The folks here at SecurityPimp.net have been doing this Information Security thing for some time.  Back in the early days knowledge, tools, and training usually took place on a hidden BBS, and later private IRC’s. But as technology and the internet have evolved so has the training methods and sharing in our hacking community.

It’s always good to learn new things or how to do old things even better. It’s that thirst for knowledge that lead myself to a FREE subscription to a new Information Security & Hacking electronic publication known as “Hakin9”.  How I came to know about this publication I do not remember but I’m sure it had something to do with the free issues and some decent talking points on the cover. 

Who doesn’t like free stuff? Over the next few months I received more links for issues to download for free. Then around Fall/Winter of 2011 things changed. The “Hakin9” publication was going to start charging for their electronic monthly issues.  No big deal I will pay a fair price for quality content. And so far so good right?

About that price.. So I click on the “Subscribe Now” link and see a price of $180 for a 1 year subscription. Or if you break it down $15 a month (the cost of a decent tablet, 3 x monthly Netflix subscription, 2 x annual Amazon Prime).  So does this include any swag, extra tools, access to member forums or anything special? Nope.. $180 for the magazine for 1 person (guess that means others can’t read your magazine). 

About that magazine.. After the first 2 issues I had downloaded I realized there was not too much “new” content included, it almost felt like a version of 2600 quarterly but with cheaper content (and no cool phone pictures). Since then I have mostly tuned out the entire publication and everything associated with it. The most interaction I have these days is seeing the Hakin9 emails spamming my garbage email account at least 2 times a week (over 300 in the past year alone) begging to buy their wares..

Then the other day I found this little gem on our twitter timeline.

Which leads you here an email thread on the Nmap boards which outlines how Hakin9 got trolled by some of their “volunteer” authors. Judging by how hard they spammed my inbox just to sell the product I can only imagine how hard these guys were spammed to give them FREE product to sell in their magazine.

So you start off with something decent and catch everyone’s attention, then modify your business model to disgust and gouge your customers. Then after charging an inflated fee for your mediocre product you do not even bother to proof read the content you sell?

And with support drying up very quickly hopefully we just see another fly by night security outfit go out into that good night..