You Can Has Advertising

And yet, the irony is that with each indiscriminate network invasion, today’s hackers do advertise the services of their arch-nemeses: the for-profit computer security experts, or “white hats.” What’s more, hackers — especially the younger ones — are, in effect, building their personal brand for work as anti-hackers later on in life.

Now, it is hard to say anything definitive about the current breed of hackers. But the main Anonymous group emerged on 4Chan, the notoriously offensive imageboard website launched in 2003. And judging from a few recent arrests, the hackers seem to be on the young side, in their teens and twenties.  

Anonymous describes itself as “legion” but probably has fewer than a hundred hangers-on, sharing members with gn0sis and LulzSec. These hackers love tormenting banks, firms and other manifestations of the Man. For example, last February, Anonymous devastated HBGary Federal, a tech security company on a controversial anti-Wikileaks crusade.

 

But it is not just corporations and white hats that make it to the enemies list: Hackers have also targeted PBS, video games and the online Gawker magazine. Like the politically motivated attacks, these intrusions have allowed the groups to boost their reputation and attract more hackers with better skill sets.

The irony is that while the successful hacking of a network security firm might discredit that one company, it does not discredit the profession.When faced with little or imperfect security, intelligent people will choose the latter. Likewise, indiscriminate attacks merely advertise the need for others to employ white hats.

 

As for all the hacker bravado, I doubt that these keyboard rebels are any more talented than the grownups protecting computer networks. LulzSec, for example, was pwned just as badly as HBGary Federal when attacked by rival hackers. But, then again, reality is irrelevant: A string of attacks is enough to give one a reputation as a fearsome network ninja.

And who needs a network ninja? The Man, of course. After a period of contrition, a hacker can find a job in the network security field. After all, wouldn’t you hire a thief to catch a thief? And, so, it comes full circle: hackers not only advertise the need for white hats, they position themselves for the very market they helped create.