Computer hacking is a marvelous piece of art, practiced by
prodigies in the field of computers. Read on to know what computer hacking is
actually.
A trip to the world of computer hacking, whether ethical or
unethical, can be a fascinating experience for any individual. The term is
often perceived as glamorous and chic, despite its darker side. Computer
hacking is basically an alteration of computer hardware or software, in order
to accomplish a goal which is outside the creator's original purpose. A
standalone computer is less vulnerable to hacking, as compared to a computer on
a private or public network. In case of standalone computers, it is necessary
to get the hands on the computer machine, whereas, in case of computers on
network, unauthorized access can be gained without actually handling the
machine.
Computer hacking is both an art and science, for the people
who try to break into protected or unprotected networks. Art, because it
involves creativity which is equivalent to the painting of a beautiful
landscape, and science because of its technical aspects. People practicing
unethical hacking, generally tend to steal personal information, change a
corporation's financial data, break security codes to gain unauthorized network
access, or conduct other destructive activities. There are two kinds of people
who indulge in computer hacking, namely those who develop an interest in it out
of simple intellectual curiosity, and others with less noble motives. But the
common traits amongst all hackers is that they possess technological savvy, are
willing to take the risks and are passionate about various programming
languages.
Computer hacking invariably involves some degree of
infringement on the privacy of others, breaching the network security, and thus
causing damage to confidential files, web pages or software. It may also
involve downloading or alteration of files through unauthorized access, and the
impact resulting from such activities will vary from being simply inquisitive
to being illegal. However, many big shot companies often hire a team of
hackers, in order to probe into their own loopholes. These individuals use
their skills to find flaws in the company's security system, and to prevent
them from getting discovered by unethical hackers. In most cases, ethical
hacking helps to prevent identity theft and other serious computer-related
crimes.
Depending on the domain of their work, there are basically
three types of hackers. A white hat hacker is the one who breaks security for
non-malicious purposes. These purposes may range from testing the security
system, to finding the major loopholes in the network. Such people normally
follow the legitimate ways and work within the precincts of cyber laws. The
second category includes the black hat hackers, who generally subvert computer
security without authorization, with the help of viruses and various other
hacking tools. These hackers use technology for vandalism, credit card fraud or
identity theft. The third category includes grey hat hackers, whose domain of
work lies mid-way between black hat and white hat hackers. They are of
ambiguous ethics and work on the borderline of legality.
The best way to learn computer hacking is to master
programming languages like Python, C/C++, Java, Perl, and LISP because these
particular languages teach the programmer a very different approach towards
problem solving and algorithms. This in turn provides a stronger hold on the
machine and its components. However, it is not possible to reach the skill
level of a hacker, just by accumulating various languages in the knowledge box.
It is important to learn the algorithms and working of computers in general. It
is also necessary to gain knowledge about the operating system and the various
important files which are used by it.
Computer hacking is an interesting way to discover the
myriad latent aspects of the wonderful world of computers. The more one tries
to learn about it, the more one gets inquisitive about the different domains he
can probe into. However, one should always try to understand and follow cyber
laws, before trying out one's hand at hacking.
