In light of the ever-growing computer trend, the title “hacker” has practically become a household word. Yet the connotations can range from an idealized, computer expert to an internet junkie, running from the law. To define a true hacker one must simply examine their motives and Klein Associates, a research firm who has been commissioned by the U.S. military to study the psychology of hackers, has done just that. Mike McCloskey of Klein Associates says, “Hackers have an inherent interest in technology” (Koerner 53). And more importantly, “[Hackers] don’t like the idea that information is private,” says Terry Stanard also from Klein Associates (53). Hackers all share the same view on this matter, and Stewart Brand, founder of the Whole Earth Catalogue, probably said it best when he sa

Agency computer experts were able to penetrate the command-and-control structure of U.S. Pacific forces allowing the experts to essentially shut down all activity in the region (Vistica and Thomas 61). Such weaknesses demanded attention. Accordingly, network security forces began to take action.

in the New York Times’ network. A group of hackers who call themselves “Hacking for Girlies” took action against the New York Times because of reporter John Markoff’s unfair coverage of hacker Kevin Mitnick’s imprisonment. “Hacking for Girlies” hacked the New York Times’ web site and replaced web pages with pornographic images and slander aimed at Markoff. The web site was under “Hacking for Girlies” control for nearly three hours before the site was taken offline by the New York Times as a last resort (Penenberg 132). Another example of an elite network with a chink in its armor would be NASA (Vistica and Thomas 61). In 1997 after the space shuttle Atlantis docked at the Mir space station, an anonymous hacker managed to shut down one of the uplinks to the ship, nearly causing the mission to be scraped (Vistica and Thomas 61). The computer network at the Pentagon is the most disturbing example of a network with a major Achilles’ heal. In 1997, several National Security !

Charney soon launched what he called the Computer Crime Initiative which consisted of six goals: One, ascertain the scope of the computer crime problem; two, provide computer crime training to agents and prosecutors; three, inure that multi-district investigations and prosecutions are coordinated; four, develop an international response to the threat posed by international hackers; five, work for legislative changes necessitated by advances in technology; and six, formulate uniform policies for conducting computer crime investigations and prosecutions (Platt 126). With the establishment of the Computer Crime Initiative organization and focus was brought into the investigation and prosecution of computer crimes, yet the Department of Justice still had no policies concerning the seizing of computers and hardware. In July 1994, federal guidelines for searching and seizing computers were finally issued (129). The guidelines however contain more than 40,000 words and were only

Claiming to be interested solely in the technology itself and wielding their power only to keep information free the social group known as hackers has become a catalyst for the computer realm. Hackers have spurred changes in the methods of electronic communication and even federal laws concerning computers. Yet whether hackers can maintain their grip on such power and continue to bring about changes, and whether the result is for the better of society is yet to be seen.

nd such a man in Scott Charney who soon became the government’s leading authority on

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