Honestly:

What have they done that is even redeeming in any degree to balance what they did in revealing police officers pictures, names, addresses and telephone numbers? That was an open invitation to the drug lords to kill them and/or their families.

That alone put them beyond the pale.

And the why of all this? "Because we're pissed off at Sony and Sega". Computer games?

"Because we don't like Arizona's laws."  So, the police passed the law? So that gives you the right to endanger lives and property? No. It does not. Ever.  Period. There can be no argument about that, and at that point it is a "You're law abiding or not".

This, and my thoughts about, it have nothing to do with former President G.W. Bush.

Then they wanted to boast: "Look how smart and cool we are! We can hack our way into anywhere and get even with you!". So they took on the CIA, the FBI, Scotland Yard, and others. lol. Those arrogant punks.

Well, now (possibly) one of them is in custody, and the rest will fall as well. Their need to break the law and boast did them in, and now they're running scared. Good. After their "15 minutes" they will shrink once again into invisibility and insignificance.

Unfortunately, the police officers and their families who did nothing wrong (nor did the legislators/Governor of AZ - they only did their job as they saw it) now have to live in fear. Why? Because a punk and his buddies could write script and do a simple SQL injection?

That's WAY wrong. From every angle. It's criminal, and only scum would do such a thing. And THAT is indefensible and inexcusable.

I've noticed that you tend to react very emotionally to these sorts of events. I'm also starting to suspect that your emotional reactions have some pretty big blind spots, but that's not the main point. The issue is that this sort of hot-under-the-collar rhetoric has a tendency to inflame others and suppress more reasoned debate. I for one prefer to avoid getting angry- anger causes us to act rashly, and that seldom ends well. In fact, it causes us to act a lot like them.

How sweet it is:

http://www.neowin.net/news/the-real-reason-lulzsec-called-it-quits-they-were-exposed

The exposers exposed.  Petard, goose gander, all that.

Oh, you see that's what I don't like about these discussions, you always are asked to choose what side you are on.  Why can't we just be onlookers? 

I think hacking into someone's computer or network, while not only illegal, is just downright wrong. This group showed no matter how much you think your information is secure, it is not.

Hacking these systems was illegal and it did provide the users with helpful information on where their system's security is lacking. Leaking personal information obtained through that hacking is downright wrong and malicious.  They need to be punished.

I don't recall threads about the China/N. Korea hacking incidents or the Russian Mob cyber crime incidents. Anyhow, seems this group of teenagers, operating out of their parent's basements, should be castrated and then, for good measure, drawn and quartered. Seems like a pretty vile punishment, Hitler was vile... hmm...

Is it necessary to take the high road, all the time?

I'd be quite content to sit back and let the hackers and homeland boys fight each other until there's nothing left, but unfortunately the very reason why I don't like them is because every time they do something they catch up a whole load of innocent bystanders.

Hmmm, aren't bystanders the ones that allow things to happen, so they really can't be all that innocent or am I mistaken.  I'm thinking the late 30's and Germany.

While you're right in your context, Philly - I think Scoutdog was thinking of the 84,000 (correct number?) of websites which were incorrectly shut down by Homeland Security in an action against Piracy:  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/27/technology/27torrent.html

In an ideal society, no man is an island (J. Donne) is what Philly's referring to.

Actually I was thinking back to my father, all he had to do is look at me and say 'Okay, what did you do?'.

Posting things like a few of you have about killing them (or even wishing them dead), celebrating when their scalps are hanging somewhere etc. etc. just perpetuates this cycle and I find that is the real travesty here. 

Someone posted that he/she believes there is only right and wrong.  To me there is only love and hate.  Those types of comments are not love, they are hate and you know what hate does?  It breeds more hate.  You may celebrate "victory" today or sometime in the future, but you WILL see this sort of thing happen again and again as long as hate is the overbearing reaction to actions like this.

Love in this case would be to seek to punish/redirect the lives of those individuals in the manner a good parent does.  We chastise our children and then we modify their behaviour (even if they've cost us tons of money or physical harm) because we love them.  Who's to say these individuals can't be convinced to help those security specialists who (especially now) have their hands full trying to understand what/how this has happened.  Most often when children "act out" it's because they are bored and attention-seeking, some adults deal with life in the same manner.  Give a person's life real meaning and even the most "worthless scum of the earth" human has a potential purpose.

Go ahead (the some of you) and hate away.  Just know by doing so (commenting in the manner you are) you are helping to breed the next generation of cyber-warriors.  Of course it's not like those of you posting things like that would think for one second to take resposibility for same.  That would be just too much like wanting to really solve this problem.   

@ Philly: Huh???                           

Assumes two facts not in evidence, so who's perpetuating what 'cycle', as you put it?

I suppose things have changed.  When I grew up, and it has been awhile, we didn't look to others to give meaning to our life, that came from within each of us. 

Now for a purpose, it was to be there when our parents called for us and we had better not take our time getting there. 

I know, I'm a confused as much as anyone else.