Hackers: the Internet's immune system
2,808,636 views | Keren Elazari • TED2014
The beauty of hackers, says cybersecurity expert Keren Elazari, is that they force us to evolve and improve. Yes, some hackers are bad guys, but many are working to fight government corruption and advocate for our rights. By exposing vulnerabilities, they push the Internet to become stronger and healthier, wielding their power to create a better world.
The beauty of hackers, says cybersecurity expert Keren Elazari, is that they force us to evolve and improve. Yes, some hackers are bad guys, but many are working to fight government corruption and advocate for our rights. By exposing vulnerabilities, they push the Internet to become stronger and healthier, wielding their power to create a better world.
This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.
About the speaker
Keren Elazari charts the transformation of hackers from cyberpunk protagonists to powerful hacktivists, lone rangers and digital robin hoods who are the unsung heroes of the digital frontier.
Paul Graham | O'Reilly Media, 2010 | Book
Hackers and Painters
Paul Graham, the founder of Y Combinator, wrote this book of essays about the creative aspects of hacker culture. The essay that really inspired me was the one about the positive meaning of the word 'hacker.'
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OWASP
The Open Web Application Security Project has numerous guides, presentations and, more important, an annual listing of the top 10 security bugs in web applications.
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Offensive Security
Universities in the UK have started to offer academic programs for ethical hacking — hopefully more academic institutions will do so globally.
There are many online courses and certifications. Personally I hold the CISSP certification by ISC2. There are many options that suit different flavors — I like the people at Offensive Security because they support a lot of open-source community projects, helpful to hackers everywhere. Another hands-on simulator option is the SANS NetWars series.
There are many online courses and certifications. Personally I hold the CISSP certification by ISC2. There are many options that suit different flavors — I like the people at Offensive Security because they support a lot of open-source community projects, helpful to hackers everywhere. Another hands-on simulator option is the SANS NetWars series.
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BugCrowd
Bug bounty programs that companies use to offer rewards for exposed vulnerabilities include BugCrowd, BugSheet and CrowdCurity.
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DEF CON
The best way to learn more about hacker culture is to attend hacker events. The biggest conference is DEF CON. 22 years and counting! The best event. Check out the site for a lot of hacking resources.
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Hackerspaces
There are many hackerspaces around the world, like NoiseBridge in San Francisco and C Base in Berlin. Check out a list of local hackerspaces in your city.
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National US challenge
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National UK challenge
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National Korea challenge
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WeChall
Some independent sites with games and challenges include WeChall, Hack This Site, Can You Hack It and Security Override.
Learn more
This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.