HACKER Essays - Hacker Culture, Hacking, Identity Theft, Free Essays

HACKER Essays - Hacker Culture, Hacking, Identity Theft, Free Essays The purpose of this essay is to construct a picture of what is a computer hacker, the motives and the way in which hacking takes place. Hackers are people who have been known as a serious hazard to society for actions related to breaching computer systems. Hackers may use a variety of ways to hack into a system. When a hacker is experienced and smart enough, he will use his telnet to access a shell on another machine so that the risk of getting caught is lower than doing it using their own system. Ways in which the hacker will break into the system are: (Hacking motives 2005) One way is that hacker takes guesses at the password or has a crack program to crack the password protecting the system. Second possible way, in which the hacker may get access to the system is to find back doors. This is where the hacker tries to find weaknesses in the system they are trying to enter. A hacker may also try to get into a system by using a program called a WORM. This program is specially programmed to suit the need of the user. This programmer continually tries to connect to a machine at over 100 times a second until eventually the system lets in and the worm executes its program. The program could be anything from getting password files to deleting files depending on what it has been programmed to do. (Hacking 2015) The only possible way to stop a hacker is by not having the computer connected to the net. This is mainly because hackers use a phone line to access the system. One of the main problems is that major companies need to be networked and accessible over the net so that employees can do overdue work or so that people can look up things on that company. There are some motives that hackers have for hacking such as: Some hackers use their skills for criminal activities. On a personal level, a hacker might break into someone's computer and take control of it. Then find passwords and financial information that he could use to defraud the individual. On a larger scale, groups of hackers might target companies as part of a wider criminal operation. On the other hand there are some hackers who use their skills to improve systems and security, informing companies of vulnerabilities so they can fix them. Hence, some companies are keen on hackers' skills to test out systems as a defensive measure. For example, Google runs competitions and invites people to find ways to breach systems. In 2014, it ran a "Pwnium" contest that gave cash prizes to anyone who could compromise various security levels of the Chrome OS. (Why Do People Hack 2014) According to me not every hacker hack for criminal gains. Some of this geniuses benefit society and help develop security. Bibliography: Hacking. NC state university. 2015 Available at: http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/abuse/hacking/study.php. [Accessed 20 March 2015]. Hacking motives, High tech brief crime. Australian Government, Australian institute of criminology, 2005. Available at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/htcb/htcb006.pdf [Accessed 13 March 2015]. Why Do People Hack? | eHow. 2014. 23 Oct. Available at: ehow.com/about_4673738_why-do-people-hack.html. [Accessed 20 March 2015].