White hats gain unauthorised access and inform the admins that their systems are insecure, perhaps they should be thrown in a jail cell? The distinction you're

White hats gain unauthorised access and inform the admins that their systems are insecure, perhaps they should be thrown in a jail cell? The distinction you're missing here between Assange and an actual criminal (in the eyes of a fair citizen) is intent. The average citizen does not want laws that punish people working in the public interest