Choosing to Do Bad Things

A recent article from Brian Krebs of the Washington Post details how Peter Kleissner, formerly of Ikarus Software, was forced to resign and subsequently ostracized by the anti-malware community for releasing malware exploits and allegedly hacking an Internet kiosk.

While Krebs' article does a good job of chronicling the events, it's the last line that is the most telling. According to Kleissner, his actions are excusable because, "To me it's not good or bad, it's just technology."

That has to be the lamest excuse for rationalizing a bad deed. There is a hand at the end of our arms. That hand can shake another hand as a type of introduction. The hand can wave as a form of greeting or in bidding us farewell. The hand can stroke a child's hair and calm them when they are afraid. Used appropriately, that hand can reach out and help others. But balled into a fist or flattened into a slap, that hand can become a deadly weapon. Various gestures can make that hand offensive.

It all depends on how you use it.

In Kleissner's case, defending his action by claiming it's "just technology" is about as shortsighted and misguided as you can get. It is technology - but just like anything else, how you choose to use it determines whether it is good or bad. And in Kleissner's case, he has chosen to use it for bad.