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From: robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison)
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: Hackers' implied contract with system vendors.
Message-ID: <857@eosp1.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 6-May-84 22:05:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: eosp1.857
Posted: Sun May  6 22:05:07 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 8-May-84 00:13:31 EDT
Organization: Exxon Office Systems, Princeton, NJ
Lines: 37

References:

Hackers can provide a service to system vendors by demonstrating their
vulnerability to penetration.  This sort of service is similar, I think,
to providing "protection" on the streets, but here's how it might be
done honestly:

(1) A hacker contacts a company and explicitly proposes to break into their
system to demonstrate its security weaknesses.

(2) The company accepts (if they don't, the hacker should try elsewhere),
and agrees that if the hacker places a file on their system in a specified
place, containing specified data, that they will then pay him such and
such...  The hacker also agrees to provide a record of all his actions on
the system, once he has broken in.

(3) The hacker and company sign an appropriate contract protecting their
respective proprietary interests.

(4) Good luck to the hacker.   If he breaks in, of course he does no
damage, but simply fulfills the contract.

A hacker who is willing to make such a contract has protected both himself
and his "victim", but he can still have all the fun AND earn money.
I can see only two things to keep this sort of thing from catching on:

- Most companies would like to know and trust the fellow who is trying to
break in.

- I don't really believe that hackers breakin to systems to cause no damage
and to use up none of the victim's resources.  I think contracts such as
I have suggested would not satisfy their lust for aggressio and free
computer services.
					- Toby Robison (not Robinson!)
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