HACKING

                                                                     HACKING 

 

Hacking is the term used to describe acts aimed at compromising digital devices such as computers, cellphones, tablets, and even entire networks. While hacking isn't necessarily for harmful objectives, most references to hacking, and hackers, currently describe it as illegal cybercriminal activity motivated by monetary gain, protest, information gathering (spying), or even just for the "joy" of the challenge. 

WHO ARE HACKERS: Hacking is usually a technological endeavour (like creating malvertising that deposits malware in a drive-by attack requiring no user interaction). However, hackers can utilise psychology to persuade a user to open a harmful attachment or provide sensitive information. "Social engineering" is the term for these techniques. In fact, most, if not all, malware and malicious cyberattacks on the computing public, businesses, and governments can be classified as hacking. 

                                                              TYPES OF HACKING:

 

Theft of credit card numbers or scamming banking systems are examples of illicit financial gain.

Next, some hackers are motivated by acquiring street cred and burnishing their status within the hacker community by leaving their mark on websites they vandalise as proof that they carried out the breach. 

Then there's corporate espionage, in which hackers from one organisation trying to steal information about a competitor's products and services to acquire a competitive advantage. Finally, entire countries participate in state-sponsored hacking to steal business and/or national intelligence, undermine their adversaries' infrastructure, or foment division and uncertainty in the target country. ( China and Russia are widely believed to have carried out such assaults, including one on Forbes.com. Furthermore, the recent hacking attempts on the Democratic National Committee [DNC] grabbed headlines, especially after Microsoft revealed that the hackers accused of getting into the DNC used previously unknown holes in Microsoft's Windows operating system and Adobe Systems' Flash software. There have also been hacking incidents courtesy of the US government. 

DANGERS OF HACKING: Computer risks are created by people, not computers. For their own gain, computer predators prey on others. When a predator has access to the Internet — and your computer — the threat to your security grows exponentially. Computer hackers are unauthorised users who gain access to computers to steal, alter, or delete data, generally by installing malicious software without your knowledge or agreement. Their devious strategies and in-depth technological understanding enable them to gain access to the information you don't want them to have. 

WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT HACKERS CAN DO TO YOU? 

While your computer is linked to the Internet, spyware installed by a hacker silently communicates your personal and financial information without your awareness or agreement. Alternatively, a computer predator could prey on the personal information you accidentally divulged. They will be able to do the following in either case: 

1. Your usernames and passwords have been stolen.
2. Steal your money and use your name to obtain credit cards and bank accounts.
3. Your credit will be ruined.
4. Make a new account request Additional credit cards or personal identification numbers (PINs)
5. Purchases are made
6. To make it easier to use your credit, add themselves or an alias that they control as an authorised user.
7. Take out a cash advance
8. Your Social Security number can be used and abused.
9. Sell your personal information to third parties for nefarious or illegal purposes. (Predators who stalk people while they're online can be dangerous. When consenting to meet an internet "friend" or acquaintance in person, exercising utmost caution is always the safest way to stay safe.) 

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT COMPUTER HACKERS AND PREDATORS:

If you arm yourself with information and resources, you'll be more knowledgeable about computer security threats and less exposed to threat methods. Hackers and predators are both dangerous, yet they represent quite distinct hazards. 

When you're online, keep yourself safe.

• Check the accuracy of personal accounts regularly and deal with any anomalies as soon as possible.
• When visiting chat groups or uploading personal Web pages, exercise utmost caution.
• Personal information should be kept to a minimum on personal Web pages.
• Keep an eye out for predatory conduct from online "friends" or acquaintances.
• Personal and financial information should not be discussed online.
• When consenting to meet an online "friend" or acquaintance in person, proceed with caution.

Preventing Hacking: Security Tips

• Make use of a two-way firewall.
• Regularly update your operating system.
• Increase the security settings of your browser.
• Stay away from dubious websites.
• Only download software from reputable sources. Before downloading free software or file-sharing applications, give them a thorough examination. 

Use secure email and virus/malware protection.

• Unknown senders should not be opened.
• Delete any texts you suspect are spam right away.
• Check to see if you have the finest security software on your computer:
• Make use of anti-virus software.
• Protect yourself with anti-spyware software. 

There's a mania about hackers that's comparable to the hysteria over witchcraft.' 

SOME FAMOUS HACKING CASES: 

Whether or not hacking is prosecuted as a federal crime, some of the most well-known hacking instances demonstrate that hacking almost always results in some form of damage. Consider the following cases and the hackers involved: 

• Kevin Poulsen, a seventeen-year-old hacker, accessed a variety of computer networking systems in 1983. He continued to break into computers until 1991 when he was apprehended. He was sentenced to four years in jail in 1994. 
• One of the most talented hackers reported in American history is Adrian Lamo. Adrian has been known to make his way into highly secured systems of big-name businesses like McDonald's, AOL, Cingular, and even NBC's news network during an interview between a news anchor and himself.  Although under the Government's watch for years, this hacker is currently free and works as a computer expert in security. 
• While a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, hacker Robert Tappen Morris is credited with inventing one of the first known computer worms. Although the worm caused thousands of dollars in damage to the school's computers, Robert Tappen Morris claims that he created it as an Internet experiment. Following his arrest, the court fined him $10,050.00 and ordered him to conduct 400 hours of community service as well as three years of probation. So, while he may be the first among hackers, it is a title he would willingly give up to avoid the penalties he faced.