (Fair and Responsible Use of Personal Data) -- Ethical obligation to limit storage and prevent misuse.

Privacy by Design (Cavoukian, 1995) -- Encourages secure deletion of unnecessary data.

Utilitarian Ethics & Data Protection -- Secure erasure prevents potential misuse and data breaches.

Thus, the correct answer is D. Securely erasing data that is no longer needed, as it complies with GDPR storage limitation requirements.

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.