When hackers became heroes

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2014/04/03/hackers-government-cybersecurity-private-and-public-sector/7259729/

By Marc Rogers
SPECIAL FOR USA TODAY
April 3, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO -- Hackers were once considered nothing but a bane to 
governments and businesses -- an emerging threat which defied 
understanding.

Today, those same governments and businesses worldwide are recognizing how 
critical hackers are in defending a businesses' or nation's cyberspace.

The public and private sector can't hire hackers fast enough, infiltrating 
hacker conferences and turning to those as young as high schoolers to 
recruit the next generation of cyber-protectors. It points to a 
significant shift in the mainstream perception of hackers and how 
governments or businesses are willing to use them.

Why has it taken so long for these organizations to realize this untapped 
resource? The simple answer is a combination of negative PR and a 
fundamental lack of understanding about what motivates a hacker. If you 
can't understand their motivation, how can you trust them?

[...]



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