I have here a copy of the first edition of The Hacker's Dictionary, published in 1983 (same year as the newspaper article cited).
Under the definition for "hacker", it lists multiple possibilities, including #7:
A malicious or inquisitive meddler who tries to discover information by poking around. For example, a "password hacker" is one who tries, possibly by deceptive or illegal means, to discover other people's computer passwords. A "network hacker" is one who tries to learn about the computer network (possibly because he wants to improve it or possibly because he wants to interfere -- one can tell the difference only by context and tone of voice).
I don't see anything indicating that this was considered a wrong or invalid definition at the time, just not a primary one.
The current incarnation of The Hacker's Dictionary, perhaps now better known as the Jargon File, seems fairly direct about the distinction between hacking and security breaching.
Under the definition for "hacker", it lists multiple possibilities, including #7:
A malicious or inquisitive meddler who tries to discover information by poking around. For example, a "password hacker" is one who tries, possibly by deceptive or illegal means, to discover other people's computer passwords. A "network hacker" is one who tries to learn about the computer network (possibly because he wants to improve it or possibly because he wants to interfere -- one can tell the difference only by context and tone of voice).
I don't see anything indicating that this was considered a wrong or invalid definition at the time, just not a primary one.
The current incarnation of The Hacker's Dictionary, perhaps now better known as the Jargon File, seems fairly direct about the distinction between hacking and security breaching.