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US Government War On Hackers Backfires

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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.

--- End quote ---

(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. :P ;D

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)
--- End quote ---

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)
--- End quote ---

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)
--- End quote ---

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?

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