Black Hat, White Hat?

I am currently in college for "Computer Network Administration". Of course that means my job is going to be securing networks among otherthings. I'm willing to bet just about half of the people who post here are in the same boat if not more. I got my first computer around the age of 14. I connected to the internet through AOL (I still do now, just not by choice) I use to hang out in private chat rooms like "Progs" and what not. This is where I first got introduced to the concept of doing things I should not be doing on the internet. Ever since then I have been very interested in the concept of computer hacking. I have read plenty of material on the subject as well. Five years later I enroll at college for network administration. I was just curious to ask how many people go to work to secure networks and blah blah blah, but then go home and switch hats? How many people make a job out of network administration just to go home and do the exact opposite of their job? I myself have never done anything to illegal on the net, but am still very intruiged by the idea. I was just curious and thought I would ask. :confused: :confused:

your question is pretty simple.yes u r right,almost everyone here is similar in thoughts.Not many wud have hacked or wud admit it if they had done it here.
And yes why the subject abt hats?Keep them intersting and intriguing for better results

Im not a hacker, yes have "cracked" and got in trouble with the law, but i'm more about "security" and exploring computers. Well, actually i am a hacker, the term hacker, as far as i know, refers to "Exploring your computer and your computer system, and brining its capabilities to the maximum.

http://www.antionline.com/showthread...670#post719670

Read the URL above to understand why im turned off to all of it. Even you ddc, have just admited that you have looked at other peaple and have taken a sudden interest in this type of thing simply because of the social interactions with these types of peaple... peaple you possably thought were "SO COOL". Sometimes I feel as if im the only human being on the face of the earth who got into computers simply for the hell of it. I for one do not need a label to fuel my interest in various things or to feel better about myself... and I do not need to use excuses and words such as exploration to simply gain a label or to justify myself.

Worst of all you think AOers are the ones who are "in on the same boat"? I am NOT a fallower, a joiner, or as most of you call it... being a "hacker".

Well I'm on your side Specialist, in the beginning all I did was programming and exploring windows 98, I didn't even know things like communities existed. So that makes 2 lol

I go with el-half and |The|Specialist on this one................a lot of this "hacking" skiddie stuff is a mixture of immaturity and social inadequacy? Got to be part of the hacking "herd" .............mooo! mooo!

Sure, I have used my knowledge to "get results", but I always made damn sure that it was properly authorised and I got paid for it ;)

The people who you support expect that of you, and it is your professional duty.

I guess that what I am trying to (in) articulate is that "It is not WHAT you do it is WHY you are doing it?


Just my £0.02

huh? you mean sort of like neo on the matrix?

Defining Hack·er¹
n. hăʞɘŗ

Who is a hacker?

In the most general sense, a "hacker" is someone who enjoys modifying and subverting systems, whether technological, bureaucratic or sociological.

Most often the term is used to describe someone who has learned about technology by picking apart systems.

In the past decade, however, "hacker" has come to describe those people with a hands-on interest in computer security and circumventing such security.

there will always remain a thin line between white and black hats.
i myself have been a "black" hat and have known and still know "black" hats,but there comes a natural progression...almost an evolution of some kind that usually leads to the "white" hat ethics
its like a child growing into a man.
having power to use and the knowledge to use it doesnt always justify the means.
i would never advise anyone to be involved with black hat hacking,but try to remain true to your ethical code and use your knowledge to find flaws only to help better the communitiy at large.

CYB3R.