White Hat Hacker Culture

Sociological Review, 1998

International Journal of Innovative Research in Computer Science & Technology, 2020

Theories of Human Relativism, 2009

Individual Assignment #2 Instructions: Hacker Culture and Mitigation Course Objective: Examine hacker culture and related psychological and cultural aspects of cybersecurity from both the malicious actor and user's perspectives. Competencies: Critical thinking, communication skills Each student is assigned an organization (e.g., a private company or a government agency) and is asked to identify a significant past incident in cybercrime or cyberwarfare related to this organization. The student will fully discuss the specifics of the cyber incident and analyze the motivation of the threat actors/attackers. Analyze the possible motivations of those who worked to defend assets against disruption, and describe motivations of any possible third-parties that may also have been involved. The student will also suggest methods for the organization to discourage hackers or intruders with similar motives and suggest management, policy or technology controls to protect the organization against similar attacks. Your paper should describe the type of incident and the actors: personalities, motivations, and other contributing cultural or psychological characteristics. You will find Module "Psychological Aspects of Cybersecurity" helpful with this assignment. Link your analysis to previous readings, interactive modules, and discussion topics, with appropriate citations. At a minimum, the questions you must address are listed below: a. What descriptive labels might apply to this type of threat/incident? b. Regarding the threat actors: What sort of people would go after this information? Why would they want it? What will/can they do with it? How would they get it? How would potential attackers be identified? c. How would the organization try to discourage, or reduce the incentives that could attract possible threat actors? d. How would the organization protect against, or reduce damaging effects due to attempted attacks? Length 5-7 pages, due at the end of Week 8. Prepare your paper in Word format. It should be double-spaced with one-inch margins all around. The citations and the reference list in the paper should be formatted in accordance with APA 6th edition guidelines. Papers must include: cover page, table of contents, introduction, section headings and subheadings, conclusions, APA compliant in-text citations and list of references, and page numbers. The page count begins with the introduction and ends with the conclusions. The questions asked in the assignment should first be outlined (the outline is not included in the document), then the outline should be used to create the Table of Contents and the document sub-headings. The Introduction should briefly preview each sub-heading in the document.

2017

Culture's role in cognition has long been established, but understanding national culture's role in cyber events currently remains an understudied research area. Michael Minkov observed that culture influences thought; even when people think they are in control, cultural biases are actually controlling their thoughts. Cultural values endure, and because they do, these cultural values leave artifacts can be revealed in thought patterns. This philosophy serves as a foundation for further work in progress on name choices by hackers. In this study, we examined 10 years' worth of Zone-H archives where hacker names that identified with national identities were analysed using Hofstede's cultural framework to determine whether culture may play a role in hacker name and name choices. The findings revealed cultural preferences in several of the six cultural dimensions. In addition, trending the results showed significant findings in two cultural dimensions: (1) masculinity ver...

Information Systems Frontiers, 2019

What is happening in hacker’s minds when they are committing criminal activities? How black hat hackers manage nerves, which is about managing fear and underlying emotions, and which tactics they employ during their decision-making process before, during and after committing a crime, is the question that could provide some initial insights on hacker’s trajectories, their switch from black hat to white hat and ultimately about their behaviors and motivations. The main difficulty in answering this question resides with the access to hacker’s data. To address this gap, we conducted interviews with 16 black hat hackers. Supported by the general strain theory and routine activity theory, we identified five techniques that they use to manage their nerves: shunting, minimization, plan B, thrill, and lens widening techniques. Each of these techniques help hackers to better manage their nerves and consequently, learn how to better cope with the fear. During their psychological decision-making processes, hackers use these five techniques to create a new mindset, behind which they hide, with the objective of minimizing and mitigating the inherent risks they encounter during their criminal activities. The theoretical importance of nerve is the key to a better understanding of black hat hacker’s illegal acts, their behaviors and ultimately their actions.

Cambridge Handbook of Social Problems, 2018

This paper introduces the ideas and practices of digital technology enthusiasts who fall under the umbrella of 'hackers'. We will discuss how their defining activity has been constructed as a social problem and how that construction has been challenged in different ways. The paper concludes with several policy suggestions aimed at addressing the more problematic aspects of computer hacking.

Media History Monographs, 2009

Research concerning computer hackers generally focuses on how to stop them; far less attention is given to the texts they create. Phrack, an online hacker journal that has run almost continuously since 1985, is an important touchstone in hacker literature, widely read by both hackers and telephone and network security professionals. But beyond its instantiation as a compendium of illicit technical knowledge, Phrack was, above all, a rhetorical publication. The files in each issue of Phrack created a shared rhetorical vision concerning the place of the hacker underground within society and in relation to law enforcement officials, as well as what it means to be a hacker. This essay examines two important events in the evolution of the hacker movement through the lens of Phrack—Operation Sundevil and the arrest of Kevin Mitnick. How these events were framed in Phrack both shaped and reflected emerging shifts in hacker collective identity.

Digital Investigation, 2006

Pace International Law Review, 1991