Construction vs. Destruction

Construction vs. Destruction

• An architect and a demolition expert need to know different things.
• Unlike architects, someone is trying to break the structure.
• Some practice: build "tiger team": hire white-hat hackers to attack the system.

If we perceive our role aright, we then see more clearly the proper criterion for success: a toolmaker succeeds as, and only as, the users of his tools succeed with his aid. However shining the blade, however jeweled the hilt, however perfect the heft, a sword is tested only by cutting. The blacksmith is successful whose clients die of old age.

The Mythical Man-Month

Frederick P Brooks, Jr.

Hire tiger team

Problems of tiger teams

Imagine a tigner team is hired to assess systems of governments..

• Negotiate how much a tiger team can engage with the system: what can they know?
• Are physical or social engineering attacks allowed?
• What protections (legal protections etc.) do you offer the tiger team?
• Whom should be selected? A former hacker? Will they obey to all the compliance?

Hacking Ethics

When is hacking ethical?

Under exactly one circumstance: when you have the permission of the person responsible for the system you’re attacking. This is a very sharp line.