# "HackerSafe" Cert **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330 "2007-08-29T04:50:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330/1 "2007-08-29T04:50:30Z")
Got approached by HackerSafe to use their service. Basically they audit your site and give you a logo to display if it is safe. Anyone use this service on their web site? Do you like it? Users: are you persuaded to use a site that has the logo vs one that doesn’t? Thx ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330/2 "2007-08-29T04:54:54Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] Got approached by HackerSafe to use their service. Basically they audit your site and give you a logo to display if it is safe. Anyone use this service on their web site? Do you like it? Users: are you persuaded to use a site that has the logo vs one that doesn’t? Thx [/QUOTE] As a user…I’m never really sure what to think about it when I do see it, but if it’s not there, I don’t even think about it. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330/3 "2007-08-29T09:11:35Z")
Does that mean it’s safe for hackers to use? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330/4 "2007-08-29T11:36:48Z")
Since this one is actually looking more for informed opinions, let’s move it to IMHO. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330/5 "2007-08-29T12:31:32Z")
For a certain type of hacker, this sounds as if it could be taken as a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330/6 "2007-08-29T13:37:50Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] For a certain type of hacker, this sounds as if it could be taken as a challenge. [/QUOTE] Mm…probably not so much. A security check just verifies that your system is set up properly. So all the badge means is that the system the website is on has been checked. It doesn’t mean that it’s had something special added. So it’s no more a challenge to beat than any other system with it’s settings all done right. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330/7 "2007-08-29T16:37:29Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] So it’s no more a challenge to beat than any other system with it’s settings all done right. [/QUOTE] But think of the prestige that would derive from hacking sites that proudly displayed a “HackerSafe” symbol. It’d be sort of like having a mountain named “Unclimbable Peak”. ---
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330/8 "2007-08-29T17:34:14Z")
The only place i shop that uses the emblem is [www.mwave.com](http://www.mwave.com). I prefer it to NewEgg since i feel like it is the “underdog” of computer stores, not b/c of the HackerSafe deal. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hackersafe-cert/417330/9 "2007-08-29T23:41:18Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] But think of the prestige that would derive from hacking sites that proudly displayed a “HackerSafe” symbol. It’d be sort of like having a mountain named “Unclimbable Peak”. [/QUOTE] I’m saying it’s more like having a park of all mountains that are each different but “guaranteed” to be a hard climb. Being able to climb one doesn’t say anything about your ability to get on top of another one. So essentially, you can’t crack HackerSafe sites. You can only crack certain specific ones. There’s not as much glamour in that as being able to crack something specific like Windows Vista’s new feature X.