The Hackers Cookbook

The title suggests that this posting may have some delicious recipes that hackers might enjoy, but I am thinking more like the classic book The Anarchist Cookbook, by Steven Schragis. However, I will provide you with a link with directions on how to be a white hat hacker!

A little history lesson: The Anarchist Cookbook

“The Anarchist Cookbook, first published in 1971, is a book that contains instructions for the manufacture of explosives, rudimentary telecommunications phreaking devices, and other items. The book also includes instructions for home manufacturing of illicit drugs, including LSD. It was written by William Powell at the apex of the counterculture era in order to protest against United States involvement in the Vietnam War.” -Wikipedia

For those of you who were not around when this book was published, this book caused a lot of controversy when it was published and of course grabbed the attention of the Feds at the FBI. One FBI memo called the book “one of the crudest, low-brow, paranoiac writing efforts ever attempted.”

The lack of a Hackers Cookbook

When considering that The Anarchist Cookbook was written as a proverbial middle finger to the government and an exercise in freedom of speech, how has there not been a similar book written about hacking? Hackers are known to rage against the machine and expose the corruption in either a corporation or government, wait didn’t Ralph Nader do a similar type of thing? More on Ralph ahead.

What I see the hackers cook book containing is not just tips on how to crack into a network or take down a website, but how to successfully protest and plan a movement that can make a statement. Because at the end of the day, isn’t that what hacking is all about? Beyond those who hack for either personal gain or to support an organization, we forget that even these brilliant computer geniuses serve a purpose. They can keep the checks and balances of society online.

The Ralph Nader Effect

Ralph Nader, beyond having a few unsuccessful Presidential runs over the years, started life as a protector of the people. Not in the sense of a member of a police department or military movement, he was interested in exposing safety problems that affect the average Joe. In 1965, he claimed that many US made automobiles were simply not safe and even published a book Unsafe at Any Speed. The internet was not around back then, but I am willing to bet he would have taken his research online if he had the opportunity. Specifically, Nader took aim at the Chevrolet Corvair, a rear engine compact car that had been involved in many accidents that resulted in lawsuits against Chevy’s parent company General Motors.

In typical corporate fashion, GM took to the streets and tried to discredit the claims and even went as far as to hire prostitutes to try and trap him into compromising positions, look it up on Wikipedia, it is interesting stuff. Nonetheless they could not stop him, and his efforts made the government take notice and instate a new division of government: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Making the Connection

Nader was an activist, plain and simple. Many did not agree with his stance at the time, but like Schragis, he took his view of corruption and put his ideas out there, publishing them to make a difference. Even though The Anarchist Cookbook took a totally different angle of protest, are these two authors any different than White Hat and Black Hat hackers?

Nader being a White Hat hacker in the sense that he took his opinions of corruptions and wanted to put them to work in a positive light by publishing a book that spawned the development of a consumer safety organization, Schragis being a Black Hat of sorts by compiling a book of instructions to overthrow harm and cause chaos.

Perhaps I am far off here, what are your thoughts?

Oh yeah, here is the white hat instructions I promised you!  

Happy Holidays!