Owner of controversial hacker-for-hire website steps forward

A Colorado cyber security expert is the creator of a controversial site that connects hackers with people looking to hire them.

Monument resident Charles Tendell had taken credit for starting HackersList.com last year.

The 32-year-old Iraq war veteran said consumers are most at-risk and yet the least protected when it comes to online crimes like social media hacks, and his website seeks to give them options.

“Instead of paging through the phone book or going to one of those dark and seedy places on the internet, you have a full website where you can read reviews, you can interact with people and message and you don’t have to worry about your privacy being invaded,” said Tendell.

Information technology professionals have concerns about it though, saying it will invite hackers to commit crimes for or even against the customers seeking their help. And, there are posts on the website asking hackers to change school grades or hack into a university server to steal a copy of a test.

Tendell is a certified ethical hacker and he said there are roadblocks in place online to make sure illegal jobs don’t go through. After a person and a hacker agree on a price for a job, Tendell’s team reviews the details. The team asks questions. Tendell used the example of a request found on the site asking a hacker to access a spouse’s email account to see if they are cheating.

“Do you have permission to do this? Does your husband know you’re accessing this information? Do you have some sort of written permission to be able to access what you’re accessing?” said Tendell.

A hacker and employer must also sign a legal agreement protecting both parties.

Once the job is completed, it is reviewed again. If it doesn’t look legal, the website’s staff steps in.

“This project can’t be processed through Hacker’s List, sorry, have a nice day,” said Tendell.

He said the site has processed 250 legal jobs since it launched in October.

The ethical hacker is proud of his title and proud of the website.

“Creative exploration of computer and technology is what it means to be a hacker, it’s not break in and steal your personal secrets and take over the world,” said Tendell.

He said the world wouldn’t be what it is today without hackers exploring cyberspace.