The Art of Intrusion: The Real Stories Behind the Exploits of Hackers, Intruders and Deceivers

Chapter 5

The Robin Hood Hacker

[Hacking] has always been for me less about technology and more about religion.

— Adrian Lamo

 

 

Hacking is a skill. Anyone can acquire this skill through self-education. In my personal view, hacking is a creative art — figuring out ways to circumvent security in clever ways, just like lock-picking enthusiasts try to circumvent locking mechanisms for the pure entertainment value. Individuals could hack without breaking the law.

The distinction lies on whether the owner has given permission to the hacker to attempt to infiltrate the owner’s computer systems. There are many ways people can hack, albeit with permission of the “victim.” Some knowingly break the law but are never caught. Some run the risk and serve prison time. Virtually all hide their identities behind a moniker — the online version of a nickname.

Then there are the few like Adrian Lamo, who hack without masking their identity and when they find a flaw in some organization’s security, tell them about it. These are the Robin Hoods of hacking. They should not be incarcerated but celebrated. They help companies wake up before some hacker of the malicious type does the company serious damage.

The list of organizations that the federal government says Adrian Lamo has hacked into is, to say the least, impressive. It includes Microsoft, Yahoo!, MCI WorldCom, Excite@Home, and telephone companies SBC, Ameritech, and Cingular.¹And the venerable New York Times.

Okay, yes, Adrian has cost companies ...