Sometimes movies and TV shows depict computer hacking with some accuracy, like the dull coding grind and the subtle social engineering in Mr. Robot, but nearly all movies and TV shows depict hacking using the same tired tropes. House Of Cards — despite consulting with a real hacker — still featured an on-screen hacker played by Jimmi Simpson (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) who had an alternative pet and loved loud techno music and multiple oversized monitors. Swordfish and Blackhat wanted us to believe Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth were hackers. (And we had to Google the name of the Chris Hemsworth hacker movie that was released just last year; that’s how memorable it is.) And the less we say about the entirety of the ’90s, the better.
And so the parody above, by White Lightning HQ, hit all the right notes in lambasting hacker cliches from TV and movies. The best part may be finding out how Kyle “hacked” Joey’s website in the first place, but before that’s revealed they cycle through an absurd and escalating number of hacker tropes. As anyone who’s seen movies knows, the best way to hack is to mash the keys while wearing mirrored sunglasses (the dumber looking, the better) and a black trenchcoat. And if all else fails, skull GIF. That’s so l33t.
(Via Tastefully Offensive and White Lightning HQ)
