The Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics

Book Review Chapter 8:

Ethical Issues Involving Computer Security: Hacking, Hacktivism, and Counterhacking: KENNETH EINAR HIMMA

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Information-Computer-Ethics/dp/0471799599/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232853902&sr=8-1

Quote:  “At first glance, it might seem obvious that hacking is wrong”

    Not all hacks are wrong. Usually to the public, when you say hacker, they would get the notion of bad geeks steeling data or controlling over the city using computers, just like what we see in the movies. But that is actually not all true because there are good hackers believe it or not. Maybe people aren’t noticing it but it is done basically everyday. When we have our cell phones open line, that is already hacking – in a good way that it benefits both hacker and consumer. It is not so different when you have your iPhone or iPod Touch Jailbreak. So, basically, there is a good and a bad hacker.

Learning Expectation:

     I want to learn what this book has to say about the Ethical issues involving Computer Security, which consists of hacking, hacktivism, and conterhacking. As far as I know, these things are not good to do. And also, I know of two types of hackers, which is the good hacker – who hacks and discover new things that contribute to the development of a certain software. On the other hand, there is the bad hacker - who steels data and other illegal things alike.

Review:

    First of, hacking means breaking into a certain software to extract and use the data they’ve just hacked. It depends on the hacker whether it would be use for the purpose of evil or for the greater good. Hacktivism on the other hand means or can be defined as “the commission of unauthorized digital intrusion for the purpose of expressing political and moral position. Although you have to take not that hacktivism does not seek to achieve its political purposes, unlike terrorism. Instead, it attempts to achieve these purposes by stimulating discussion and debate. Hacktivism is thus conceptually distinct from cyberterrorism—though the boundaries, as we will see, sometimes seem to blur. While hacking and hacktivism means can be defined as breaking in, counterhacking is what people use to defend their software or data from hackers.

So basically, in this chapter, everything about ethical issues involving computer security, which are hacking, hacktivism, and counterhacking.

What I’ve learned:

    I have learned what hackitvism is because to tell you honestly, I only know of hacking when I haven’t started reading this chapter. Plus, although I think it’s pretty common sense, it’s only now that I learned what counterhacking is. From the term itself, it could be defined. I guess I am not that much of a geek.

Questions:

1.    What’s the point of hacking badly when you can hack for good and even get double the reward?

2.    When did hacking start?

3.    Is there a pioneer or the first ever hacker?

4.    If so, what was it that he or she may have hacked?

5.    Is there a law for hacking?

Citation: (Kenneth Einar E. Himma & Herman T. Tavani, 2008)