Awareness module on hacking

Hackers range between fabulous allies and dastardly opponents, depending on their skills and, in particular, their ethics and motivation. They are the good, the bad and the ugly of information security. At the good end of the scale, white-hat hackers are actively exploring and expanding IT. Hacking, for them, is a deep fascination with technology, and a willingness to share their passion with the wider geek community. Good hackers are generally obsessive but benevolent, at worst benign. Good hackers are mortified if they inadvertently cause damage. Bad hackers are also fascinated with technology, but more selfish in nature. They enjoy themselves poking around in systems on the Internet, not worrying too much about any damage they cause along the way except in so far as it increases the possibility of them being caught and prosecuted. To them, victims are “asking for it" if they don’t adequately secure their systems and information. Ugly hackers, sometimes known as crackers, are sha...