Paris school offers primer for cyberpirates

The academy's philosophy is that only if you become a hacker can you understand how hackers think and operate. The teachers stress that they are the Internet's good guys - or "white hats" - who look for lapses in security and alert others to problems so that they can be fixed. They say they have nothing in common with the "black hats" - virusmongers who crash systems and commit computer fraud.

Not everyone agrees with the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach.

Eric Barbry, a French lawyer specializing in the Internet, says hacking is illegal, no matter what the intent.

"Black hats and white hats both enter systems, which is unauthorized," he said. "It's the same as if I would enter your home, even if you left your door open. I might just be checking if there are no thieves, but I'm still trespassing. So what hackers do once they're inside is irrelevant."

The school's biggest problem, however, may be its close association with a magazine called "Hackerz Voice," published by Spinelli, who has said that hackers are "searching for the truth. After all, Socrates was a social hacker."

One recent edition explained how to invent a false credit card number for Internet shopping. Another article told readers how to illegally modify your mobile-phone settings in order to call at cheaper rates.

The most recent issue featured a "scoop" by one of the school's teachers called Fozzy, who disclosed how he was able to read the emails of 1.5 million French Internet users.

Publishing such information may soon become illegal. This week, the European Commission is set to pass tougher legislation on cybercrime, which is expected to become law by the end of the year.

Commission Spokesman Per Haugaard, when told about the Paris school for hackers, said: "If a school teaches you how to rob a bank, that's illegal, too. Whatever these hackers' romantic intentions, they still create an atmosphere of insecurity and make people wary of the Internet. That's the worst thing about it."

But for now, classes seem to be thriving at the school, where the decor includes a black flag with a grinning skull sporting an eyepatch (a nod to the French term for hackers, les cyber pirates). Courses are being taught at three levels: "Newbie" for beginners, "Wild" for the intermediate, and "Intrusion" for the "elite." A nine-hour lesson costs 450 French francs (about $60), payable in advance.

Still, for all their high-tech knowledge, these computer whiz kids seem to be able to offer only one payment that is hacker proof.

"If you want to pay by credit card, it's better to call us and tell us the number over the phone," the school's website advises. "This site is not safe."

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