The Hacking of America

Hackers get a bad rap. Businesses, industries, and even society as a whole covet their skills, yet they are often misunderstood and frequently despised. Is their vilification justified? This is the first book to use previously validated psychological inventories to explore and profile the personalities and behavioral traits of more than 200 self-admitted hackers. Many of the profiled are at the top of their game, revered by both the good hackers (white hats) and their more malevolent peers (black hats).

While there are serious reasons to fear the darker elements of the hacker community, there is also much to admire in their nobler counterparts. Fascinating case studies on hackers who have been caught and convicted of their crimes, as well as those betrayed by their peers, offer a unique, credible understanding of what makes hackers tick. The authors examine current laws meant to control hacking and its collateral crimes-stalking and terrorism-along with other means of reining in the irresponsible scriptkiddies and vicious black hats. Moderated and balanced, this book is an easy-to-read, authoritative source information for anyone interested in who hackers are, and how much we should worry about them.

Hacker Basics
Introduction: Fears about Hackers and Why This Book Was Written
Hackersom History: Highlights, Facts, and Headline Makers
A Balanced View about Hackers: The Good Side
A Balanced View about Hackers: The Bad Side
Hacker Study Findings and Related Topics
The Demographic Profile of J. Random Hacker: What the Literature Says and What Our Study Found
The Psychological Aspects of Hackers: What the Literature Says
The Psychological Aspects of Hackers: What Our Study Found
The Social Characteristics of Hackers: What the Literature Says and What Our Study Found
The Black Hat Cyberterrorists: What the Literature Says
The Black Hat Cyberstalkers: What the Literature Says and What Our Study Found
Remedies for Black Hat Hacking
Social Controls on Hackers: Court Remedies and Legislation in North America and Britain
The Ethics and Morality of Hackers: Are Present Remedies Working?
Further Reading
Index