Some security managers might cringe at the thought of allowing their administrators to visit a hacker site. But it might not be a bad idea, on occasion. Information is a tool. If you use it right, it doesn't matter where it comes from. Listening to the enemy (i.e., hackers) and checking out their weapons has given me an edge in information warfare.

Here are some pros and cons for visiting hacker sites. Read on and decide if there's any value in strolling around the underground.

Pro: Know your enemy
If you're looking for the latest information on a newly developed hack or attack against one of your publicly available systems, hacker sites are the place to go.

When people do something they're proud of, they want recognition and peer respect. Think about it: who do you tell first when you've solved a complex problem? Do you tell your buddy in the next cube or your manager? People brag, so turn that to your advantage. Go to where hackers brag, and find out if their criminal intent is going to affect your network's security.

By Michael Mullins at ZDNet.

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