# How should hacker/vandals be punished? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 25, 2000, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543 "2000-02-25T19:05:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ursa\_Major](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a88e57/32.png) [@Ursa\_Major](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ursa_Major)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/1 "2000-02-25T19:05:00Z")
Fines? Prison? Flaying? A cushy high-paying job as director of security for a major website? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/2 "2000-02-25T19:14:00Z")
Why not force her to restore her victims to their pre-crime state, and compensate them for their trauma that resulted directly from the crime? ---
**Author:** ![Keeves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f05b48/32.png) [@Keeves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeves)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/3 "2000-02-25T19:22:00Z")
Director of Security may be high-paying, but I really doubt it would be cushy. (This does NOT mean I want to reward the hackers with such a job!) ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/4 "2000-02-25T19:25:00Z")
Well, I’d rather not give the hacker access to the server to fix what s/he has done; too much opportunity to sneak in “back doors”. Compensation should be monentary, to pay for the fix, with the hacker required to provide information on what was done and how to fix it. Oh, and all the users who had to spend several days of abject tedium get to poke the hacker with pointy sticks for a period of time no less than the amount of time the server was compromised. Poke, poke, poke. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/5 "2000-02-25T20:08:00Z")
I think a fine and/or a possible prison term about covers it. In my mind, another question is, how much anonymity should the Internet allow? e.g. Should anonymous, untraceable e-mails be allowed? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/6 "2000-02-25T20:30:00Z")
I wonder if Konrad still thinks it’s something to laugh at? -Melin ---
**Author:** ![Nen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Nen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nen)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/7 "2000-02-25T20:39:00Z")
It is my opinion that individual should have to endure a lifetime of uniterrupted elevator music at approximately 120db (just shy of human tolerance). That punishment should suffice. ---
**Author:** ![StrTrkr777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@StrTrkr777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrTrkr777)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/8 "2000-02-25T20:44:00Z")
First the hacker should have to read all of the Atheists and other really long threads and then submit a 500 word essay summarizing each of them (one essay per thread). Then we should defintely be able to inflict upon the hacker the same level of pain that we felt for not being able to read and post for the last few days. Lastly, the hacker should burn in Hell (or at least the pit) for such a mean trick. Jeffery ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/9 "2000-02-25T20:50:00Z")
Following loss of computer for life and mandatory prison, he should be forced to sit idly by while his victims are allowed into his life - his house, his stuff, his car, his family, etc. - and totally wreak havoc. Just cause complete anarchy, all in his name. Then, when they are done, HE will have to fix the damage. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/10 "2000-02-25T21:54:00Z")
_The Scene:_ A computer hacker sits in front of his computer in a dimly lit room, his (her?) face lit from the glow of the monitor, as he mumbles to himself repeatedly “gonnagetyougonnagetyougonnagetyougonnagetyou…”. Slowly, silently, the door to the room eases open, and a darkly clothed figure enters the room. The figure quietly traverses the room, pulling a silenced automatic from his jacket, stopping a few feet from the oblivious hacker. The figure listens to the hacker’s mantra for a few seconds before smiling slightly, and taking aim. Figure: “Ahem.” Hacker: _quickly turning around_"What the-!" Figure: “Gotcha!” ::PPPHHHTTT, PPPHHTTT:: _End Scene_ _ **\ExTank** _\ _“Nahh. Too quick, too merciful.”_ ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2000, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/11 "2000-02-25T22:34:00Z")
10 days listening to non-stop tv evangelical religous programming. They can’t sleep, not one bit. In a small room with no windows but posters of a naked Mick Jagger at his current age. All food provided is unsweeted oatmeal with laxatives mixed in, and a hole to pee and poo in (like in China.) Other than that, pulling out their finger nails with only a pair of pliers might do the task 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RTA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/12 "2000-02-26T00:35:00Z")
Oh, that’s easy … they should have their hands cut off! (No … REALLY!) * * * I’m a loner, Dottie … a rebel. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/13 "2000-02-26T00:38:00Z")
They should be forced to read every message in every thread Phaedrus posted to – without throwing up. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/14 "2000-02-26T00:52:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by David B: > **They should be forced to read every message in every thread Phaedrus posted to – without throwing up.** But if it was the Faded One, he wouldn’t consider it punishment. _You_ would, but not him. The punishment should fit the _criminal_, not the crime. If it was **Phaedrus** , for example, force him to listen interminable lectures on evolution and why gays belong in the military and why they should be allowed to hold jobs. (These are all things he’s been against.) If the criminal likes to fly wherever he goes, force him to ride a Greyhound bus from Seattle to Key West. And back. Twice. With fifteen young couples all with babies who have colic. And three drunks and two drug addicts who won’t ever get out of the rest room. And no air conditioning. And limited rest stops. * * * \>\< DARWIN \> \_\_ **L\_\_\_L** ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/15 "2000-02-26T00:55:00Z")
No way this way Phaedy – he’s not smart enough. And if it was him, there would have been messages saying the board would be hacked in a few days, and that would have gone on for weeks. ---
**Author:** ![meara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@meara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meara)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2000, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/16 "2000-02-26T01:22:00Z")
Well… on the bright side, at least we can trade in the old house-sitter excuse for “an evil hacker stole my password and posted that drivel!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Konrad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@Konrad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Konrad)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2000, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-hacker-vandals-be-punished/17543/17 "2000-02-27T21:46:00Z")
Melin sez: > [@](#): > > I wonder if Konrad still thinks it’s something to laugh at? First of all you’re completely quoting me out of context. My comments referred to using HTML to disable ads. Secondly, I’m not worried about this hack either. Guess what? It’s not that serious. You get all huffy about the SDMB being down but I don’t care. Why would this change my opinion? Do you think I’ve never seen a site get hacked? The owners of the target sites may take these attack serisously but why should I? Do you think a little inconvenience has me “taught me a lesson”? I don’t even understand why you’d say that. (And the SDMB wasn’t even a target it was just a tool to get at the targets.)