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Teenage Hackers Motivated By Morality Not Money, Study Finds (theguardian.com)

Posted by msmash on from the why-we-do-what-we-do dept.

Teenage hackers are motivated by idealism and impressing their mates rather than money, according to a study by the National Crime Agency. From a report: The law enforcement organisation interviewed teenagers and children as young as 12 who had been arrested or cautioned for computer-based crimes. It found that those interviewed, who had an average age of 17, were unlikely to be involved in theft, fraud or harassment. Instead they saw hacking as a "moral crusade", said Paul Hoare, senior manager at the NCA's cybercrime unit, who led the research. Others were motivated by a desire to tackle technical problems and prove themselves to friends, the report found. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Hoare said: "They don't understand the implications on business, government websites and individuals."

74 comments

  1. No shit? by grasshoppa · · Score: 2

    Seriously, how do these chuckleheads get funding for studying the obvious?

    In other news, researchers are asking for funding to study whether water is wet or if the sun is hot.

    --
    Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
    1. Re:No shit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Those studies SHOULD be done.

      After all, explain dry ice!

      Is the sun still hot at night?

      These are important issues!

    2. Re:No shit? by BeerCat · · Score: 3, Informative

      Since a large number of "hand-wringing concerned citizens" are convinced that all hackers are in it for the money, then it's good to have research that confirms to non-techies what techies have always known at a gut level.

      --
      "She's furniture with a pulse"
    3. Re:No shit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      studying the obvious?

      It's nice that it's obvious to you that "teenagers and children as young as 12 ... who had an average age of 17" are likely to be involved in a "moral crusade"?

    4. Re:No shit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't provoke them. They might actually try to investigate if the Sun really is hot.

    5. Re:No shit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course the sun is still hot at night. The sun travels around the center of the Earth (called the "north" pole by people who have been fooled by NASA into believing the ball Earth model) once every 24 hours, and it only gets dark at night because the atmosphere is too thick for the sun to been seen everywhere at once.

    6. Re:No shit? by networkBoy · · Score: 2

      It's obvious to us because as a group here we were (or still are) these kids.
      To the average LEO and politard this is very non obvious because (particularly in the politard's case) they can't fathom operating based solely on idealism and not greed.

      politard: *any* career politician.

      --
      whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
    7. Re: No shit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      thats what i got out of it too.

    8. Re:No shit? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 0

      It's it obvious? This seems to be implying that 4chan is full of SJW hackers and their useful idiot script kiddies. The justice they want might be justice for the oppressed straight white male, but none the less...

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    9. Re:No shit? by cavreader · · Score: 2

      It would be better if they were only after financial gain because every "moral crusade" waged throughout recorded history has left a trail of dead bodies.

    10. Re:No shit? by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 1

      Since a large number of "hand-wringing concerned citizens" are convinced that all hackers are in it for the money, then it's good to have research that confirms to non-techies what techies have always known at a gut level.

      What non-techies really need education in is what constitutes hacking vs simple fraud or other crimes committed via digital channels. But articles like this do nothing to help in that regard, they lump it all together as 'hacking'. Without knowing what hacking really is, there is no benefit is knowing why some do it.

    11. Re: No shit? by pgnas · · Score: 1

      People don't know the difference thanks to mass media.

    12. Re:No shit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bottom line: Accessing a computer or other electronic device without the owners knowledge or approval is a crime. "'I only did it to help them improve their security" is not a justification. "The security was easy to circumvent of compromise is not a right of passage to justify the unauthorized access. If you want to complain about the government cracking down and handing down some serious jail time then the fault lies with the script kiddies, social warriors, professional protesters, and professional level criminals. The government is not the cause but their actions represent the effect.

  2. BrickerBot by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

    Hey - kid who is bricking all the wildly insecure IoT devices that are part of the Mirai botnet that is taking major sites offline and costing the industry millions of dollars a month:

    Stop. Don't. Come back.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    1. Re:BrickerBot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's hilarious since the Mirai kid created it to DDoS minecraft servers

    2. Re:BrickerBot by chispito · · Score: 1

      It's hilarious since the Mirai kid created it to DDoS minecraft servers

      so that he could sell them his anti ddos service. It was a racket.

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    3. Re:BrickerBot by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      If Microsoft or Oracle did that it wouldn't be a racket. It'd be a smart and innovative business strategy.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  3. No Shit, Sherlock -- back in the 80's we knew this by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 1

    Ask any of us geeks that "cracked" copy protection. We ain't doing it for the free money or chicks. We're doing it because we love to explore, learn, and take back our rights.

    The fastest way to motivate a geek is to tell him he can't do something.

    "You can't copy this floppy, music, movie, etc."
    "Fuck you and your shitty DRM copy protection."

  4. A lot of people are motivated by 'morality' by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    Take the rookie cop for instance. Then they grow up and learn what it really takes to get ahead, much of which depends on what you were born with or into.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    1. Re:A lot of people are motivated by 'morality' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All the cops I know are in it because they were outsiders in high school and have a serious chip on their shoulder.

      And yes, as a matter of fact, I do know a lot of cops.

    2. Re:A lot of people are motivated by 'morality' by dcw3 · · Score: 1

      So, when are they releasing you?

      --
      Just another day in Paradise
  5. Priorities all screwed up by Krishnoid · · Score: 1

    So their motivations are moral, based on at least their percetion of right and wrong, and "don't understand the implications on business, government websites and individuals" ? They're monsters!

    1. Re:Priorities all screwed up by michelcolman · · Score: 1

      Yeah, why don't they understand that, when they force companies to upgrade their security to make their sites safer, it costs money!

  6. Moral Crusaders by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I'm a lot more suspicious of moral crusaders than I am of criminals who are looking to make a buck or just make mischief.

    I don't think I have to list the atrocities that have been committed in the name of a "moral crusade". If you really don't know what I'm talking about, then you are probably already a moral crusader.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re: Moral Crusaders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know what you're talking about, but that's probably because you're a pedantic moron

    2. Re:Moral Crusaders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

      Well, the problem with moral crusaders is that they are easily manipulated by others. If you, for example, start a campaign to make people think that toilet paper is harmful to the planet, a moral planetary crusader can be easily made to attack toilet paper manufacturers. That does not mean the heart of the moral crusader is in the wrong place, however.

      A teenage hacker, will experience a rush of "power" - they can suddenly do something that their peers cannot. To prove themselves, they demonstrate their "power", and since they are not bad people by nature, they'll try to use their power in a way to forward their "moral crusade". The consideration of whether it's legal or not does not stop them - why would it? Chances are they broke the law getting access to be able to do what they did before they did it already, so what's one more wrong? Hence you end up with misguided attempts at vigilante justice, or just plain old fun.

      The Hacker's Manifesto, though showing it's age, applies equally well today as the day it was first published in phrack in 1986. (http://phrack.org/issues/7/3.html#article)

      I don't blame misguided teens. The amoral arseholes who should know better but choose to steal for a living - they are a completely different story. And the governments that steal our tax money to do even worse are just as deplorable (it's going to be a government hacker which will start a war).

    3. Re:Moral Crusaders by drinkypoo · · Score: 0

      I don't think I have to list the atrocities that have been committed in the name of a "moral crusade".

      No, but I don't think you can discount the atrocities that have been committed in the search for a buck, either. Like Viet Nam, for example. Or the USA not entering WWII even after we knew that the holocaust was occurring, and continuing instead to sell fuel, Aluminum, and other critical war supplies to the Axis. Or Dioxin-laced agent orange from Monsanto. Or invading Iraq so that Halliburton could be awarded big contracts to pave it. Or...

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:Moral Crusaders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The Vietnam war had nothing to do with "the search for a buck". It was an ideological proxy war.

      Or the USA not entering WWII even after we knew that the holocaust was occurring, and continuing instead to sell fuel, Aluminum, and other critical war supplies to the Axis.

      Oh. Ohh. Tell me about your thoughts on JFK and who actually built the pyramids.

    5. Re: Moral Crusaders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know about drinkpoo but I know JFK was assassinated by either banks or the government. How do I know this? Because they literally said the bullet was magic. For reals? So who makes these magic bullets? Should be pretty easy to trace.

      And pyramids were made much like modern concrete. They made a box of wood and mixed the brick right where it is today. Nobody's manually moving those bricks I don't care how many slaves you have, millions would not have been enough. The bricks have been split open, x-rayed and stared at for centuries. We know they were mixed on the spot.

    6. Re:Moral Crusaders by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Well fine, this should cheer you up. By far the majority of people, children especially, will lie when caught doing something naughty. From denial, to blaming someone else, to claiming they weren't intending to do something that was that naughty. If you want to compile statics make sure the report states, the lies people and especially children will tell in order to try to minimise the nature of the offence they have been caught committing. No statistics on that, just common sense.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    7. Re:Moral Crusaders by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Like Viet Nam, for example.

      We're both old enough to remember that Vietnam, like most US wars, was sold to us as a moral crusade.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    8. Re:Moral Crusaders by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      We're both old enough to remember that Vietnam, like most US wars, was sold to us as a moral crusade.

      Yes, but we're both wise enough to know that was a crock of shit, and that it was actually done for profit. I don't know whether that bolsters either of our points, though, or both, or neither.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re:Moral Crusaders by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Yes, but we're both wise enough to know that was a crock of shit, and that it was actually done for profit.

      Of course. That's why I'm so suspicious of moral crusaders. Scratch one, and you'll find an opportunist underneath.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    10. Re:Moral Crusaders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Haha, whoooosh it went right over your head. Do you even know any hacker types? Why don't you save your vitriol for medium or Reddit or wasp or something.

    11. Re:Moral Crusaders by drinkypoo · · Score: 0

      Or the USA not entering WWII even after we knew that the holocaust was occurring, and continuing instead to sell fuel, Aluminum, and other critical war supplies to the Axis.

      Oh. Ohh. Tell me about your thoughts on JFK and who actually built the pyramids.

      Instead of crying about reality, investigate it with google, and you will find that it is very different from the way you thought it was. These are well-supported facts, so well-supported that there is really no point in posting citations. Any monkey could find them with google using only pieces of my sentence as keywords. You are dumber than a monkey.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    12. Re:Moral Crusaders by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Or the USA not entering WWII even after we knew that the holocaust was occurring

      The Holocaust, per se, was a product of the 1942 Wannsee Conference, by which time the US was at war with the Axis (for about a month and a half). The Nazis had already begun horrible atrocities against Jewish and Slavic populations, but I don't believe the extent was known for some time. Germany was considered civilized, and the extent of the atrocities was literally hard to believe.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  7. A name for this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > idealism and impressing their mates

    There's a name for this:

    VIRTUE SIGNALING.

    1. Re: A name for this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only bad if they're a charlatan.

  8. Idiotic school IT admins cause trouble. by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1

    My nephew was accused of attempting to hack into the school system to visit websites in the school's black list. This boy has unlimited access data plan in his cell phone and there is no real reason to hack into school wifi to reach any site. But the admin adamantly claims he had "logs" tying his mac address to attempts to bypass security. This boy asked, "why would I? I can turn on local hot spot and connect to my cell phone. Why would I even bother hacking through your system?". Admin got flustered and talked darkly about insane things teenagers do and insisted on one day suspension. His dad decided not to escalate the issue, but warned the admin, if the same accusation happens again, he will move the courts and subpoena his "logs". Told him to make sure he preserves all logs and data if he ever dares to accuse his son of any malfeasance. The admin clearly did not expect that level of push back. Dad did his PhD in asynchronous transfer mode protocols and is a top researcher for Bell labs, (in whatever name it survives today. )

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:Idiotic school IT admins cause trouble. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But can he write GUIs in Visual Basic to track down IP addresses?

    2. Re:Idiotic school IT admins cause trouble. by chispito · · Score: 1

      That's kind of the point of TFA. Your nephew could have just been trying to break into the wifi to see if he could, or to show off. It is unlikely he would have been motivated by the "profit" of unfiltered Internet access.

      Now, I'm not saying he did or would, just that his unlimited data doesn't really mean anything in this context.

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    3. Re:Idiotic school IT admins cause trouble. by SeattleLawGuy · · Score: 1

      That's kind of the point of TFA. Your nephew could have just been trying to break into the wifi to see if he could, or to show off. It is unlikely he would have been motivated by the "profit" of unfiltered Internet access.

      Now, I'm not saying he did or would, just that his unlimited data doesn't really mean anything in this context.

      What's more, there should be nothing wrong with a kid trying to hack WiFi to see if he can, provided he's not hacking something like grades or financial transactions or private counseling files. High School kids do stuff; criminalizing them for it is dumb. In a great high school, you would even have it set up so kids would feel comfortable talking to teachers about it.

      --
      Real lawyers write in C++
    4. Re:Idiotic school IT admins cause trouble. by Enigma2175 · · Score: 1

      No offense, but your nephew is very possibly guilty of the offense, no matter how you try to frame it and how "darkly" the administrator talked. There are a variety of reasons he could have attempted something like that, eliminating one motive does not mean there are no other motives. This sounds like a classic presentation of "My snowflake doing something wrong? Impossible!" syndrome (MSDSWIS to its sufferers). If it were my child, I certainly would demand to see any evidence against him but I certainly wouldn't get all huffy and threaten the administrator like your brother [in-law] did, no matter how technically accomplished I am.

      --

      Enigma

    5. Re:Idiotic school IT admins cause trouble. by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_spoofing, what happened was a network security amateur was trying to convict a person of a crime committed by a mac address. No lawyers or courts or anything required, simply, go to that page, format and print it and tell the idiot to wake up to themselves. Hard copy required because obviously the fool does not understand computers.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    6. Re:Idiotic school IT admins cause trouble. by MikeBabcock · · Score: 1

      I would strongly suspect (from experience) that the kid did do it just for the challenge.

      --
      - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
    7. Re: Idiotic school IT admins cause trouble. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      only if its his own router i would though go as far even if its rented but under his care as long as its not damaged or permanently compramised by his/her actions.

  9. Teenagers want to impress their peers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    News at 11

  10. Ask Socrates by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Drop the word 'hacker' and it still works.
    Of course any teens will find problems and be motivated to fix them. They're arriving into an established world and they will find every nook & cranny and its faults.

    That they think this is 'good & helpful' is where the idealistic line is drawn. That they think it is moral is their opinion and not necessearaly appreciated. But hey, they've been lectured for years by adults & feel it's their time to be vocal... as it has been since the dawn of civilization. Ask Socrates!!

    "...[of the youth] They are impatient of all restraint.
    They talk as if they alone know everything,
    and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them."

    http://mentalfloss.com/article/52209/15-historical-complaints-about-young-people-ruining-everything

  11. Re:No Shit, Sherlock -- back in the 80's we knew t by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

    Ask any of us geeks that "cracked" copy protection. We ain't doing it for the free money or chicks

    Speak for yourself.

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
  12. Of course they aren't, they live at home by chispito · · Score: 1

    I can think of a lot of reasons why teenage "hackers" (in the limited, criminal sense) would not be motivated by money
    1) They are afraid of worse consequences if they get caught hacking for profit, though in the US it doesn't seem to matter much to overzealous prosecutors
    2) It's a better long-term investment to learn security now and get a high paying job later. These are just your "crazy teen years"
    3) Most importantly, THEY DON'T NEED MONEY. Their meals and rent are covered

    The prestige thing is probably a factor, though more so at the wannabe/script kiddie level.

    --
    The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
  13. I think I speak for all of us here by swillden · · Score: 1

    I think I speak for all of us here when I say: Duh?

    I mean, I'm glad they've realized this, but rather disappointed they didn't figure it out, oh, 30 years ago, back when kids were hacking the phone system. I mean, even back then some of them "stole" quite a bit of value in the form of hours-long international telephone calls (which used to be really expensive, not like now), but clearly the monetary value was irrelevant, except perhaps as a way to keep score.

    Some of those kids grow up and turn their skills to deliberate crime for profit, sure. But I think it's always been clear that basically none of them start that way. Honestly, I don't think it's even possible. There has to be an overpowering love of and fascination with the technology at the beginning, that almost certainly overshadows any interest in material gain. Later, the glamor of the tech fades a bit, but that takes years.

    --
    Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    1. Re:I think I speak for all of us here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Indeed - anyone still unsure should read Mitnick's autobiography. He spells it out very clearly. It was never for profit, it was for fun, to learn, and get some hacker cred. Also it's a great read - just his exploits in social engineering alone are worth the price.

    2. Re: I think I speak for all of us here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, not for moral reasons at all

    3. Re: I think I speak for all of us here by swillden · · Score: 1

      So, not for moral reasons at all

      RTFS:

      they saw hacking as a "moral crusade", said Paul Hoare, senior manager at the NCA's cybercrime unit, who led the research. Others were motivated by a desire to tackle technical problems and prove themselves to friends

      I realize that reading the article is too much to ask, but reading the summary really isn't.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    4. Re: I think I speak for all of us here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I realize that reading the article is too much to ask, but reading the summary really isn't.

      Found the guy that doesn't yet understand that quite likely half or more of the people here browse and comment on Slashdot from their phone in the time they spend between the payment window and the pickup window!

      Strat

  14. They don't understand the implications on business by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    [quote]They don't understand the implications on business, government websites and individuals[/quote]

    I don't think that websites, the government, business or wealthy inviduals understand morals very well.

    good job kids, you give me hope for the youngest generation

    information was meant to be free. Hack the planet

  15. Big Stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "They don't understand the implications on business, government websites and individuals."

    He's referring to the researchers and police right? If twelve year olds can exploit holes in software, do they seriously believe a party with financial or destructive intent would leave it alone?

  16. Didn't these researchers ever watch the movie? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The documentary about this came out back in 1995.

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113243/?ref_=nv_sr_4

  17. Yeah because the don't need jobs to survive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah, because the don't need money or jobs to survive, adult do.

  18. Re:No Shit, Sherlock -- back in the 80's we knew t by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    they doing it for the warez ofcourse

  19. tense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    doing something not for money or sex today might be the most punished crime today by your average vulgar libjoe idiots

  20. Hacker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do you require the services of a hacker for your general ethical/unethical hacks?,contact leehacks92@gmail.com,he’s time conscious and reliable,he’s the best i’ve worked with so far..check him out and you won’t be disappointed..serious enquiries only!!

  21. Not Morality. Attention! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You like attention, don't you, Bart? But you don't care whether you get good attention for, say getting high marks in school, or bad attention for, say turning your father into a jack-in-the-box.

  22. Re: Smash ALL their fingers with a hammer. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why call out the color of the cock? You racist or just fantasizing or maybe both?

  23. Ironic? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    "They don't understand the implications on business, government websites and individuals." ...Yeah, because businesses & government really care so much about people.

  24. Re: No Shit, Sherlock -- back in the 80's we knew by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Obviously it's not just him.

  25. Not news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    People are motivated by:

    - Greed (money and sex)
    - Morality (religion and ideology)
    - Adventure
    - Revenge (pride)

    It is rare to be driven by simple facts alone.

    1. Re:Not news by dcw3 · · Score: 1

      Maslow, what happened to your hierarchy?

      --
      Just another day in Paradise
  26. PUREST idealism (4 the absolute good) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

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    Ads/script & malware rob speed/security/privacy

    Hosts add speed (via hardcodes/adblocks), security (vs. bad sites/malware/poisoned dns), reliability (vs. dns down), & anonymity (vs. dns requestlogs/trackers).

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    Avoids DNSChangers in routers/IP settings & dns redirects (99.999% of ISP DNS != patched vs. it) + lightens DNS load & resolves faster from local system RAM!

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    P.S. - Safe https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/e01211ca36aa02e923f20adee0a3c4f5d5187dc65bdf1c997b3da3c2b0745425/analysis/1433430542/

  27. Our distopian future demands better. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is so not cyber punk.