Computer hacking has always been a pursuit driven more by geeky passion than a quest for profits. But it is now becoming a pathway to earning serious money.
A decade ago, a skilled hacker who discovered a software security flaw had two choices: he could tell the company about the problem, or he could publish his findings. The former brought the risk that the company could quietly fix the problem, yielding nothing for the clever hacker who brought it to light. The latter brought praise from his peers, but also possible accusations that he was aiding criminals.
Yet as governments and defence groups focus more on cyber arms, a market has developed for the talents of hackers. Intelligence agencies, defence contractors and criminal gangs are all willing to pay to find out about security flaws – and ways to exploit them.