Member Article

Students hack into new course

In a bid to reflect modern interests, universities over the passed few years have made moves to broaden their curriculum and offer a broader range of subjects. This has included the introduction of David Beckham studies, Gambling studies and many more less-than-traditional subjects making their ways into lecture theatres. The latest unconventional discipline offered to students at Dundee’s Abertay University is Computer Hacking, according to the Daily Record.The degree programme, which aims to produce ‘ethical hackers’, will teach students how to beat computer criminals and produce knowledgeable staff who will help save their companies millions by protecting them against computer fraud.However, there are fears that giving students the knowledge to beat the hackers, may in turn transform them into hackers themselves, creating a class of computer criminals. Course leader Professor Lachlan McKinnon said: “We will monitor students closely because we want them to become ethical hackers. But there is no guarantee. “Harold Shipman qualified as a doctor, after all, before deciding to become a murderer.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .