In reality, hackers – just like cops and robbers – have both a positive and a negative aspect. Unfortunately, there is no common word used to describe the positive hackers, so they get lumped into the stereotype with the negative ones. Hackers maintain the function of technology by preventing obvious exploits before they are known and they can help identify and defend against potential attackers. There are two common sayings that come into play for the positive hackers, one being “Knowledge is power” and the second being “Those who receive power fight to maintain it.” Knowledge in this case is feared, because if someone knows how to exploit a system, they could use it to their advantage without the powers in charge knowing, and leaving them little they can do about it. One must know and understand the true nature of hackers before one can judge them as a group. Hackers can be legitimate people looking for legitimate work in security fields and interested in being of assistance to society. By nature, sophisticated topics invoke fear into humans making them afraid to venture too far out of their comfort zone (“Information”). Typically, most average Americans are scared of the information revolution and what it can do to them, so anyone with knowledge of the system is perceived a threat. Hackers are not bad people by nature, and as such, hacking skills should be taught as a supplement to computer education to encourage not only the detection of potentially serious exploits in systems, but to encourage the most safe practices possible. User education and training is the best way to ensure a secure data system because it allows the users to know what they are doing and how to protect themselves from attackers. Knowledge is power, and in this case, knowledge can save millions, if not billions, just by being aware of certain conditions that could be unsafe or unwise. It takes training to recognize these situations, and such training could help prevent unnecessary security intrusions.
In conclusion, computer security experts are essential to the protection of national security interests of the United States and the global economy because they keep our national infrastructure safe from attacks. Education – both of computer users and society in general – is the best way to rid the negative connotation from the term ‘hacker’ and evolve its meaning into a more complex, but also more accurate definition that is not looked down upon by corporations, government, and civilians. Society has a fear of hackers because it is a difficult concept to understand, but with the proper education, hackers can cease being considered a recluse to society and come to be an important positive impact on society. The academic embracing of hackers is required to maintain the United States’ current information advantage and superiority over potential adversaries. As Ronald Reagan once said, “Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps through the walls topped by barbed wire, it walks across the electrified borders” (Ronald Regan).
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