Clean Needles for Hackers

scubacuda writes "Jon Lasser of the Register opines that we should "give up on the notion that computer security can be improved by putting more people in prison." He argues that a "harm reduction" approach (similar to that of "clean needle" campaign in the War on Drugs) might be more productive. If we, say, wrote in safer programming languages, used tools like Immunix's StackGuard, ProPolice, or OpenBSD 3.3, chroot and UML, we could reduce the damage a malicious hacker might do without damaging our civil liberities."

Comments

Since when?

[xchino]

Since when are we putting hackers behind bars just for hacking? We put people in jail for breaking the law, and usually first time convicted hackers just get probation. The only hackers we put in jail are repeat offenders or those whose crimes escalated into other higher crimes. If you root a banks server and send $100 million to your swiss bank account you're a bank robber, not a hacker. If you steal code, you're commiting an act of industrial espionage, not hacking. I think alot of people take the stance that if you commit a crime through a computer, it's just harmless hacking, and not worthy of jail time. Basically my point is there is a huge difference b/w DoSing some jerk on IRC and releasing the next big superworm that causes billion in damages and could possibly cost lives.are NOT the same thing. One thing is "hacking" (Cracking! Damnit.) the other is just being a criminal.

Re:What???

[Anonymous Coward]

The problem in modern america, is that if you commit a crime, even if you're caught, likely you won't serve very long because we have a wussy legal system.

America has 25% of the world's prison population.

America imprisons a higher percentage of its population than China, Saudi Arabia or Syria.

One in four young black males in America has served time in prison.

Yet people still believe America has a "wussy" legal system and that imprisoning more people will help reduce crime.