Hire Hackers to Catch Other Hackers?

In recent times, “Anonymous” hackers have been wreaking havoc with corporate and government systems. So, should corporations hire these guys?

Leading tech companies have long used “ethical hackers” to help probe vulnerabilities in their systems and software. Should some of the not-so-ethical hackers be added to payrolls as well?

One journalist, Misha Glenny, says there is a solid case to be made for hiring hackers. Delivering his remarks at a recent TED event, Glenny pointed out that groups such as Anonymous tend to be idealistic, and “are providing a service by demonstrating how useless companies are at protecting our data.”  As he put it:

“Despite the fact that we are beginning to pour billions, hundreds of billions of dollars, into cybersecurity — for the most extraordinary technical solutions — no one wants to talk to these guys, the hackers, who are doing everything. Instead, we prefer these really dazzling technological solutions, which cost a huge amount of money…  Where we have a surplus of technology in the cybersecurity industry, we have a definite lack of — call me old-fashioned — human intelligence.”

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