Intent matters. If you are breaking encryption to steal stuff, that is (and should be) illegal.
I think the real question here should be whether it is immoral though, because it is trivially illegal. Consider the DMCA and penalties for circumventing DRM.
Heck, if you are decrypting stuff that is classified, intent might not even matter.
I think the real question here should be whether it is immoral though, because it is trivially illegal. Consider the DMCA and penalties for circumventing DRM. Heck, if you are decrypting stuff that is classified, intent might not even matter.