A few weeks ago, the UK Defense Secretary mentioned that hackers with a criminal past might be hired to serve in a new military cyber force. This stance may have surprised many, but it actually points to an important recent shift where governments and companies were increasingly trying to use hackers and their associated skills to improve security, fight crime and even develop competitive advantage.
Today, if you look into the heart of any successful information security organization, you will find hackers, because they have become highly cherished commodities throughout the mainstream. In fact, it took businesses and governments too long to realize this untapped resource, all due to a combination of negative PR and a fundamental lack of understanding about hacker’s incentives.
Originally, a hacker was a technical wizard interested in exploring electronic systems and living by a strict ethical code which forbade them from harming those systems. But those hackers were later replaced by a younger, more reckless generation of crackers, whose aim was to break security and show they were better than the others. They were called “blackhats” and looked to financially motivated crime, being prolific at pirating software, stealing phone access, and even credit card fraud. As a result, being labeled a “hacker” automatically made bright young people unemployable. As such, a candidate with unparalleled expertise in IT but no qualifications or higher education to justify their skills ended up perceived as unsuitable for any position.
Only a small group of hackers found jobs in roles that demonstrated their true value – they were the ones who managed to change the mainstream view of what a hacker could be. For instance, the US government had early exposure to hackers when a hacker group L0pht testified in front of the Senate in 1998. Perhaps, this is why the American government is now so advanced in the integration of hackers into cyber defense and other critical parts of the country's military program.
Today the world offers many possibilities, and businesses start realizing that hackers could play a pivotal role in shaping their cyber future. They are perceived as technical geniuses who like to explore the technical world and change it as they like in a non-destructive way. So, modern hackers are in high demand – governments see hackers as valuable assets in fighting sophisticated cyber-criminals, while businesses see them as the front-line against complex cyber threats.
Today, if you look into the heart of any successful information security organization, you will find hackers, because they have become highly cherished commodities throughout the mainstream. In fact, it took businesses and governments too long to realize this untapped resource, all due to a combination of negative PR and a fundamental lack of understanding about hacker’s incentives.
Originally, a hacker was a technical wizard interested in exploring electronic systems and living by a strict ethical code which forbade them from harming those systems. But those hackers were later replaced by a younger, more reckless generation of crackers, whose aim was to break security and show they were better than the others. They were called “blackhats” and looked to financially motivated crime, being prolific at pirating software, stealing phone access, and even credit card fraud. As a result, being labeled a “hacker” automatically made bright young people unemployable. As such, a candidate with unparalleled expertise in IT but no qualifications or higher education to justify their skills ended up perceived as unsuitable for any position.
Only a small group of hackers found jobs in roles that demonstrated their true value – they were the ones who managed to change the mainstream view of what a hacker could be. For instance, the US government had early exposure to hackers when a hacker group L0pht testified in front of the Senate in 1998. Perhaps, this is why the American government is now so advanced in the integration of hackers into cyber defense and other critical parts of the country's military program.
Today the world offers many possibilities, and businesses start realizing that hackers could play a pivotal role in shaping their cyber future. They are perceived as technical geniuses who like to explore the technical world and change it as they like in a non-destructive way. So, modern hackers are in high demand – governments see hackers as valuable assets in fighting sophisticated cyber-criminals, while businesses see them as the front-line against complex cyber threats.
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