It's the same thing I understood. It's not like malware authors are digitalized as in Tron and you need hackers to get them. :)
unless they are stupid enough to have told their mates about it then you pretty much do. What is the EXACT definition of a "hacker" anyway? If i find a password in a dustbin and use it i have hacked in. If i do a messy code mod to a program i have written a hack by hacking. Tracking down people internationally (foreign ISPs dont usually just give up info) requires a bit of "skill" too i imagine.If i break your firewalls and look for evidence on your drives or even smash the door down take your box back to the police lab i also have to "hack" it to get what i want.
Do people really think the top security professionals (at least the ones who are equal or ahead in the field) learned that stuff being well behaved college boys and all have clean noses? I wouldnt be surprised if half the FBI's computer crime division are not caught hackers on "deals", or have a history they simply don't discuss. :P