Domain 1 of 5 · Chapter 5 of 5

Maintain Professional and Ethical Conduct

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Included in this chapter:

  • What a security professional owes, and to whom
  • The ISC2 Code of Ethics and why it binds
  • The four canons
  • When the canons do not settle the case
  • The ISC2 ethics complaint procedure
  • Professional codes of conduct
  • Competence and continuing professional education
  • Due care and due diligence
  • Following up when a control falls short
  • Adopting an AI tool responsibly
  • Ethical duties in common situations

The four canons of the ISC2 Code of Ethics

AspectCanon I: Protect societyCanon II: Act honorablyCanon III: Serve principalsCanon IV: Advance the profession
Duty as writtenProtect society, the common good, necessary public trust and confidence, and the infrastructureAct honorably, honestly, justly, responsibly, and legallyProvide diligent and competent service to principalsAdvance and protect the profession
Party the duty protectsThe public and the infrastructure it relies onEveryone affected by the professional's own conductEmployers and clientsThe cybersecurity profession and fellow practitioners
Who may file a complaintAny member of the publicAny member of the publicOnly principalsOnly other professionals bound by a code of ethics
Typical scenarioA safety-affecting weakness the employer would rather ignorePressure to falsify or soften an assessmentAccepting work you lack the skill to do wellNot reporting another member's breach through the complaint procedure

Decision tree

Ask every question: one scenario can engage more than one canonThe questions follow the published canon order, not a rankingHarm to the publicor infrastructure?Canon I:Protect societyYesEither answer: ask the next questionAbout your own honestyor lawfulness?Canon II:Act honorablyYesEither answer: ask the next questionDuty owed to anemployer or client?Canon III:Serve principalsYesEither answer: ask the next questionAffects the professionor fellow practitioners?Canon IV:Advance the professionYesSaw another member breach any canon?Report it through the ISC2 ethics complaint procedure
Cheat sheet

Cheat sheet

  • The ISC2 Code requires protection of society and public trust
  • The ISC2 Code requires honorable, honest, just, responsible and legal conduct
  • The ISC2 Code requires diligent and competent service to principals
  • The ISC2 Code requires advancing and protecting the profession
  • A professional code guides behavior where technical rules are insufficient
  • High-level ethical guidance still requires professional judgment
  • ISC2's professional conduct guidance builds on its Code of Ethics
  • Responsible AI adoption includes transparency and fairness
  • Continuing professional education keeps cybersecurity knowledge current
  • Due care establishes protective responsibilities while diligence verifies their fulfillment
  • Reviewing an AI tool before adoption supports due diligence
  • Diligence requires follow-through when protective measures prove inadequate
  • Adherence to the ISC2 Code of Ethics is a condition of certification
  • ISC2 members must use the ethics complaint procedure for observed breaches
  • An ethics complaint must identify the alleged breach and supporting evidence
  • Ethics complaint confidentiality does not guarantee anonymity from the respondent

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References

  1. https://www.isc2.org/ethics
  2. https://www.isc2.org/Insights/2026/02/ISC2-Launches-Code-of-Professional-Conduct
  3. https://www.isc2.org/about/Code-of-Professional-Conduct
  4. https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cissp/cissp-student-glossary
  5. https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cc/cc-certification-exam-outline
  6. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/dismissal_without_prejudice
  7. https://www.isc2.org/policies-procedures/member-policies
  8. https://www.isc2.org/Insights/2024/05/Managing-Your-ISC2-CPE-Credits-and-Activities
  9. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/CSWP/NIST.CSWP.29.pdf
  10. https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/risk_appetite
  11. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ai/NIST.AI.100-1.pdf