While I can't disagree with that comment I will comment on it.....Quote:
Everyone benefitted, nobody got hurt - there *is* such a thing as ethical hacking, and it *does* help when properly utilized.
1. Ethics are "in the eye of the perpetrator". Thus, if you place a server on the public network and challenge people to "capture the flag" there will be dozens of "ethical" people who will try to do just that, capture the flag..... At the same time there will be dozens of frustrated little shits who don't have the talent to get to the flag that will DoS the site... that's ethical..... :rolleyes: Actually, it barely reaches the standard of infantile.... But they do it anyway.....
2. Since the admin was clearly being beaten and needed debrief is there any proof that an individual didn't hack the network in a different way and not report it.... maybe he found his grades and bumped them up a bit... On a "cost" basis the option of taking 100 points in a single class over taking 250 across several might have been a more "lucrative" deal for the "offender". That's not a "stretch" for someone to comprehend for a kid that can beat the admin.
I started "playing" with computers in 1981.... My "stuff" then was not exactly ethical.... But if you ask me to exploit something today I have no clue.... I don't even look at the POC's past determining how to mitigate against them. Since I have no reason to be using them there is no point in going further than trying to understand the concept and what will prevent the exploit. I know what _can_ be done... I can understand how it works.... I can therefore determine how to protect myself.... I have no reason to try the exploits, even on test boxes, for any reason.... I consider that to be ethical. I _could_ do it.... But I _won't_...
Go past that line, unless you are in control of the attacking system and the defending system, and you leave yourself the potential to become unethical..... Sometimes the temptation can be rationalized..... Usually it can't be....
I know I still do some things that are considered "unethical" by some, (free wireless access comes to mind.... ;)), but that's an arguable "unethical" behavior IMO.... but that's another discussion..... ;)
