'Hak5', Where WPA Cracking Is Child's Play

Some people buy a new phone and download a couple ringtones, other people unlock it and get homebrew applications that let them use it as a TV remote.

Some people get a PSP for Christmas so they can get their Metal Gear fix on the road, other people get a PSP so they can get their Metal Gear fix on the road – the original Metal Gear, emulated from the MSX.

The second kind of person is the kind of person that would be most likely to watch Revision3’s Hak5, a show that has been covering the hottest topics in technological hackery since 2005. Now in its fifth season, each episode is hosted by Darren Kitchen, Matt Lestock, and Shannon Morse; together, they combine their powers (and natural curiosity about technology) to explore topics in IT and consumer tech you won’t see on cable TV.

Recent topics include: homebrew software for the Nintendo Wii, plenty of Wi-Fi hacking (including DNS tunneling, WPA password sniffing, and breaking through network firewalls – all of which can be used to get you free Internet access), bypassing Windows passwords, and how-to hacking guides that help you get your feet wet in VoIP, Virtualization, and other hot tech topics.

Would-be watchers take note, however; Hak5 is not to be watched lightly. Each episode tends to clock in at 30-45 minutes and cover only two or three topics at most, which is great for providing a comprehensive introduction into any given topic but far longer than the five minute web series attention span that most shows cater to.

Watching Hak5 is more like leafing through a professional interest magazine; rather than show off a few cool things and point you to external resources, Darren, Matt, and Shannon take pains to show you everything step-by-step. Hak5 is great for the visual learner. What’s more, the show has been running for five seasons, and their archive is a veritable cornucopia for tech tutorials, so anyone with a little curiosity and a lot of time ought to stop by and check the show out. What’s more, there’s a Wiki, forums, and a chat room all attached to the surrounding Hak5 community, in case you’re looking for more people to talk tech with.