Reference no: EM132223921

According to John Markoff’s ‘‘Odyssey of a Hacker: From Outlaw to Consultant,’’ John T. Draper is attempting to become a ‘‘white-hat’’ hacker as a way of repaying society for previous wrongdoing. In the early 1970s, Draper became known as ‘‘Cap’n Crunch’’ after discovering how to use a toy whistle in the Cap’n Crunch cereal box to access the telephone network in order to get free telephone calls. While serving time in jail for his misdeeds, he came up with the early design for EasyWriter, IBM’s first word-processing program for its first PC in 1981. However, says Markoff, in subsequent years Draper used his skills to hack into computer networks, became a millionaire, lost jobs, and experienced homelessness. Now, however, Draper has been enlisted to help operate an Internet security software and consulting firm that specializes in protecting the online property of corporations. Draper says, ‘‘I’m not a bad guy.’’ However, realizing there are bound to be doubters, he adds, ‘‘But I’m being treated like a fox trying to guard the hen house.’’ SRI International’s computer security expert Peter Neumann summarizes the concern: Whether black hats can become white hats is not a black-and-white question. In general, there are quite a few black hats who have gone straight and become very effective. But the simplistic idea that hiring overtly black-hat folks will increase your security is clearly a myth. Discuss the ethical issues this case raises. What might reasonably convince doubters that Draper has, indeed, reformed? Are customers of the consulting firm entitled to know about Draper’s history and his role at the firm?