Hi people -

I'm a freelance journalist in the UK writing a piece on ethical hacking for one of the Sunday papers.

I'm keen to talk to and possibly come and meet one of the 'hobbyist' ethical hacking community over here. I'm based in South London.

If there's anyone based within reasonable travelling distance who'd be interested in my coming and meeting them to talk about what they do and possibly watch how they do it by all means get in touch. If you want to check my credentials you'll find my website at www.clapperton.co.uk - you can contact me on the numbers and e-mails on that site or mail straight to Guy@Clapperton.co.uk.

Many thanks indeed for any help anyone can offer.

Best regards
Guy

Hi Guy, and welcome.
I wouldn't go as far as saying that we're "hobbyists". I think that the vast majority of the members here think of themselves as professionals, working in some or other aspect of IT security.

I know we have a few members from England here, so hopefully one of them will be able to help you out.

Anyway, regardless of whoever helps you out, or whatever you end up writing about, I hope you write about the difference between a hacker and a cracker. Hackers have been getting a bad stigma because of the crackers.

Also once you publish your article, could you post it here too. It would help you get some peer review.

another question for you is do you plan on giving a negative or positive spin to ethical hacking in your interview?

"Hobbyist" has seemed to spark a little eyebrow movement in the forum, My job is ethical hacking, for the company i work with, we test financial institutes mainly. im far from a pro, but would have to say hobbiyst is like saying pocket money or script kiddie, that i aint sorry.  lol

Guy,

Have you looked at going to http://www.theblackandwhiteball.co.uk/ ?
It's almost down the road for you and would give you access to a diverse range folk to chat with.

It looks like it could be a chuckle at the Ministry of Sound, filled with a somewhat different clientele ..