Where Hollywood portrays hackers correctly, and where - mistakenly

Technology surrounds us from all sides, so it is not surprising that it has penetrated into films and TV shows. However, it cannot be said that in the cinema it is portrayed correctly, especially when it comes to computer hacking.

For the past 20 years, I have occasionally worked as a Linux system administrator. This means that I ensured the uninterrupted operation of such Internet services as e-mail, websites and news systems, and ensured that they were not hacked. Now I am researching the ethics and social impact of technology, so I really like to watch the references to technical issues in popular culture.
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The operating system that exists, apparently, only in the cinema (let's call it MovieOS) is charming - it constantly beeps, clicks after each keystroke, gives unrealistically long indicators of task completion, useful warnings, not to mention the possibility of infinitely increasing pictures without loss of clarity.

But I am most pleased with the hacking scenes.

Expectations and reality

Hacking is most often depicted in the form of violent activity, and fast music creates tension, while some windows flash on the screen. But in one of the episodes of the fantasy series " Arrow ", the heroes were able to continue their "hack" despite the fact that they could not see their screens, as a result of which this ridiculous hacker war turned into a tennis match in which both hackers sent each other electric pulses until the antagonist's computer explodes.

This, of course, was far-fetched. But breaking for the sake of destruction is not a fiction, and it was much better able to portray it in the Mr. Robot tehnodram. In one episode, the protagonist Elliot uses the thrown-up device to download programs to backup systems owned by the gloomy corporation E Corp. These programs are then used to trigger explosions — which is perfectly acceptable, since these devices typically use lead-acid batteries that can emit hydrogen when they are recharged.

But in most cases, MovieOS capabilities do not adequately reflect the capabilities or actual use of real operating systems. In the movie, it can be useful to draw a line between fiction and reality, but this can lead to problems when confronted with the expectations of people they impose on computers and their understanding of how hacking works - especially its common types that ordinary people are exposed to.


"Mr. Robot" - a rare example of the correct image of the process of hacking

Making hacking realistic

In addition to MovieOS, which is usually a specially designed set of sequences of static images or animations, Linux is one of the favorite operating systems of shooting designers. You need to print a lot, programs give incomprehensible results, and it is often used by "real" hackers.

One of the most popular programs for demonstrating hacking into movies is nmap, a scanner that determines who uses a computer network. Nmap is popular because it produces a large portion of text scrolling on the screen - just like we used to imagine any complex computer magic, and, theoretically, it can be used for a wide range of hacks - for example, searching for open ports, which can be used - therefore He has a certain well-deserved reputation among geeks.

"Mr. Robot" gives the most accurate image of hacking, recognizing that most people are the weakest link in security. Sending phishing e-mails, posing as employees of a company, manipulating other social norms and expectations, hackers often achieve greater success than using technical means, and given that the effects of phishing are sometimes significant, it is not surprising that such methods are used so often.

The film Cyber rather realistically tried to show how email phishing can be used to retrieve someone's password, but it’s unlikely that an employee of the National Security Service would fall for this trick.

And yet, as a result of an accurate depiction of such social engineering in films and TV shows, people may have an idea of ​​common methods that will help them recognize such attempts before it is too late.

Danger of excessive accuracy

Accurate mapping can also be a source of problems. After the release of the film " War Games " in 1983 in the United States adopted a resolution on fraudulent computer actions and abuses , fearing that hackers might try to reproduce the attacks shown in the film. When the movie " The Matrix Reloaded " in 2003 demonstrated the realistic use of the nmap utility, Scotland Yard’s computer crime department in Britain issued a press release warning potential hackers about the dangers of replaying what is happening in the film.

The image of hackers fighting a certain person or a large company of ambiguous moral principles romanticizes the hacking process, which, nevertheless, remains illegal and, in general, unethical. A recently updated set of ethical guidelines for computer professionals postulates that people should “get access to resources for computing and communication only in an authorized way, or for the common good”, and notes that if you use the latter reason, you need to “take emergency measures to avoid hurting others. "

Hackers such as Elliot from the Mr. Robot series may have some moral right to attack large corporations, but, as seen in the plot development process, this can have a disastrous effect on innocent people.

Therefore, although it is a good idea to demonstrate the hacking process realistically, it is sometimes better to laugh at how badly it is presented. I would like to see a more complete picture describing hacking, as well as its more realistic consequences. "Mr. Robot" is clearly in the forefront here, but the cinema and TV shows still have many opportunities for a more realistic and critical view of technology and society.