Hacking for national security

[Cimachol]

Putting questions of legality aside, does the Church have a clear position on the ethics of one nation hacking into another nation’s intelligence? For example, if the U.S. found a way to hack into a top secret government computer belonging to a nation hostile to us, would it be unethical to do so?

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

The U.S. broke the Japanese “Purple” code in WWII, and the British, I believe, broke the German Enigma code, both achievements allowing the Allies to be aware of enemy activities and troop movements. Those would seem to have been an early form of “hacking,” but in a state of war I can’t believe doing so was immoral. Absent a state of war? Nations do may things in their own self-interest that no doubt push the moral envelope.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Probably falls right in line with spying, propaganda, and misinformation.
I’d imagine it’s moral to defend ones country but to destroy or control another sovereign nation… it’s shakey. But I wouldn’t condemn the CIA or us military for doing such

 

[mikekle]

Well, back when Snowden revealed that the US Govt was spying on its own citizens emails, texts, calls, etc and storing all that data, I do not recall the church saying one word about it…?

 

[Sacred_Heart_1]

Putting questions of legality aside, does the Church have a clear position on the ethics of one nation hacking into another nation’s intelligence? For example, if the U.S. found a way to hack into a top secret government computer belonging to a nation hostile to us, would it be unethical to do so?

It depends on the outcome of the hack (what the information is used for). Is it used for the good of mankind or is it just used in a wrong way?

It really all depends whether it is used for a just cause or not.