Ethical hacking plays a critical role in cybersecurity by identifying vulnerabilities in software, applications, and online services before they can be exploited by malicious actors. Students Michael Debono, Giorgio Grigolo, Luke Bjorn Scerri, Luke Collins, and their lecturer Dr Mark Joseph Vella, exposed security flaws in the FreeHour app, thereby safeguarding the personal data of all students who use the platform. By alerting FreeHour, rather than exploiting the vulnerabilities found or making these flaws public, it is clear that these students and lecturer were acting in good faith, and their actions have likely prevented the misuse of sensitive data.

For these reasons, the Malta Chamber of Scientists believes that the charges brought against the students and their lecturer should be dropped.