a question to the community

[sc0rpion50]

As a result of a post of mine earlier this week being edit then locked for being about a loophole in security software in workplaces, it got me thinking.

 

As you all should know, all computer hardware and software was created by hackers who where ‘hacking’. I imagine this is going to be a touchy subject with this forum. Hacking be it hardware or software is a part of the ‘tek’ community and is build into the foundations. The very software and hardware you run now was founded by the earliest hackers. I have no doubt in my mind that all most all of the linus tech tips community have indeed done their bits of hacking be it not wittingly, hardware and software.  Linux would be an example of software which was created by hackers.

 

My question is since hacking is such infused with the tek community shouldn’t posts about hacking be allowed on the forum, be it hardware or software?  (Which do not threaten the linustechtip website security). I would much like to hear people’s opinions on it.  With it being such a major part of the computer world, and will continue to produce new deployments in the future and shaping it.

Please discus with each other, this is not a head hunt for why the rules are as they are. ‘those are the rules and that’s that’. thank you.

 

[Volbet]

You are right to a certain extent. Hacking is a part of learning about software and/or hardware andtheir inner workings. But we usually distinguished "good" and "bad" hacking. And the thread you are talking about was in the big gray zone between those two. Going around security systems in a work place, in a school or other public institution can be considered wrong. On this forum it is up to the individual moderator or admin to decide on that issue.  

[eshbop]

I don't see why discussion about hacking should be forbidden, you'd think it common sense on what you should and shouldn't talk about.

 

Going around security systems in a work place, in a school or other public institution can be considered wrong. 

Reminds me, having had friends that succeeded in getting into the (or an) Admin account at my old high school (just to see if they could) you'd be surprised how little hacking is sometimes needed. What was more of a shock is that after they were caught no one bothered fix the issue. Wouldn't surprise me if they are still using the same 6 letter lower-case password today. My god.

[Volbet]

Reminds me, having had friends that succeeded in getting into the (or an) Admin account at my old high school (just to see if they could) you'd be surprised how little hacking is sometimes needed. What was more of a shocking is that after they were caught no one bothered fix the issue. Wouldn't surprise me if they are still using the same 6 letter lower-case word today. My god.

On my old techschool (It's a danish concept that doesn't translate well) we were all given laptops to use. Our logins on those computers were locked down to a minimal user stat. That was untill my networks teacher handed our USB flash drives that allowed us to unlock the admin user. "Hacking" was an accepted part of that school, but we weren't allowed to talk about it.   

[eshbop]

On my old techschool (It's a danish concept that doesn't translate well) we were all given laptops to use. Our logins on those computers were locked down to a minimal user stat. That was untill my networks teacher handed our USB flash drives that allowed us to unlock the admin user. "Hacking" was an accepted part of that school, but we weren't allowed to talk about it.   

Can't say that this was encouraged. I think they were too embarrassed to hand out punishments though.

[Canoas]

There's a difference between hacking and cracking. Hacking is figuring out how things work, cracking is breaking them. One is encouraged, another is not.

[sc0rpion50]

i think we can all agree it is fun to hack into the school systems when we where younger. aspecicaly when you knew more about computers then the people in charge of the network.

[sc0rpion50]

at no point did i mention about 'cracking'.

[Volbet]

i think we can all agree it is fun to hack into the school systems when we where younger. aspecicaly when you knew more about computers then the people in charge of the network.

Schools didn't really have big IT systems when I went to public school, so I don't know abou that. It is still technically breaking into a system where we were not allowed. Even if we didn't do anything it was still in the grey area that exists between hacking and cracking. 

[eshbop]

i think we can all agree it is fun to hack into the school systems when we where younger. aspecicaly when you knew more about computers then the people in charge of the network.

Especially when it gave you access to school reports, pupil information and that program that the teachers used to look in on what you where using your computer for.

 

edit; a friend did it, I had no idea about computers back then

[aikoels]

There is a certain limit. Any hacking that is both legal and does not affect LTT should be allowed (and I believe it is) However in my opinion should illegal hacking be allowed (for example loopholes in security)? in my opinion definitely not, even if a member of LTT does an illegal hack it definitely shouldn't be allowed on the forums in my opinion, there are many forums where illegal hacking posts are allowed, however it doesn't seem like this should be one of them/ 

[Dave :)]

Talking about hacking isn't going to get it locked. What is going to get it locked is talking about hacking in an illegal sense. That said, given that hacking and illegal activity seem to go hand in hand - it's a very close line between what is and is not allowed. We would much rather err on the side of caution and therefore many of these types of thread will be shut down.

[sc0rpion50]

in reply to dave. i understand this, but tthere is always the very special grey area, and i guess this is where people like you (mods/admins) draw the line. but like i said i wanted people opions on this, not the reasons for why they are here!

[OddlyShapedTree]

As long as you aren't talking about how to hack/crack this site/program I don't think there is a problem. But if you want to talk about all sorts of hacking then go on hacking forums.