"Unfortunately, this term has been twisted to have negative connotations, which it did not used to have." While the techniques used by hackers may become obsolete, I believe the mindset does not. Hackers look for weaknesses and, depending on their preferences, either exploit or try to fix them. And I believe that the good that hackers do is more important now than ever. "A good hacker can't just rely on tools." It's a combination of abilities, mindset, and motivation...the tools come second." "A fool with a tool is still a fool," as any pentester would say. It's all about attitude and perseverance."