Professor: Cyber Criminal Is Not A Full Hacker

Hackers are often portrayed as evil geniuses, but a better description of who is talented, albeit sometimes mischievous, craftsman. They also play a key role in society by things safer else to think about problems and systems. That suggests Kevin Steinmetz , professor of sociology, anthropology and social work at Kansas State University.

Hacking is according to him, more than breaking into computer networks and security systems. "Hackers are often portrayed as criminals who steal in the dark money. Hacking is much more than that. It can also consist of the development of free and open source software." The professor is concerned with the study of the hacker culture and digital crime. In his latest research on the question of what is a hacker and what it means to hack.

"If there's one thing that they have taught me is to not be afraid to bend the rules or an idea on its head and put things challenging," said the professor in an interview about his research the Wichita Eagle . "We need to encourage people to think differently and to draw the status quo in doubt." Part of both hacking and craftsmanship consists of finding and solving problems. Hacking also has many similarities with craftsmanship. Steinmetz designates the self as a technological craft passing boundaries.

Hacking has evolved over the years. Yet hackers engaged in security currently getting all the attention, according to the research of the professor. The reason that security at the moment is so popular is because here play all interesting problems, says a hacker who spoke Steinmetz. The research also shows that hacking is no longer associated with the subculture where it originally came from. Namely people who are interested in technology and computers. Hacking is now used in a variety of domains. The media usually about hackers who are guilty of cyber crime, breaking into networks and steal credit card information.

However, this stereotyping fog that hacking is more to the process than the end result. Without craftsmanship is someone who commits crimes with digital may therefore not a hacker. "If people are engaged in this type of behavior because they want only final results, my research shows that they can not be regarded as a complete hacker" said Steinmetz. "They need to embrace the qualities of a professional, someone who loves his job and goes up here." The research of the professor was published in the British Journal of Criminology.