Hacking, Hackers, and Hacktivism

April 22

Spend five minutes with anyone who studies “hackers” and you will quickly learn that the term is used to define a wide array of discrete subcultures, from homebrew computer programmers all the way through to military-industrial network vulnerability experts. If there is one unifying characteristic amongst all of these cultures (and there may not be), it is most likely the acknowledgement between these groups that the limitations imposed by code as a mode of regulating behavior can, and should, be subverted. Today we look to hackers, who they are, what they do, and what rules and norms govern those who do not recognize code as a governing influence.

Readings

Defining hackers, hacking, and hacktivism

• Gabriella Coleman, Phreaks, Hackers, and Trolls: The Politics of Transgression and Spectacle (from The Social Media Reader)

• Molly Sauter, Activist DDOS Campaigns: When Similes and Metaphors Fail (video, watch from to 1:56 to 21:44)

• Sauter uses the term "DDoS" throughout. This is an abbreviation for "distributed denial of service," a specific form of attack to a web server described in more detail here.

Law and law enforcement

• United States Department of Justice, Prosecuting Computer Crimes (read pages 1-11: Introduction to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and Key Definitions)

Case studies

• Andy Sellars, The Impact of "Aaron's Law" on Aaron Swartz's Case

• David Kravets, Appeals Court Reverses Hacker/Troll "Weev" Conviction and Sentence

• Jeff Ward-Bailey, Hacking Tool Threatens Healthcare.gov Site

Optional Readings

• Intelligence Squared Debate: "The Cyberwar Threat Has Been Grossly Exaggerated" (an Oxford-style debate with Marc Rotenberg, Bruce Schneier, Mike McConnell, and Jonathan Zittrain; watch the video of the debate)

• Nicole Perlroth, Hackers in China Attacked The Times for Last 4 Months (New York Times)

• TorrentFreak, Pirate Parties Use Influence to Halt Anonymous’ Operation Payback

• Christopher Soghoian, The Growing Trade in Software Security Exploits

• Andy Sellars, The Impact of "Aaron's Law" on Aaron Swartz's Case

Class Discussion

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