24 June 2011 | Tired of Hackers

It's gotten to the point where I seem to read every day some new story about LulzSec or Anonymous for having hacked into some site, gotten information and then gleefully posted it as if they've done the world a favor.

In the case of LulzSec, I've started to develop a very strong sense of moral disgust at this group. Their latest victim is the Arizona Department of Public Safety, where tons of information, including e-mail addresses of officers, has been posted....to prove what? Well, these people are on the record for saying they like doing it, and the sad truth for everyone is that hackers are always going to find ways of getting into someone else's information. If the standard hacker claim is that it's important to show vulnerabilities, why must it be accompanied by the publication of absconded material?

Well, the short answer is, hackers do what they do just to get away with it. It's a lie that this all serves some bigger purpose (make servers more secure) because if you're looking to break into something, then  you've got a mind that is geared for...breaking and entering. You never hear a robber claim he was testing a house's readiness against theft by breaking in. And really, what is the difference between running off with hundreds of e-mails and posting them online somewhere, to taking your neighbor's belongings and then posting photos of them as a "Look what I took from you!" taunt. 

There's a difference between hacking your phone or over clocking your computer or what not and those who take information *that is not theirs*, but in my mind, all these hackers look like one and the same. They are people who do not possess any particular ethical boundaries because again, if you're inclined to break into a network, you're not that far from taking what is not yours (that's called "stealing") to "prove" something. If hackers were really interested in helping some company or government office to improve its security, you'd never hear of them. But it's always  the same with these groups: I have your stuff, I'm making it available for everyone to go through it, I'm going to get a lot of publicity for it, and aren't I damn clever for doing it?

In the case of the hacked Arizona Department of Public Safety site, LulzSec says one of the reason they did it was to protest SB1070. What a load of bullshit. It's just an easy way to score a cheap shot and make yourself look high-minded. But, as usual with human nature, it always takes a body count for someone to say "maybe this wasn't such a good idea," and if some undercover cop gets exposed, what will be the excuse then? If there's *any,* then you know damn well hackers have no ethical sense or moral judgement because they'd wind up blaming the lax security of a website. In other words, they'll blame the victim.

But of course, that's not going to happen, right? Because it's all good fun.