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Legal Uses for Hacking

Discussion in 'Whatnots' started by Aikanaro, Mar 22, 2004.

  1. Aikanaro Gems: 31/31
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    Remove all ads!
    Rightio people, anyone know some legal uses for hacking (need it for an assignment)? I have no idea where you would find this sorta stuff, and would like some links if at all possible. Laws from anywhere at all would be most welcome (because as is, I have jack all information, and it's due on Friday).
     
    Aikanaro, Mar 22, 2004
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  2. Judas Gems: 7/31
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    Well, it's legal to break into your own machines. Why would you want to do this? So you can find holes and plug them. I was a sysadmin back in uni, and I'd try to hack my own machines from time to time. It helped to lock the machines down. It's also a relatively fun exercise to improve your low-level knowledge of a particular system. You've just gotta make sure you have permission to attack a machine. I don't have much knowledge of the laws governing IT / IP, but if it involves laying your hands on someone else's information without their permission, you can pretty much bet it's illegal (assuming you're not working for the government, that is). I'm sure ASIO / the FBI have a department of hack-capable IT geeks who use their skills to catch crims.

    There are documented cases of non-government-affiliated hackers and/or virus writers being taken down (i.e. identified) by other hackers (who have been fed up with their crap). I'm sure both sides have broken the law, but I doubt the authorities would pursue a counter-hacker.
     
    Judas, Mar 22, 2004
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  3. Taza

    Taza Weird Modmaker Veteran

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    Well, there's one... hacking your own computers.

    I am bad with passwords and have forgotten a windows password more than once... That's when hacking my own comp is really useful. :p
     
    Taza, Mar 22, 2004
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  4. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I used to work for a company that did 'ethical hacking' for companies in order to identify security weaknesses. For example, we would try and get into the firm's systems and recover a confidential file from their network. Then we would advise them on what to do to plug the holes. We did all this with their permission (and lengthy disclaimers) first of course.

    Also we used to do work for the police hacking into the computers of people like accused paedophiles to recover evidence from their hard-drives in a way that did not destroy the chain of evidence.

    Hope these examples help.
     
    Harbourboy, Mar 22, 2004
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  5. Aikanaro Gems: 31/31
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    Is hacking say, CD copyright protections in order to rip MP3s for your own use legal?
     
    Aikanaro, Mar 23, 2004
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  6. Pac man Gems: 25/31
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    Most definitely not. :D
     
    Pac man, Mar 23, 2004
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  7. metal leper Gems: 5/31
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    Haven't you ever seen the film "Hackers"? :cool:

    Maybe its not what they want and it'd be more an essay about semantics, but originally the term hacker wasn't a negative thing, and purists still use it as it was originally intended, its just a shame that popular culture has given it the meaning it has, and that the term cracker didn't catch on for the bad stuff
     
    metal leper, Mar 23, 2004
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