Information Security News mailing list archives
Metro summer camp aims to reform hackers
From: InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 02:06:43 -0600 (CST)
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1002,33%257E466315,00.html By Jennifer Beauprez and Kris Hudson Denver Post Business Writers Sunday, March 17, 2002 - You've heard of basketball camps for kids. But what about a summer camp for hackers? White Hat Technologies, a Denver security firm that hires reformed hackers, wants to host the first-annual Hacker Camp in metro Denver next year. Thubten Comerford, chief executive of White Hat, said he wants to teach teenage hackers how to use their talents and brains for the good guys. "This would be an opportunity for young people to use their powers for good, to hack without getting into trouble," Comerford said. The event could also help White Hat in uncovering vulnerabilities and recruiting future employees, he said. Comerford is trying to drum up sponsors for the event and is talking to three universities about hosting it on one of their campuses. The company has also devised hacker contests, or "Hack Offs," to qualify for the two-week camp. Comerford hasn't determined whether sponsors would foot the entire bill for all participants. The online contests devised by White Hat are similar to a virtual game of capture the flag, traversing through multiple firewalls, servers and routers, and then finding and decrypting passwords. "It would be kind of like a video game," Comerford said. "The kids that show the most promise would then come to the camp." Comerford admits that the camp could wind up teaching kids an illegal activity, but said he believes the opportunity will outweigh that chance. For more information, e-mail hackercamp () whitehattech com. Jennifer Beauprez writes on technology and the Internet. She may be reached at jbeauprez () denverpost com. Kris Hudson covers telecommunications and can be reached at khudson () denverpost com. - ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org To unsubscribe email majordomo () attrition org with 'unsubscribe isn' in the BODY of the mail.
Current thread:
- Metro summer camp aims to reform hackers InfoSec News (Mar 18)