US Government War On Hackers Backfires

[wraith808]

US Government War On Hackers Backfires: Now Top Hackers Won't Work With US Government
from the what-did-they-expect? dept at techdirt in an act of sudo karma

But as this Reuters story reports, that crass attempt to intimidate an entire community in case anyone there might use computers to embarrass the US government or reveal its wrongdoings is now starting to backfire:
The U.S. government's efforts to recruit talented hackers could suffer from the recent revelations about its vast domestic surveillance programs, as many private researchers express disillusionment with the National Security Agency.

Though hackers tend to be anti-establishment by nature, the NSA and other intelligence agencies had made major inroads in recent years in hiring some of the best and brightest, and paying for information on software flaws that help them gain access to target computers and phones.

Much of that goodwill has been erased after the NSA's classified programs to monitor phone records and Internet activity were exposed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, according to prominent hackers and cyber experts.
The article goes on:
Closest to home for many hackers are the government's aggressive prosecutions under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which has been used against Internet activist Aaron Swartz, who committed suicide in January, and U.S. soldier Bradley Manning, who leaked classified files to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.

A letter circulating at Def Con and signed by some of the most prominent academics in computer security said the law was chilling research in the public interest by allowing prosecutors and victim companies to argue that violations of electronic "terms of service" constitute unauthorized intrusions.

(more at link)

But if history is any indication, if they can't pay them well enough to recruit them, then they'll start forcing them to through aggressive legal tactics.

[Stoic Joker]

Power to the People!

[Renegade]

I wish people would start quitting their jobs there... (Hey, I can have hope! It's not illegal yet!)

And if everyone quit their jobs at evil government agencies, we'd be left with the, umm... hold on... there is one... I know there is... just be patient... uh, err, umm...

Ok. I got me. I give up.

But that is good news! Hopefully the best and brightest will start up their own businesses or opt for a non-evil option at least.

[wraith808]

But that is good news! Hopefully the best and brightest will start up their own businesses or opt for a non-evil option at least.

-Renegade (August 08, 2013, 11:22 AM)

Yeah... you didn't see my last line, did you.  That wasn't being cynical or sarcastic... just remembering the bad old days.

[Renegade]

But that is good news! Hopefully the best and brightest will start up their own businesses or opt for a non-evil option at least.

-Renegade (August 08, 2013, 11:22 AM)

Yeah... you didn't see my last line, did you.  That wasn't being cynical or sarcastic... just remembering the bad old days.

-wraith808 (August 08, 2013, 12:07 PM)

Sigh... Yeah... I know...

"I smell pot in there!"
"No you don't. I've never smoked anything in my life."
"Move over... Oh, what's this? A bag of weed?"
"Huh? You f*(&ing pig! You planted that!"
"You know you could go to prison for 666 years for this, don't you?"
"Ok, so what do you want?"

Yup. That's pretty much how to goes. Was caught on film at a store, which saved buddy's ass. It's not just in the movies - it's par for the course. Sigh... Just how f*(&ed up is that?

Just like the giant pink bunny that beats confessions out of people... No. That's not a joke. It's very real. Because who would believe it?

[wraith808]

So, it's a matter of character, and how much you're willing to sell out for, and how much you're willing to pay to defend against those kinds of depredations.

Classic rock and hard place scenario.  You either get caressed by the velvet glove with insane amounts of money (that are appropriated from taxpayers to subvert the will of the people in a lot of cases), or get hit by the mailed fist... and then still have to do it, or lose everything.

And even if you do escape their depredations, then you're either paranoid at the lengths that they can go to in order to get you if they decide that they need your skills, or you trust your friends not to give you up.

*sigh*

[Stoic Joker]

Bottom line is ... They can force you to show up, they can force you to sit in front of a computer ... But they can't force you to know anything. When applied correctly...ignorance truly is bliss.

The most dangerous game I like to play, is called micromanagement. You push to hard, I start doing exactly what I'm told. There is no warning when the transition happens. Scary part is...regardless of what I know about just how detrimentally dangerous your instructions are...I'll do exactly what I'm told...calmly, dutifully...you'll never see me laughing. I've never lost this game ... Ever.

[TaoPhoenix]

Bottom line is ... They can force you to show up, they can force you to sit in front of a computer ... But they can't force you to know anything. When applied correctly...ignorance truly is bliss.

The most dangerous game I like to play, is called micromanagement. You push to hard, I start doing exactly what I'm told. There is no warning when the transition happens. Scary part is...regardless of what I know about just how detrimentally dangerous your instructions are...I'll do exactly what I'm told...calmly, dutifully...you'll never see me laughing. I've never lost this game ... Ever.

-Stoic Joker (August 08, 2013, 05:39 PM)

I've sorta done that a little, but with far less of a smirk and more of a "keep your head down and just pay the rent". I am no people-genius, I can't play a complicated meta-game with my jobs!

[Stoic Joker]

Bottom line is ... They can force you to show up, they can force you to sit in front of a computer ... But they can't force you to know anything. When applied correctly...ignorance truly is bliss.

The most dangerous game I like to play, is called micromanagement. You push to hard, I start doing exactly what I'm told. There is no warning when the transition happens. Scary part is...regardless of what I know about just how detrimentally dangerous your instructions are...I'll do exactly what I'm told...calmly, dutifully...you'll never see me laughing. I've never lost this game ... Ever.

-Stoic Joker (August 08, 2013, 05:39 PM)

I've sorta done that a little, but with far less of a smirk and more of a "keep your head down and just pay the rent". I am no people-genius, I can't play a complicated meta-game with my jobs!

-TaoPhoenix (August 08, 2013, 05:58 PM)

It has almost nothing to do with people, other than placating narcissists long enough to walk them off a cliff. My hole card has always a tenacious understanding of relevant technologies combined with the fact that my long haired hippy looking ass is extremely easy to underestimate. Add to that the patience necessary to sit back and wait for them (by direct order - note I'm a huge fan of the chaos theory) to tell me to do something really stupid...

In a nutshell...when you're worn down and pinned to the ropes, (survive) fight dirty.

[40hz]

All this bullshit could stop tomorrow if the big kids (Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) just came out and said that what is going on is totally unacceptable and illegal and that they refuse to be a part of it any more.

But I'm not holding my breath.