Software Engineering Professional Ethics

Daffodil International University Department of Software Engineering Faculty of Science & Information Technology Mid Semester Examination Fall 2026 Course Code: SE441; Course Title: Software Engineering Professional Ethics Teachers & Sections: FF (40-A, 40-B, 40-C, 40-D, 40-H), ST (40-E, 40-F, 40-G) Duration: 1:30 Hours Marks: 25 Answer ALL Questions [The figures in the right margin indicate the full marks and corresponding course outcomes. All portions of each question must be answered sequentially.] 1. a) Describe four ethical frameworks that you have learned in class. [Marks - 4] | CLO1 Level 2 b) Describe the fundamental principles of ethics and explain the difference between General Ethics, Professional Ethics, and Computer/ICT Ethics. [Marks - 6] | CLO1 Level 2 2. You are working as a software engineering intern at a software development company in Dhaka. Your team is developing an e-commerce application for a client. To accelerate development, a senior developer proposes incorporating a commercial software library into the project without checking its license or obtaining the necessary authorization. The developer argues that the client expects delivery within a short deadline and that other companies sometimes follow the same practice. You understand that unauthorized use of software may violate intellectual property rights and expose the company to legal, financial, and reputational risks. You must decide how to respond while maintaining professional relationships and meeting project requirements. a) Compare the appropriate professional dos and don'ts concerning software licensing, intellectual property, and professional responsibility. [Marks - 3] | CLO2 Level 4 b) Examine the potential legal and professional consequences of continuing this practice and suggest two practical measures to promote an ethical culture within the team. [Marks - 5] | CLO2 Level 4 3. You are part of a software development team building an online education platform for students in Bangladesh, including learners from rural and economically disadvantaged communities. During a security review, you discover that the platform stores students' personal information, examination results, and login credentials without adequate security protections. This creates a risk of unauthorized access, identity misuse, and disclosure of sensitive information. When you report the issue, the project manager suggests postponing security improvements until after the next release because the team must prioritize new features requested by the client. The manager believes that releasing the new features on time will benefit more students. However, you are concerned that ignoring the security weaknesses may harm students and undermine public trust in the platform. a) Analyze the concepts of social context of computing and individual rights in this scenario considering individual privacy, student welfare, and equitable access to education. [Marks - 3] | CLO3 Level 4 b) Compare two possible strategies for preventing the violation of individual rights and analyze their effectiveness in reducing the privacy and security risks mentioned in the scenario. [Marks - 4] | CLO3 Level 4