Computer And Network Security Systems example essay topic

According to three websites, the general definition of the word "hacker", are: web states, "Computer users who understand the 'ins and outs' of computers, networks, and the Internet in general". web stated, "The term used to describe computer users who attempt to gain unauthorized access to sites. Some hackers perform security audits for companies for a fee; other hackers steal information from companies for their own personal gain". Finally, web states, "People who break into computer systems with the intention of causing destruction". Personally, the definition of the word hacking / hackers is a computer enthusiast, someone who is extremely proficient or obsessive about programming, programming languages and or computer systems & networks. Hacking is a state of mind. Curiosity is the main point; a hacker always wants to know more about information, depending on his / her taste.

It is the curiosities which makes them learn more and more quickly than another person of the same age. Traditionally hackers were regarded as "geeks", who knew everything about computers (hardware and software) and networks. They are very intelligent programmers. The term hacker was popularized by Steven Levy in his famous book "Hackers: Heroes of Computer Revolution". When he said hacker, he meant brilliant, constructive programmer who led the way to the computer revolution. If I still don't acknowledge the courtesies of hackers, Eric S. Raymond reminds me what the hackers have done for us: 'Hackers built the Internet.

Hackers made the UNIX operating system what it is today. Hackers run Usenet. Hackers make the World Wide Web work. If you are part of this culture, if you have contributed to it and other people in it know who you are and call you a hacker, you " re a hacker... ' (The Hackers Jargon File Hard Cover) In days long gone by, a "hacker" was someone who spent an inordinate amount of time engaged in the activity of 'hacking' at a keyboard. This slang term was eventually corrupted into an insult.

Over time, the insult spread to other professions, but the term "hacker" continued to apply to people who spent the late hours hunched over a keyboard. Eventually, computers began to reach the student community at colleges, schools and in public libraries. Such students were considered computer enthusiasts. These were often young people with curious natures and highly devoted to whatever their interest.

Since computing resources were scarce, competition for access to them were fierce. These people began to explore the limits of their access to these systems. Other "hackers", at the time, attempted to distance themselves from this reputation by referring to these people as "crackers" (for their efforts to crack encryption keys, algorithms, and passwords), but the public media never really accepted this terminology. Today, the word 'hacker', in popular usage, refers to someone who penetrates computer and network security systems. People blame hackers for every bad thing that happens to them online.

This really makes the life of a hacker misery. "They are the criminals of the cyber world", as the general public thinks. It's not true. They are called crackers. Hackers usually have malicious desire to destroy networks and its data. People don't understand the positive aspect of hacking.

Say you are the network administrator and some one hacks into your network and informs you the loop holes in your system, then wouldn't you be happy? I think unless you think like a "hacker", your network / site can never be more secured. No network in this world is 100% secured! After all we are all human beings.