Cyber World: A Brief Introduction on Hackers And Hacking

What is Hacking?

• Breaking in to someone else‘s computer system, often on a network

• Bypasses passwords or licenses in computer programs

• Or in other ways intentionally breaches computer security;

But this is not hacking actually, it is Cracking.

In the media the word hacking is often used instead of cracking, someone that breaks into systems to damage it, or for the purpose of getting illegitimate access to resources. Hackers have a bad name primarily because of the way the media spreads reports of ‘hacking’.

Real Meaning of Hacking:

Hacking is exploring the details of systems and how to stretch their capabilities, as opposed to most users, who prefer to learn only the minimum necessary.

Who are Hacker?

A hacker is one who’s really good at what he does with computers and networks. A peon who enjoys learning details. Hackers seek knowledge and are not afraid of solving problems.

Hackers are a type of network defenders and security professionals. Without breaking laws or stealing data, hacker test the security of information Systems in order to find the places where Criminal Hackers could gain access to the Information Systems being tested.

Hacker is a dedicated programming expert who believes in sharing his expertise and experiences with other hackers. A hacker does not believe in vandalizing or maliciously destroying data, or in stealing data of any kind.

Who is a Cracker?

There is another group of people who loudly call themselves hackers but aren't.

These are people who get a kick out of breaking into computers and phreaking the phone system. Real hackers call these people ‘crackers’ and want nothing to do with them. Real hackers mostly think crackers are lazy, irresponsible and not very bright and object that being able to break security doesn't make you a hacker any more than being able to hot-wire cars make you an automotive engineer. Unfortunately many journalists and writers have been fooled into using the word ‘hacker’ to describe ‘cracker’. This irritates real hacker no end.

Crackers use their knowledge of computers to commit a multitude of computer crime ranging from disruption of services, fraud, and theft, destruction of property, all the way up to and including, espionage and terrorism.

Crackers are those who give hackers a bad name because most of the people cannot distinguish the two. Somebody who breaks into other’s computer system or digs into their code is cracker. À cracker can be doing this for profit, maliciously, or for some curiosity.

Hackers build things, Crackers breaks them

A “hacker” is a brilliant and respected computer programmer or technical expert – A ‘cracker’ is someone who tries to break into your computer or files without your knowledge and or permission.

What is Ethical Hacking?

With the growth of the Internet, computer security has become a major concern for businesses and governments. They want to be able to take advantage of the internet for electronic commerce, advertising, information distribution and access, and other pursuits, but they are worried about the possibility of being hacked.

In their search for a way to approach the problem, organizations came to realize that one of the best ways to evaluate the intruder threat to their interests would be to have independent computer security professionals attempt to break into their computer systems. This scheme is similar to having independent auditors come into an organization to verify its bookkeeping records. In the case of computer security, these “tiger teams’ or “ethical hackers’ would employ the same tools and techniques as the intruders, but they would neither damage the target systems nor steal information. Instead, they would evaluate the target systems’ security and report back to the owners with the vulnerabilities they found and instructions for how to remedy them.

Ethical Hacking is also called as White hat hacking. It is purposefully seeking out vulnerabilities that a criminal or malicious hacker could exploit. A person who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and how to stretch their capabilities and one who is capable of creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations is known as Ethical Hacker.

Ethical Hackers learn their skills many different ways, such as self-taught through books, attended either in peon or via the Internet, or plain, old-fashioned trial-and-error. Many of these Ethical Hackers are reformed, or former Crackers. They learned their skills and gained their abilities the same way as the current Crackers.

What is Criminal Hacking?

Criminal Hacking on the other hand, is seeking out vulnerabilities in information systems that can exploited for malicious or criminal purposes. Criminal hacking is also known as Black hat hacking or Cracking. Criminal hacking can result in loss of system availability, loss of data, loss of customer’s identities, and possibly loss of customers.

Criminal computer hacking is any act committed by a person with detailed knowledge of computers who uses this information to accomplish acts of terrorism, vandalism, credit and debit card fraud, identity theft, intellectual property theft, and other forms of computer-related crimes. Computer hacking always involves some type of infringement on the privacy of others or some type of damage to computer-based property. Computer hacking can be done for numerous reasons, including the commission of fraudulent acts intended to secure financial gain at the expense of businesses or consumers.

Another group of criminal hackers claim to be noble political idealists; they call themselves or are called hacktivists and they deface Web sites that they think belong to political enemies. In the recent Kosovar war, both sides in the conflict damaged each other’s’ Web sites. For example, hackers in China and in Taiwan have been attacking Web sites in each other’s countries for years.

Levels of hacker

Anyone can become a hacker, regardless of age, gender, or race. Given this, skills vary widely from one malicious hacker to the next. Some hackers barely know how to surf the Internet, whereas others write software that other hackers and ethical hackers alike depend on. Depending on the Skill set, Hackers can be categorized as:

1. Script Kiddies

These are people, usually kids, who are attracted by the seemingly magical powers that hacking gives them. Since they know so little about computers, they don’t really know how to hack themselves but instead follow recipes or “scripts” developed by real hackers. They take advantage of the hacker tools and documentation available for free on the internet but don’t have any knowledge of what’s going on behind the scene.

2. Admins

These halfway hackers usually know just enough to cause serious problems. But they do not create their own tools or scripts for hacking. They use the tools developed by coders.

They know about computers and networks, and often use well-known exploits, which are developed by the Experts. Admins are knowledgeable person. They have the knowledge of tools, script, codes etc. which they use whereas Script Kiddies do not have any kind of knowledge related to tools they are using.

3. Coders

These are skilled Hacking Experts. These are the people who develop many of the Hacking Tools, including the Scripts and other programs that the Script Kiddies use. These folks write such Malware as Viruses and Worms.

They can break into system and cover their tracks and can even make it look like someone else hacked the systems.

Types of Hacking

Getting access into a system gain be done with authorization or without authorization. Depending on the conditions, hacking can be categories into the following types.

1. Black Hat Hacking

A black hat hacker, also known as a cracker or a dark side hacker. Black hat hacker uses his skills with a criminal intent. Black Hat Hackers break into secure networks to destroy data or make the network unusable for those who are authorized to use the network.

Black hat hackers do not follow any particular ethic, and break into systems for no other reason than to commit a crime of some sort. These are the types of hackers that are most covered in the media, and are often the focus of legislation and public outcry. It is the actions of black hat hackers that have generated a negative image for hacking.

Some examples are: cracking bank accounts in order to make transferences to their own accounts, stealing information to be sold in the black market, or attacking the computer network of an organization for money.

2. White Hat Hacking

White hat hacker uses their skills and knowledge as a way to defend someone from attackers. À white hat hacker breaks security for non-malicious reasons, for instance testing their own security system.

White hat hackers are members of the security industry hired specifically to test and find security Vulnerabilities in production systems and applications.

A company might hire a white hat hacker to attempt to breach their networks and systems without their knowledge. White hat hackers are obviously not going to cause any damage for their clients, and their intent is to strengthen the security measures a client takes against attack. They do not break any laws, as their access to the network, while using the same methods that a malicious hacker (or “cracker”) might use, is perfectly authorized by prior contract.

This type of hacker enjoys learning and working with computer systems, and consequently gains a deeper understanding of the subject. The word ‘hacker’ originally included people like this, although a hacker may not be someone into security.

3. Gray Hat Hacking

Gray hat hacker lies between a black hat hacker and white hat hacker. They usually do not hack for personal gain or have malicious intentions, but may be prepared to technically commit crimes during the course of their technological exploits in order to achieve better.

Cyber Laws

Cyber law is a term used to describe the legal issues related to use of communications technology, particularly “cyberspace”, i.e. the Internet. It is less a distinct field of law in the way that property or contract are, as it is an intersection of many legal fields, including intellectual property privacy, freedom of expression, and jurisdiction. In essence, cyber law is an attempt to apply laws designed for the physical world to human activity on the Internet.

There is no one exhaustive definition of the term “Cyber law”. Simply speaking, Cyber law is a generic term which refers to all the legal and regulatory aspects of Internet and the World Wide Web.

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