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What is the meaning of Computer Hacking?

How can I Understand the World of Computer Hacking?


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The word hacking has such chilling connotations in the world today, especially when one is talking about computers and sensitive personal information. Hacking into a computer means someone has made changes to the computer’s hardware or programs in order to use them for something other than what it was created for. Someone who hacks into a computer or a computer system is called a hacker. Recently though, hackers have taken umbrage against the term that’s used to identify them. The connotation of the word has always been negative and is used to characterize people who are amateurish and inept. Hackers are now saying this is an insult to their very specialized talents.

The majority of hackers are teenagers or adults in their 20’s, but there are also some older hackers. Hackers are technology enthusiasts who love studying the ins and outs of computers and computer software. They think of hacking into a computer as a form of art and they are experts in programming or using one specific computer program. To them, hacking into computers is one way of using their skills in problem solving in the real world. Hacking also gives them the perfect opportunity to show off their skills. Most of the time, hackers don’t hack with the intent to do harm to other people.

A lot of these hackers are geniuses who just learned about computers on their own. Many big companies actually hire hackers to work in their tech support department. They use their talents to look for weaknesses in the security system employed by the company so that they can be fixed immediately. Hacking in this case is beneficial for everyone since the hacker can help people avoid falling victim to computer related crimes like identity theft.

Hacking into computers can also create new developments in technology that are helpful since the expertise one gains from it can also be used in more conventional undertakings. A good example is the case of Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie. The two were hackers who then developed the UNIX OS during the 1970s. The Unix was responsible for the creation of the Linux system. Another famous hacker who became even more famous in business is Shawn Fanning, the man who created Napster.

However, there are some hackers who have bad intentions when hacking. They are a far cry from people who became interested in the activity out of curiosity. These hackers are called “crackers” and they are the ones who steal a person’s private data or a company’s financial information. Some of these crackers also hack into systems to get access to networks or do other harmful activities. If caught doing this malicious hacking, a cracker can end up doing time in prison for 20 years or more.

It’s always a sound idea to develop a healthy interest on how to protect your personal computer against these vicious hackers. One great way of doing this would be to invest in a reliable firewall. Regularly checking for software updates is also another good way of protecting yourself. For instance, Microsoft has several security upgrades that are free and that help improve Internet Explorer, making it safer and better.
Nov 5th, 2012 at 7:52 PM
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