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Hackers To School Next Generation At DEFCON Kids
fangmcgee writes "DEFCON hackers will share their skills with the next generation at a first-ever children's version of the infamous gathering of software renegades, lock pickers and social engineers. A hacker conference for children is controversial even in the DEFCON community. Prime targets for criticism include lock picking and social engineering, the art of manipulating people into revealing sensitive information. 'Everyone is up in arms that we are going to teach kids to be evil, but that is not the case,' said Chris Hadnagy, who trains companies to guard against slick-talking hackers and runs the website social-engineer.org. 'Think critically, think objectively — that is what this industry teaches people,' continued Hadnagy, a DEFCON Kids mentor. "
I'd be more concerned about certified "ethical" hackers myself.
But man I wish I could have taken a course like this as a kid. I wonder if they take adults.
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
Actually, I think they are. The more people know about social engineering (or pretty much any "evil" knowledge, technique or information), the more people will realize when it's happening to them.
Remember the old saying: if you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have them.
Teaching these kids the fundamentals of social engineering will help them recognize it and avoid being victimized by it. I think this is a really great idea.
Part of the problem with this is that you might be teaching it to people who don't have the emotional maturity to truly gauge the difference between right and wrong ... don't most teenagers test as sociopaths in personality tests?
You're doing a lot more than simply teaching them to think critically and objectively ... you're teaching them to do things which range from shady to illegal, and they might not fully grasp that.
I'm not sure a 14 year old needs lock-picking skills. Though, I'm sure some hilarity could ensue.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
'Think critically, think objectively
That is why it is really being criticized, no one wants kids thinking that way. Then they might question stuff.
There's something to be said for this. Kids should be taught all the common scams in school. Every kid should know the classics - the shell game, the badger game, the big store, the Spanish prisoner, lottery scams, pyramid schemes, forced teaming, etc. See List of Confidence Tricks on Wikipedia.
Speaking of which, how is coaxing someone into a car with a piece of candy different than coaxing someone into revealing their password with a piece of candy?
I think that teaching this as a self defense class would apply to more than just computer crimes, being able to recognize when someone is attempting to socially engineer you into doing what you're not supposed to do is an extremely valuable life skill.
If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
As someone who has gone to Defcon myself and work in the security industry I don't think I would send my (presently non-existent) kids to this. While I have no qualms about Defcon teaching these items I feel like kids don't have the ability to understand the ramifications of their actions, which is why we try them differently in court. Once they get out of this class what are they going to be able to do with their new found ability to pick a lock? They can't get a job as a pen-tester or some other legal activity so the only thing that they will use this skill for is illegal. Also, the general atmosphere for Defcon isn't very conducive to children with the whole hotel being drunk, loud music playing and people partying all night. Maybe I am not even a father yet and I am already too conservative.
Hmm what kind of Italian seduction are we talking here? I may be willing to investigate...to asses this threat. :D
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
The quotes are incorrectly applied. It's Certified "Ethical Hacking". The concept of "Ethical Hacking", whatever it means, is what gets certified, not the "Ethical". I agree that "Ethical Hacking" is a somewhat murky idea: it means that instead of getting practical knowledge by messing around with other people's servers, you messed around with a few computers in a laboratory, under specific constrains.
I rarely respond to comments. Also, don't ask for clarifications: a brain and Google are faster, believe me!
Fortunately, this way they're less likely to ever have sex.
At least not against their will.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.