Time to Kill the Myth of the Noble Hacker

Michael Gartenberg | August 22, 2003, 03:02 PM

Much as the small town ways where people could leave their doors unlocked at night and keep their car keys in their cars are not applicable in today’s big cities, the days of innocence on the Internet are over as well. However, as long as the media keeps portraying the computer criminal as the noble and romantic hacker (often against the evil government or monolithic software company). I fear the more of this behavior will occur with ultimately tragic consequences.

In wake of the recent attacks on the nation’s computer infrastructure, it’s time we started calling the people who perpetrate these senseless and malicious actions just what they are; criminals and terrorists. Anyone who perpetrated the type of actions we have seen over the last few weeks on any other part of our society would be hunted down and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. These individuals deserve no less.

The notorious bank robber Willy Sutton is widely reported as replying to the question “Why do you rob banks?” by saying, “Because that’s where the money is.” At least he had a motive for what he did, unlike today’s cyber criminals.

Thanks to Amy Carroll at Microsoft for the analogy of the small town and big city.