Re: Ethics, morality and the industry

[Mike Smith <jmikesmith () yahoo com>]

<de-lurk>
The man committed crimes, was caught and convicted, and served the time awarded
by various governments.  From what I read, he has been clean for a quarter of a
century.  Indeed, he has helped police authorities fight criminal activities
such as he once engaged in.

I guess the issue is how long does it take before one accepts that a convicted
person has truly reformed?  If the answer is "forever," then what is the point
in ever letting him out of jail?  Can criminals never acknowledge the error of
their ways and return to civilized society?  Can we not learn anything from
them?

Here in Canada, for instance, a convicted person must serve his full sentence
and remain "of good conduct" for three to five years (depending on the offence)
afterwards, and then he can apply for a pardon, which sets aside his criminal
record (but does not destroy it; by the way, some offences, notably violent
ones, are not pardonable).  The thinking is that the person has "paid his debt
to society" and is entitled to a relatively unfettered attempt to contribute
once again.

This is _not_ to suggest that I approve of hiring self-proclaimed ex-hackers as
security professionals.  By and large, they have not "paid their debts."  There
is no evidence or behaviour that would lead you to conclude they have reformed
their ways.

Disclosure: I'm planning on attending the CSI conference (if upper management
approves the travel request).

<lurk>

 --- Paul D. Robertson wrote: 
> This year's CSI conference features the self-advancing "Catch me if you
> can" guy, Frank Abagnale as a keynote speaker.
>
> Because of this, one of my co-workers, Bill Murray, has withdrawn from
> speaking, as has Howard Schmidt with the "people who commit felonies
> shouldn't profit from the results of their nefarious deeds, let
> alone be sponsored by the security industry" train of thought[1].
>
> Bill's done the same before with a different organization advancing Kevin
> Mitnick in the past.  Personally, I think it's fantastic that there are
> still people in this world who are willing to take the moral high ground,
> and hold it.
>
> <snip>

=====
Mike Smith

"Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe."
                        H.G. Wells - The Outline of History

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