David Lacey's IT Security Blog

Friday's BBC "Click" technology program contained a demonstration of a 20,000 strong botnet. Was this legal? Was it ethical? And was it a sensible idea? These are important questions that need to be debated and addressed. 

It raises the issue of corporate ethics, especially the need for clear direction on what constitutes acceptable business practice. In a business world where many IT staff are familiar with hacking techniques, and controversial techniques such as penetration testing, customer profiling and employee monitoring are everyday business requirements, we need to draw a clear line to avoid overstepping the mark. Security has always had a dark side. Let's hope it stays that way.