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Vatican Invites Hackers To Fix Problems, Not Breach Security (apnews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the interesting-times-ahead dept.

From a report: Computer hackers with a heart are descending on the Vatican to help tackle pressing problems particularly dear to Pope Francis, including how to better provide resources for migrants and encourage solidarity for the poor. The "Vatican Hackathon," an around-the-clock computer programming marathon, starts Thursday in the Vatican, with the full support of the pope, several Vatican offices and student volunteers from Harvard and MIT. Organizers stressed that no firewalls will be breached or acts of computer piracy committed.

72 comments

  1. That's not how this works by ArtemaOne · · Score: 1

    That's not how any of this works

    1. Re:That's not how this works by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      What do you mean, you can't fix problems without finding them first like everyone else can?

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    2. Re:That's not how this works by arth1 · · Score: 0

      Well, they can pray that any vulnerabilities get revealed, I guess?

    3. Re:That's not how this works by hey! · · Score: 1

      Arguably this is the ethos that separates hacking from engineering: hacking involves opportunistically discovering problems to solve.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    4. Re:That's not how this works by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The summary makes it pretty clear this has ~nothing~ to do with vulnerabilities.

    5. Re: That's not how this works by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Right so why invite hackers or any security professional or IT cog? What would they know about encouraging solidarity for the poor that other humans wouldn't know?

      This seems like a marketing ploy to get a group of people , in this case hackers , involved in church activities.

      If anyone shows up for this, they probably are not so great at hacking because they demonstrably fall for simple marketing hacks, no tech required.

  2. Jesus was a hacker. by Comboman · · Score: 3, Funny

    Think about it: unruly beard, no girlfriend, lived with his mom til he was 30.

    --
    Support Right To Repair Legislation.
    1. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      +1 funny

    2. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Stop blaming the Jews.

    3. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God." (1 Cor 1:18)

      Some truths are abundantly timeless. This is one of them.

    4. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He should have kicked his mom to the curb and become a money lender at the temple. He wouldn't have gotten cruicified for the failure of his startup ministry at 33.
      --
      New Video: "Outlining Batman, Robin & Riddler in Photoshop (Time Lapse)"

    5. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He should have kicked his mom to the curb and become a money lender at the temple. He wouldn't have gotten crucified for the failure of his startup ministry at 33.
      --
      New Video: "Outlining Batman, Robin & Riddler in Photoshop (Time Lapse)"

    6. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He should have kicked his mom to the curb and become a money lender at the temple. He wouldn't have gotten cricified for the failure of his startup ministry at 33.
      --
      New Video: "Outlining Batman, Robin & Riddler in Photoshop (Time Lapse)"

    7. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      MOD THIS MEANINGLESS KARMA WHORING COMMENT DOWN!!!

      Christopher Dale Reimer, aka cdreimer, aka creimer, aka cashews, is a well-known toxic bachelor and serial digital pest!

      Do not allow this tiresome dullard to copy and paste his own Cryptofeces Reimerium back on here to collect karma points!

      We just went through the whole process of getting him contained at -1 like medical waste in a BFI container.

    8. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There you are spamming amazon and youtube affiliate links with yet another fake account, you revenue stream hogging disgusting fat sexist tube of lard, Christopher Dale Reimer!

      You can be sure I will be watching this fake account too. I know this is you because you told me you were working on your freepass 11 file server and you are so dumb that you can't even masquerade yourself properly.

      Now, I told you I was out of meds last week and you didn't even care to contact me you lazy fucker.

      How many times do I have to express the emergency of the situation??????

      The python click script you wrote for my pheromone revenue stream web site suddenly stopped to work!!!!!!

      You fucking incompetent python script writer!!!

      When it works, I get 4000+ clicks a day on my pheromone revenue stream web site but only 5 or 6 without it!!!!

      Now, it seems like you dont care and that you have abandoned me you heartless fucking pig!

      Bonus:
      Here is a story that creimer told me when convincing me what a hard life he had:

      The tree was him and the tree knot was his butt hole!

      So, his uncle packed his fat ass with lard and with his cock! Not that it makes much of a difference but anyway, there it is!

      Signed:
      Ethell, The girl that used to love you and now hates you, burn in hell where you belong you sexist pig!

    9. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      He was married. Try again. Also, he didn't exist.

      Wait, which was it? Was he married or did he not exist? Or was a non-existent being married? I'm confused.

    10. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      mythological characters can't be married? what part about that confuses you?

    11. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He should have kicked his mom to the curb and become a money lender at the temple. He wouldn't have gotten criucified for the failure of his startup ministry at 33.
      --
      New Video: "Outlining Batman, Robin & Riddler in Photoshop (Time Lapse)"

    12. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He should have kicked his mom to the curb and become a money lender at the temple. He wouldn't have gotten chrissified for the failure of his startup ministry at 33.
      --
      New Video: "Outlining Batman, Robin & Riddler in Photoshop (Time Lapse)"

    13. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Congregation, please be seated and open your prayer guides to the book
      Of revelations, Psalm sixty nine
      Sixty nine

      Praise Jesus
      Praise Jesus

      And now its time for us
      To give a little love back to god

      Drinking the blood of Jesus
      Drinking it right from his veins
      Learning to swim in the ocean
      Learning to prowl in his name

      The body of Christ looked unto me
      A preacher with God-given hands
      He wants you to suck on the Holy Ghost
      And swallow the sins of man

      Psalm sixty nine

      The invisible piss of the Holy Ghost
      Comes down like acid rain
      They're making a bonnet of terminal guilt
      The scavengers go on parade

      The fathers who write that eternity
      Is used to fight the sword
      Have filled you up with the devil's cock
      And he'll come in the name of the lord

      The way to succeed and the way to suck eggs

      Ministry Psalm69

    14. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, classy.

      If you are trying to make me angry, you fail. Just a bit sad for you.

      For it's not me you insult, but your Creator. Personally, I wouldn't want to meet him in your state. But He loves you enough to allow you to turn away if that is what you chose.

      Of course, the good news is that Jesus does save. That the infinite mercy, grace, and love of God is open to you. No matter how dark a place you are in. No matter the choices you have made. No matter what you have done. No matter who you are.

    15. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      God sees through to the thinly veiled vindictiveness of these sorts of comments. "You'll get yours on your day", "Only god can judge" (I'm judging quietly and drawing on the satisfaction of the most certain unimaginable pain you will feel in the future), and of course the classic [So and so is a moron].."Bless their heart!"

      "To turn the other cheek is to not reply on slashdot." -- 14:88 Abraham

    16. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, you get to choose.

      You talk about "thinly veiled vindictiveness" - but here's the real thing that one has the chance to see: the full, perfect, and absolute Moral Law of their Creator.

      I don't want to face that. I am, as Paul said, "the worst of sinners". I certainly don't live up to the Law. Never have, never will. Complete failure in that department.

      But, here's the thing. That is where the perfect grace, mercy, and love of Jesus comes into play. When God doesn't looks to one who follows Jesus, God doesn't see the failed person. He sees the perfect life that Jesus lived, all the sin paid for on the cross.

      And that, my friend, is hope.

    17. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      False hope is better than no hope?

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    18. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And we're back to this:

      "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God." (1 Cor 1:18)

      The evidence is abundant for the hope in Jesus. But there are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

    19. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by agm · · Score: 1

      I've never understood why Jews were blamed when the myth says he was crucified by Romans.

    20. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by youngone · · Score: 1

      The evidence is abundant for the hope in Jesus.

      Evidence? Would you like to post some? Assuming that weird sentence means what I think it means.
      It's often difficult to understand the religious, they tend to have a blinkered view of the world.

    21. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd suggest that you might start with the following:

      Tim Keller: "Reason For God"
      Lee Strobel: The Case for Christ
      CS Lewis: Mere Christianity

      Both provide a good entry point into why Christians maintain that they have good reason for their faith.

    22. Re: Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They (the jewish population of judea) when asked would rather release a murderer (barabas) then Jesus, condemning him to crucifiction. Thereby enticing an everlasting hatred.

    23. Re: Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      And when he actually did something comparable to real work, it was a miracle.

    24. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that it's not canon

    25. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you really want to know the answer to that, go do a bible study course. Or better yet, a degree in Christian theology, but the BS course is a lot cheaper. (Usually free, and worth every dime of that.)

      Asking a crowd of randoms on Slashdot is not a good way to learn this kind of thing.

    26. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also, he hacked the religion, continuing the work of John the Baptist. His organized religion and life hackathons round the country with his disciples and followers. And like a real, bad-ass hacker, he got the attention of the government and was crucified in the end.

    27. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I mean there is plenty of evidence that people have faith in Jesus. Does it do them any good? Mileage may vary.
        Even though I've been mean to jesus-guy in this thread and jesus isn't for me, I know some people who are better for it.

    28. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seems like an odd thing for you to say. I thought you were into Christianity.
      I'm one of your trolls... but I hope you're ok creimy.

    29. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He is rather lovable, isn't he? I mean despite his many flaws.

    30. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You asked for rational reason that one might believe in Jesus.

      I wonder if you will avail yourself of any of it? Because by no means is Christian faith blind. And what's the worst that can happen? If I am wrong, you will at least know how Christians think that much better, that you might save them from themselves.

      Still, in the end, it isn't whether Jesus "is for you". Rather, the question, is there objective evidence that (1) there is a God, and that (2) He became man in the Jesus of the bible.

      This long-time ex-atheist says that yes, there is. And that changed my life.

    31. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm not going to bother rehashing this every time some christian insists that I come to their group or read XX book or whatever.
      I ACTIVELY tried to become christian when I was deployed because I saw the psychological benefits it provided my peers in that stressful environment and even thought I wanted to drink the kool-aid it only served to reinforce my lack of belief. I dabbled in other religions after that but they're all pretty much the same.

      I hope it does you well and I hope you give up on evangelizing as it's annoying as hell and diminishes you in the eyes of your peers even if they otherwise approve of your religion and certainly they'll never tell you to your face. I didn't mind it when I was young and naive but now reflecting on the times in my youth that friends had dragged me into rooms full of jibbering idiots convulsing on the floor and speaking in tongues... it's offensive in retrospect, keep it to yourself.

    32. Re:Jesus was a hacker. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Romans were the overlords of a government that was generally run by Jews, even at the highest levels.

  3. Original sense of hacking by SirGarlon · · Score: 3, Informative

    Thank you, Vatican, for using the word "hacking" in the original sense as hackers themselves defined it. Before the mainstream press appropriated it and turned it into a perjorative.

    --
    [Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
    1. Re: Original sense of hacking by Monster_user · · Score: 1

      But was it intentional?

      Verbage of the OP suggests confusion and conflation.

      I wouldn't be surprised if they hired a Hack-a-thon veteran to set this thing up, but still couldn't understand the difference between a hacker (A), and a "hacker" (B) (slang).

    2. Re: Original sense of hacking by SirGarlon · · Score: 1

      I think it's the reporter who wrote TFA who didn't know the difference.

      --
      [Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
    3. Re:Original sense of hacking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      #9 really got me

      9. [MIT] v. To explore the basements, roof ledges, and steam tunnels of a large, institutional building, to the dismay of Physical Plant workers and (since this is usually performed at educational institutions) the Campus Police. This activity has been found to be eerily similar to playing adventure games such as Dungeons and Dragons and Zork. See also vadding.

    4. Re: Original sense of hacking by Monster_user · · Score: 1

      Quite possible. That would serve to indicate the conflation and confusion was unintentional, and instead demonstrates the poor quality of news sources. Though it probably does so anyway, I haven't had time to read the article yet to see if the author points out the errors in logic to the reader.

  4. Hackathon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Looks like AP News doesn't know what a hackathon is. Only God can forgive you for that crime, AP News.

  5. Turnabout is fair play Re:if i was a hacker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    i would expose all the pedophiles

    Pedophiles "expose" themselves already, that's the problem.

    1. Re: Turnabout is fair play Re:if i was a hacker by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 0

      That's exhibitionists, pedophiles study soil.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  6. Hackers Without A Heart by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Are just dead or on life support.

  7. Re:if i was a hacker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How about all the pedophiles in the public school systems. Which is a much higher number.

  8. May the Lord bless and guide them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nice to see the Vatican so aptly embracing technology. His Holiness has been instrumental in that regard throughout his tenure.

    1. Re:May the Lord bless and guide them by agm · · Score: 1

      It's like a bunch of old men who still believe in Santa. I feel sorry for adults who are sucked in by the biggest con on earth.

  9. As a recovering Catholic by Major_Disorder · · Score: 1

    This seems like a very bad idea.
    True hackers tend to be very individualistic, and as a group probably have a higher than average number of atheists. If I were qualified, I would have tried to get in on this with my first goal being to open up a back door so I could leak Vatican secrets at my convenience for a long time to come.

    --
    First law of people: People are generally stupid.
    1. Re: As a recovering Catholic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      While I consider myself Athiest only due to my own ignorance on other terms for deity-free people, I respect peoples rights to believe what they want.

      I also respect the current pope only because he's an actual human being with the intent of actually helping people, even if the subtext is that he is doing it in the name of his deity.

    2. Re:As a recovering Catholic by quietwalker · · Score: 1

      - there is no 'True Hacker'
      - Individual developers have their own preferences to working alone or in groups, both occur, but it seems that many (most?) prefer teams
      - Atheism does not disallow altruism nor require attack on churches
      - You didn't read the article, it has nothing to do with the network used by the church, it's a standard hackathon sponsored by the church.

    3. Re: As a recovering Catholic by agm · · Score: 1

      He's trying to help people? Is that why they don't allow condoms to be used in AIDS ravaged African countries? No, they seek power and they use threats of eternal punishment to get it. It's a disgusting sham.

  10. If hackers really wanted to help the poor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    They could just hack the Vatican's accounts. That would be stealing just like how the popes stole it originally during the crusades. Probably they will just end up showing cardinals how to hide their digital footprints when abusing children, its a long standing tradition in the Catholic church to cover up abuses rather than punish those responsible.

  11. Re:if i was a hacker by ArtemaOne · · Score: 0

    More likely you're thinking of ephebophiles. I've heard of few pre-teens victimized in the school system.

  12. Re:if i was a hacker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Public Schools don't claim they are ordained by God and then cover up abuses when they happen.

  13. How Much Are They Paying? by Scarletdown · · Score: 0

    How much are they paying for this? Isn't this sort of thing usually a pretty pricey aspect of IT?

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
    1. Re:How Much Are They Paying? by Dracolytch · · Score: 1

      1) It's a charitable act. Charity. As in, you do it for free, because it's the right thing to do.
      2) They're not talking about IT systems. They're talking about hacking together solutions for those under-served by the general populace.

      --
      This sig has been enciphered with a one-time pad. It could say almost anything.
  14. Someone is going to propose a Papal Blockchain by The+voice+of+Reason. · · Score: 2

    Blockchain consultant: "You see - it is all meet and right, for in the beginning, your Holyness, we shall have a Genesis Block. And thus through Proof of Works shall we suffer the poor to mine unto God what is God's for the glory of the one true Fork."

    Papa F: "My child, this proposal seems canonically inconsistent with doctrines concerning salvation by faith. Indeed, should we not tempt the poor into the servitude of Mammon by making each the hustler of his fellow man, the wealthy must be persuaded to - what's that word you use - "bootstrap" the tithing with their voluntary contributions."

    Blockchain consultant: "Your foresight is without equal, oh primus inter pares, for we deal address this in the next slide deck, "Phase 2: Indulgence Coin Offering"

    Papa F: "A righteous solution, but how do you propose we explain all of this to the flock?"

    Blockchain consultant: "We shall distribute this wisdom through the establishment of an official education and outreach program, a Center For Decentralization, if you will"

    Papa F: "Ah! Complex problem answered by a Holy Mystery; the Eastern Orthodox will certainly be envious. However I have a final inquisition for you."

    Blockchain consultant: "By your grace, please ask"

    Papa F: "What's Phase 3?"

  15. And before you know it... by magusxxx · · Score: 1

    Project Pope by Clifford D. Simak is a reality

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    --
    Care killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
  16. creimer spam alert!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't click on his homepage link! creimer is trying to get you to subscribe automatically to his youtube channel, force you to watch his digi-feces videos and make money off you!

    CREIMER' SUBMISSIONS UPDATE:
    Note also that creimer is trying to regain karma by getting his submissions published as articles on /. so make sure to go to:
    https://slashdot.org/~crreimer
    https://slashdot.org/~cdreimer
    https://slashdot.org/~criss69
    https://slashdot.org/~Anonymou...
    https://slashdot.org/~FatCashe...
    https://slashdot.org/~ILoveFat...
    https://slashdot.org/~IHateFat...
    https://slashdot.org/~IAteFatC...
    https://slashdot.org/~ITapeFat...
    https://slashdot.org/~IApeFatC...
    https://slashdot.org/~IPrayFat...
    https://slashdot.org/~FatCashe...
    and mod down his submissions as well. The great thing is that you don't even need mod points to mod down a submission, just click on the "minus" icon!

    Yes, believe it or not, creimer owns all the above sock puppet accounts. It is a mystery why Slashdot management tolerates it!

    creimer wrote:

    I don't bother with mod points. I'm doing something much more sinister. It took ten story submissions ? I'll have to double check the number ? to move cdreimer's karma from neutral to excellent without ever being exposed to the capricious mods. Mmmmmwwwwahahahahahahaha!

    https://slashdot.org/comments....

    Danger, Will Robinson, Danger! Creimy is posting more than 2 posts a day. Hurry! mod down otherwise /. will go to hell again!

    Note: you can mod down even if already at -1 to lower karma and to prevent lost /. users to accidentally mod up.

    creimer wrote:

    All you need to do is find a website with a permissive TOS, say, Slashdot, create a Python script to scrape your own comments, sprinkle Amazon affiliate links in various posts, and then re-post past links whenever possible. Won't be long before you start making "coffee money" each month.

    https://slashdot.org/comments....

    C.D. Reimer is a renowned Slashdot collaborator, as he puts it himself; "Because of the quality of my posts and my article submissions, I'm a highly rated commentator and moderator."

    But does anybody ever wondered what "C.D." stands for? Well, it stands for Creimy Dumpty of course!

    Creimy Dumpty sat on the wall,
    Creimy Dumpty had a great fall.
    All the king's horses
    And all the king's men
    Couldn't put Creimy Dumpty
    Together again.

    Creimy's siblings video and theme song, very realistic, especially the pants, just like Creimy's:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    With "Vice President Pence Vowing US Astronauts Will Return To the Moon", we are sure they will need miracle workers up there, here is what it would look like. Note that Creimy takes care of bringing a lot of food to the moon as depicted below:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    Creimy's real pictures:
    Before the sex change:
    https://ibb.co/cc7Ddw
    After the sex change:
    https://ibb.co/gVad65

  17. What do you expect... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Pope is requesting hackers fix problems in his Windows 95 box, so nobody will be able to notice the collection of altar boy erotic fiction and general erotica he keeps on it. I mean firewall apps for Windows 9x haven't been producing in what... 10 years. He's probably itching for an update :)

    Did I just call the Pope an erotica loving pedophile? Yes, YES I DID.

    I hope he gets a nice thick shafting in the afterlife. Raw, because that is how Catholics roll.