Information Security News: Re: Secret Service Agent: Hackers Are Unpatriotic

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: Russell Coker <russell () coker com au>

On Thu, 20 Jun 2002 11:57, you wrote:
> > "Hackers who brag that they can break into computer systems are
> > unpatriotic," he said. "If you're a U.S. citizen breaking into
> > computer networks, it's not only criminal but unpatriotic."
> Why does petty computer crime thrust you into an "unpatriotic"
> category and other crimes don't?
I think that the point they are trying to make is that you can't go
around defacing servers etc and claim that you are a patriot doing it
for the good of your country.

The thing to do is to inform the company running the servers about
their problem so that it can be fixed.  If the problem is something
that could potentially be exploited by enemies of your country then
the patriotic thing to do is to inform the relevant government
authorities who are responsible for defending against foreign attack.

Also the government should have a reliable method for reporting such
things.  The FBI is widely regarded as an untrustworthy organization,
it is believed that if you inform them that a company is running
insecure servers (risking fraud or economic attack by a foreign
organization) then the likely result is for you to be arrested!

Finally, it could be argued that a truely patriotic person won't break
ANY of their country's laws.

Russell Coker



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