Johnny Long is one of CSC’s premier security researchers in CSC’s Enforcement, Security and Intelligence group. In his latest book, No Tech Hacking: A Guide to Social Engineering, Dumpster Diving and Shoulder Surfing, Long reveals the non-technical threats organizations face, and provides no-nonsense advice on how to address them. In addition to his research, he also devotes time to Hackers for Charity. The nonprofit organization provides technical services to charities worldwide, and donates computers and schools supplies to children in need. Johnny spoke with csc.com about how the charity started, and how it’s making a difference.

“My wife went to Uganda, Africa, and worked with an organization called AOET that is helping to empower orphans left behind because of HIV or AIDS. I saw her video footage and I was really moved, because I saw all these kids that didn’t have anything. And it intrigued me enough to go with her the following year. I was thinking I’d do some sort of manual labor, dig trenches or build orphanages.

But as we got closer to the trip I started to realize that they, as an organization, had this incredible need for computer help. In their office they would process kids that needed sponsorships. And the process that they would go through was incredibly painful, with many different computers. And I thought, man, they really need a network. So when I went to Uganda, I basically installed a wireless network in the office with some other team members. And it literally streamlined the process so that they could get more kids sponsored. So my simple basic computer skills—forget all this high-tech hacking stuff—basic networking skills were literally saving lives. And that was really powerful.

When I got back to the United States, the problem haunted me because I looked around and I saw that we had so much. Not just food and houses, but we had so much in the way of technology and expertise. And that’s where Hackers for Charity was born. The idea was to take hackers, who have amazing skills, and connect those skills with charities that need help, that can’t afford it. Hackers would come to us, and we’d put them to work on micro projects helping charity. And we’d help build their resume. That was the idea. Since then, it’s taken off so fast that I can barely hang onto it.

We’re not just doing this technology initiative where we help charities with technology. We’re building classrooms and taking donations from conferences. You know, the pens and pencils and conference bags and all this swag that conferences give away? We take that and turn it into school supplies to give to kids in underdeveloped countries. So, between building classrooms and pulling together school supplies and working on technology projects, we’ve actually got quite a movement going.

And it’s been really encouraging to see that hackers, who have gotten a bad rap for a long time, have an opportunity to show that there’s another side to them. It’s been incredible to see the work that’s been done as a result.”

To learn more, and donate, visit www.hackersforcharity.org.