Should Cyber-Tech remain on both the OPM breach investigation and the overseas case at the same time? Or should we drop one of the cases?
Should CyberTech remain on both the OPM breach investigation and the overseas case at the same time? Or should we drop one of the cases? Apply your critical thinking and analytical skills to figure out what happened what we know and don’t know, and how the company might remedy this situation.
Should Cyber-Tech remain on both the OPM breach investigation and the overseas case at the same time? Or should we drop one of the cases?
1. Introduction
Cyber-Tech as a cyber-security consultant handle the issue of OPM breach investigation and the overseas case with caution to ensure that they can effectively meet their mandate and obligation in the operations while at the same time remaining unbiased. The issue of handling the OPM breach investigations and the overseas case can be done differently to thus resulting in differences in the results. In this regard, the OPM breach investigation and oversees case can be handled together or either of the two being drop to give different results. Therefore, Cyber-Tech as a consultant needs to settle for the option that results in desirable results. The process and the outcome of the case will greatly have an impact on both the laws firm and cyber Tech consultant in terms of the expected results and the image created to the members of the public. The Cyber Tech and law firms have a reputation to keep and an image to protect and thus effective decisions need to be made regarding the handling since the hacking or the OPM breach investigations have two groups that include the US and the non-US set of test hacker groups involved. The decisions by the laws firm and the advice by the Cyber Tech-consultants on handling the OPM breach investigation and overseas case together or dropping either of the cases will be dependent on the desired outcome in the interest of effectively handling the issues and remaining to be unbiased.
2. Explanation of the Issue
The case at hand involves an international hacking suit where a Law firm has hired the cyber Tech consultant for guidance on handling the issues and aspects related to the case. The case originates from the hacking of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in 2015 that resulted in interference with the background data for millions of workers. On the other hand, there is a related case of a non-US gray hat hacking group that is involved in the OPM breach case and there are claims that US-based hackers were also involved in the hacking of the facilities. Therefore, two groups of hackers are from the US and others from outside the US. The non-US group is a client plaintiff in one case against Equation Set, while the US group is a suspect in the OPM breach. The issue in handling the cases arises because Cyber-Tech represents clients from some other OPM breach suspect companies in unrelated cases thus creating a conflict of interests and the effect the image of the Cyber Tech. Cyber-Tech as a consultant should remain and be perceived as unbiased by the members of the public despite the existing conflict of interest. Cyber-Tech being in the middle of a dilemma on whether to handle the overseas and OPM breach investigation cases together or drop one case in the interest of effectively eliminating the conflict of interest and portraying the highest levels of impartiality to their clients and members of the public.
3. Analysis of the Information
The Cyber Tech-consultants is in dilemma handling the OPM breach investigation and overseas case together or dropping one in favor of the other in the interest of eliminating conflict of interest or remaining impartial (Schealbe, 2008). The issue at hand needs to be analyzed by a critical consideration of the benefits and disadvantages of either handling both the cases together or even dropping one case in favor of another. First, the option of handling both the OPM breach investigation and the overseas case has is shares of advantages and disadvantages. First, the handling of both cases together will reveal the Cyber Tech consultant prowess and ability to handle weighty matters. This approach will prove great capability to investigate and deliberate on issues in the interest of meeting the different goals of the clients. In this case, Cyber-Tech will strive to meet different objectives and goals of their clients separately. Consequently, the handling of both cases will be a point of gauging the ability of the consultancy is working under intense pressure and proving to the public that they are up to the task in handling issues brought before them. The consultancy will work for both clients will all eyes on then thus gauging their ability to meet the market needs and this fact will end up attracting more clients both internally and externally.
On the other hand, the handling of both cases together has its share of disadvantages and challenges. First, the adoption of the cases for both the clients will results in great levels conflict of interests thus negatively affecting the consultancy operation at the expense of both or either of the clients (Marchewka, 2016). The consultancy works for both the organizations in different capacities and thus this fact will adversely affect their approach to the issues of each client. All the organizations have hired the services of the Cyber Tech consultants and they expect positive results thus putting the consultancy firm in a compromising situation. Additionally, the adoption of the cases for both the clients will result in great levels of mistrusts in the consultancy. The consultancy services require the sharing of confidential information regarding their different aspects as well as maintaining high levels of privacy for the client information. In this case, organizations being represented by Cyber Tech consultants are in legal conflicts but they are represented in a different capacity by a single consultancy firm. This creates mistrust between the organizations and the consultancy firm such that the organization will decline to share confidential information or give/share such information with mistrusts. This fact and approach negatively affect the organizational operations to the point of failure of either party involved in the cases.
4. Consideration of Alternative Viewpoints and Conclusions
There are alternative viewpoints that can be adopted by the Cyber Tech consultancy firm to ensure it maintains impartiality and conflict of interests presented are eliminated to the point of effectively and efficiently meeting the desired goals and objectives. In this regard, the alternative viewpoint or option that Cyber-Tech consultants can employ is the dilemma that has a conflict of interest is the dropping of both the OPM breach investigation and overseas case (Avgerou and Walsham, 2017). This fact means that Cyber-Tech Consultant will refrain from offering any services related to the case at hand for both the organizations. In both the OPM breach investigation and Oversees case the cyber Tech Consultant presents two organizations that conflict in different cases thus raising conflict of interest issues. The facts can result in the Cyber Tech being inclined to favor one party at the expense of the other thus deviating from the duty to either of the organization seeking its services. On the other hand, the parties involved will have issues sharing confidential information with the Cyber Tech consultancy having information that the opposing firm has engagements with the consultancy firm. This issue results in the conflict of interest, impartiality, biases, and mistrust among different parties and the solution to this is for Cyber-Tech to drop all the cases in the interest of fairness, equality, and justice in the cases at hand for the different organizations.
5. Conclusions and Recommendations
The decisions by the Cyber Tech on the handling of the cases regarding two of their clients in the matter of OPM breach investigation and oversee case presents a dilemma since the issue results in a conflict of interest and lack of impartiality. Making a wrong decision concerning the issues at hand for Cyber-Tech will result in having a negative image that ends up pushing away current and future clients. It is vital to note that all the decisions taken by the Cyber Tech consultant regarding providing their services to the two conflicting organizations have advantages and disadvantages. The options of adopting both the cases (OPM breach investigation and overseas case) or dropping one case in favor of the other have their share of advantages and disadvantages. However, Cyber-Tech consultancy needs to adopt the decisions that effectively reduce the conflict of interest or level of impartiality. In this regard, the option of dropping one case in favor of another will be the most effective decision to adopt. Dropping one case in favor of the other ensures that eliminates conflict of interest, improves levels of trust, ensures that the consultancy can devote all their efforts in one case and thus the image of the consultancy is protected and safeguarded.
References
Avgerou, C., & Walsham, G. (Eds.). (2017). Information technology in context: Studies from the perspective of developing countries: Studies from the perspective of developing countries. Routledge.
Marchewka, J. T. (2016). Information technology project management: Providing measurable organizational value. John Wiley & Sons.
Schwalbe, K. (2008). Information Technology Project Management, Reprint. Cengage Learning.
