Hackers Use Programs example essay topic

Computer HackersOutlineThesis: Contrary to popular belief, not only do you not have to be smart to be a hacker, you do not even need to know much about computers. I. Hacking today. More like exploration in the 60's and 70'sB. Cannot call themselves hackers II. Different Types of hackers A. A hacker defined. A cracker defined. A defined.

You do not have to be intelligent A. Not like you have seen on television. Programs used are highly accessible on the Internet. Some start out with trial and error V. Online Legalities. Unauthorized access to, or use of a computer. Alteration or destruction of data without authorization. Theft of computer services.

Computer fraud (using a computer to commit other crimes) E. Denial of access to a computer. Unauthorized possession of passwords Hackers Many of the people in our society today often think that computer hackers are very smart individuals, who have special talents and abilities enabling them to crack passwords, enter mainframes, send viruses, and crash computer systems. Contrary to popular belief, not only do you not have to be smart to be a hacker, you do not even need to know much about computers. Modern day hacking usually ends in destruction of other peoples property, or changing important private information. Also, as stated by a 42-year-old security agent in San Francisco", 'Hacking in the 1960's and 1970's was a little more like gentlemanly exploring than it was taking things from people" ' (Weise). These days hackers cannot call themselves hackers without the threat of being called a "hacker wanna-be" or a "script kiddie".

A "hacker wanna-be" is the same thing as script kiddie, but is another slang term for a person who uses guess-work and programs that he did not write (Weise). Although, most people think of a hacker as someone who breaks into computers and sends viruses, there are several different types of hackers, broken up into three different groups. The first type of hacker is the hacker himself. The definition of a hacker is: " [hack$dr (h~ak = dr) ] One who enjoys the intellectual challenge of creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations" (Dictionary. com).

The second type is a cracker: " [crack$dr (cr~ak dr) ] An individual who attempts to gain unauthorized access to a computer system. These individuals are often malicious and have many means at their disposal for breaking into a [computer] system" (Dictionary. com). The third type is called a. "A is a [hacker] who engages in the art of phreaking": [-ing phone ] Phreaking is the art and science of cracking the telephone network so as, for example, to make free long-distance phone calls" (Dictionary. com).

You do not have to be intelligent to be a hacker. Movies today depict hackers tapping furiously away at the keyboard. It is made to look like he or she is typing seventy and eighty words a minute. You are able to see the hacker bypassing passwords and initiating viruses and it seems absolutely amazing. In real life, hackers do not work this way. They are not like you see them on television.

Hackers use programs that are highly accessible over the Internet. Anyone can download programs and use them as they please. The only thing a person has to do is connect to the Internet and type in what they are searching for at a search engine prompt, such as "hacker tools". Then, you wait and click on the best match of the results. After that, download the program of you choice.

Now you have your own set of hacker tools. You do not have to know what the programs do to use them. A good hacker site tells you what each program is, and what it does. Some hackers start out by using the trial and error method.

These types of hackers are also known as script kiddies. Script kiddies are hackers that have no idea what they are doing and try out different things to see what they do. They do not write their own programs and usually have little computer knowledge. (Weise) There are several legalities involved in hacking. Sometimes, hackers try to excuse themselves by saying that the company that they hacked into should have had better security. In an article in News Bank, Ms Bradford makes a good point when she says, Hackers always say that the door was open and they just went in.

If you have a front door locked, and the door gets kicked in, does that mean you have to put up a steel door? Then, if they come in through your window, does that mean you have to put up steel bars? Is it your fault if they keep coming in@ (Bradford)? There are actually very strict guidelines on the Internet of what you can and cannot do. The Book of Online Law states that it is illegal for you to have 'unauthorized access to, or use of a computer, alteration or destruction of data without authorization, theft of computer services, computer fraud (using a computer to commit other crimes), denial of an others access to a computer ' (Smedinghoff). Hacking is starting a program that grants you access to things you normally would not be able to do, or access.

You do not have to be smart to be a hacker. Anyone can get hacker tools and programs just by looking for them, downloading them, and then putting them to use. Modern day hacking is not how you see it on television. It is a simple process which any one can do using one of many programs that are available online. There are several different types of hackers. They each depend on what type of hacking is being done.

There is one last thing for you to be aware of, now that you know how easy it is to be a hacker. You have to be careful of all the many Internet legalities. You can get in serious trouble and not know you were doing anything wrong until it is too late..