Chapter 7. Where the Hackers Are

In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule.

FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE

Hackers are people and, like most people, hackers paradoxically embrace their individuality while immersing themselves in their collective identity as rebels, free thinkers, mischief makers, and technology wizards. Despite appearances to the contrary, people do not become hackers because of how they look, what they wear, or how they speak. People become hackers by virtue of how they think and what they do.

In the world of hacking, there are “good” hackers (called white hat hackers) and there are “bad” hackers (called black hat hackers). In between are the so-called gray hat hackers, who cross the border ...

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