Ethical Hacking
Almost 90 percent of our society now depends on complex computer based system. With the increasingly use of computer and explosive growth of the Internet has brought many good things: electronic commerce, online banking, e-mail, video conferencing etc. The improvement of systems security to prevent criminal hacker has become an important concern to society. There are many ways to protect those information systems; it seems that the Ethical Hacking is a better way. Therefore, whether to teach or not teach the "Ethical Hacking" as a course in Tertiary education has become an interesting argument. In this article will analysis the ethical, legal, and ethical implications of this issue.
In order to discuss the ethical, legal, and social implications of this issue, one has to understand the definition of Ethical Hacking. The Word Spy states that "Ethical hacking is a computer hacker who attempts to infiltrate a secure computer system in an effort to learn the system 's weaknesses so that they can be repaired" (The Word Spy, 2003). The question arises here is whether Ethical Hacking is ethical or unethical.
The "Computer Ethics" states in part that all information belongs to everyone and there should be no boundaries or restraints to prevent disclosure of this information (Johnson, 1994). From most hacker 's perspective, freedom of information includes the right to source codes and the programs themselves. This freedom also includes the right to access information stored on a computer network. At times, hackers argue that the freedom of information doctrine gives them the right to have unrestricted access to computer accounts, passwords and email. At this point, the ethical position of hacking has become "system cracking" (Granger, 1994). When the information of the system has become free to everyone, there is no such thing of private property, and there is also no privacy concerns. Teaching someone to be an ethical hacker would seem as teaching someone to break
In order to discuss the ethical, legal, and social implications of this issue, one has to understand the definition of Ethical Hacking. The Word Spy states that "Ethical hacking is a computer hacker who attempts to infiltrate a secure computer system in an effort to learn the system 's weaknesses so that they can be repaired" (The Word Spy, 2003). The question arises here is whether Ethical Hacking is ethical or unethical.
The "Computer Ethics" states in part that all information belongs to everyone and there should be no boundaries or restraints to prevent disclosure of this information (Johnson, 1994). From most hacker 's perspective, freedom of information includes the right to source codes and the programs themselves. This freedom also includes the right to access information stored on a computer network. At times, hackers argue that the freedom of information doctrine gives them the right to have unrestricted access to computer accounts, passwords and email. At this point, the ethical position of hacking has become "system cracking" (Granger, 1994). When the information of the system has become free to everyone, there is no such thing of private property, and there is also no privacy concerns. Teaching someone to be an ethical hacker would seem as teaching someone to break