I just saw a question that made me afraid for the information we can provide. The question is here:
https://www.techrepublic.com/forumqa/thread_detail.jhtml?thread_id=122344
Now, if you read my posted answer, it is basically a polite ?go away script kiddie? response, for I think that the user who posted the question is looking for a ?how do I hack? FAQ. Well, this is not the forum for that kind of thing, and I think that we are, as a community of obsessive question-answerers, doing very well in discouraging those antics. But it did make me wonder on what you all think. Are we responsible to keep things secret that should be secret? I think that TR has a policy of not being a place where you can get hacking tips; (can someone post a link to the TR legal policy on site usage???) but I do wonder if we ever cross the lines? I know I have posted the link to the Linux boot floppy with the NT password cracker on it. Hell, I think that tool is a very good one to have. I have had to use it inreal-world situations before. But, yes, it can be misused. Someone could take the link I posted, get the software, then get physical access to a machine he/her should not, boot the machine, overwrite the Administrator password, and have at it!
Should I be worried that the knowledge I pass on to those with questions could be used for evil? Or should I not worry about it?
Now yes, I do frequent some slightly off-colour sites for info (antionline.com, hackers.com, hackinthebox.com, neworder.box.sk) because I like to keep abreast of exploits and other dark usage of computer systems. This is what I do for a profession, and I am good at it. Mingling in the dark world is, as I view it, a necessary step. Now, I am not in the IRC chat rooms whereyou can REALLY get some information, because I just can?t make that far of a leap! But I do lurk around, looking for new problems I might have to deal with when the sun is up.
