Voodoo People: Hire, Jail or Forgive Young Hackers? (Part 1)

Jail (one year should do it) and after he repaid his debt to society and feel remorse then forgive.

Franklin Roosevelt, when asked why he appointed Joseph Kennedy to whatever position he was appointed to (I believe it was something like today's SEC), is reported to have responded to the effect, who better to catch a crook than another crook? So, if you want protection from hackers, who better to consult than those with a proven track record of exploiting vulnerabilities? Not being a hacker, I find it difficult to pass moral judgement in this case. I suspect the moral issues are what motivates the individual (i.e., malicious damage to others' properties is obviously immoral; ferreting out wrong doing by our government officials could be construed as motivated by high moral goals;cracking someone's secret code just because you can is more likely amoral rather than immoral; and on and on...).

There is a very, very easy and secure way to safeguard your system: never put it on line. Anything that I don't want to lose or share with others, does not go on this computer. My really deep, dark secrets don't go on ANY computer (nor do I write them down).

when asked why he appointed Joseph Kennedy to whatever position he was appointed to

I think it was ambassador to england.

who better to consult than those with a proven track record of exploiting vulnerabilities?

I disagree whole heartly, The hacker have to realize when they get caught, they get punished first and not reinforced with job offers

phoenix911

The clue is the purpose of the activity. You can try to break into systems in order to find the weaknesses ("ethical hacking") and sometimes you can bump into weaknesses unintentionally. If you report them and don't try to use/abuse them you are on the right way.

I agree with frankd20. If they do it just to prove they can then OK hire them. But if they do it with malicious intent like stealing charge card #s then prosecute to the fullest extent.

I accidentally hacked into the FEMA system when they were here in town during a flood. I'm no computer geek. I was just surfing (looking for flood info) and came across their site & link and entered an area I shouldn't have gone into. It was an area for the area management. I guess I got there before they had set up a password. I looked around a little. Lots of personal info of families in the area getting help from FEMA. If I was a crook I probably could have easily have gotten a check or 2 from FEMA that I didn't deserve.

Rather than take a chance on getting myself into lots of trouble I told my brother who volunteers for the Red Cross and happened to be helping FEMA setting up their computers what happened. He made sure it was fixed ASAP.

If they do it just to prove they can then OK hire them.

that is the most idiotic thing I heard, and I'll tell you why

So what your saying, if someone broke into your house and watched your teenage daughter sleep, and go through her things. Your would hire the piece of $#it, to protect you, just on the basis because he could do it............

phoenix911

Jail is too good for them, take a page from the Muslim's laws and cut off both of their hands. That way they will never repeat their crimes and will serve a useful purpose as examples to others contemplating this silly "game"

THERE IS ONE SIDE THAT SAY THE HaCKING IS THE WAY TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AGAINST HACKERS. BUT THAT IS JUST SELF PROMOTION FROM UNETHIICAL PEOPLE.

i am not talking about acidental entries like that were mentioned before but crosssing a threshold that is secured shuld be the same as unlawfull entry of any dwelling or business. the hype that we need protection from these individuals is all from the companys that employs them to sell internet security and anti virus software.. realy you guys cant figure that out.. every time you keep getting pop ups from a company that says "your hard drive might be infected scan now" yea its infected with the bloody cookie you sent me... al of this b.s is tying up the bandwith and making the disinformation disease spread more. it needs to be stopped at the national level with sevear internet regulation or the internet will just be one of those thing used for maps and restaraunt directions. If an ad says the word free on it then it has to free no offers to complete no other forms , any offers from africa and such for fake lotterys should have the server that the email comes from shut down so that the industry starts policing itself better.

look at it this way some day we put our minds in to the digital world it is science fiction now but this is a posibility for the future, then what has a hackerd done if he messes with one of those files rape or even murder if he corrupts a persons data storage. that is the seriosness and the posssible gravity of the actions, the punishment should be as swift and heavy as the potential for harm the crime has, not the actual effect . thats why we arrest people for attemted murder they are bad people and should be punnished.they shopuild also be black listed and not allowed to work for any sector eveny closly related to programing then the "im just showwing off" b.s. wouyld be cut off right away. it is typical in any scam industry to reward the criminals a full investigetion into all anti spy ware companys should be launched i bet they are the ones out here making all these virues so they can sell more software. with the help of hackers that they hired . see how we all suffer from this "rewarding crimes"

Thanks for your comments (along with everyone else's), Spotsart - will be talking about Interpol and NBC's Chris Hansen next week in Part 2, so stay tuned. - Larry

The DG supervisor handed me his business card and said "We've got a position for you when you graduate."

and the result even though you probally did not take them up

decided to upgrade their minicomputer system to a Data General (now defunct) Eclipse.

They chose this system largely because DG guaranteed that no user could ever bring down the system.

They are asses for saying that

"and the result even though you probally did not take them up"

I didn't take them up. (Good thing too.)

I've been happy practicing I&C electrical engineering for the past 20 yrs. But since manufacturing has largely been outsourced out of the U.S. my services here are not in demand much. So I work for a search engine company now and offer my real world experience to their engineering expertise. (To be honest, I sure do miss actually building things though.)

I didn't take them up. (Good thing too.)

good for you.

(To be honest, I sure do miss actually building things though.)

I'm the same way. from the idea thats no more that twinkle in someones eyes to start up or commissioning the a project.

What is the difference between some hacker breaking in to my computer, and Microsoft breaking in to my computer? Or the Federal Government, in the name of Homeland Security?

An actual hacker has no malicious intent while I can not vouch for the others because their actions speak of other motivations. A cracker in your system looks for gain or destruction while an actual hacker would be in your system from curiosity only.

MIT model railroad club was the start of hackers. The term proceeds computers.

Brad

Good free, college level course covering black hat/white hat hackers, cyber-law at http://www.act-online.net Look for Cyber-Ethics course -- even covers Patriot Act and current issues

Author's note: Part 2 is now available - click here.