Computer Hackers

As the world becomes more and more reliant on computers

the computer hacking industry is greatly rising. With

people such as Kevin Mitnick, who is known as a "computer

terrorist" (Kjochaiche 1), computerized information isn't

safe any more. Kevin is known as "the most high-profiled

computer criminal and responsible for more havoc in the

computer world today."(1) He considered this a fun and easy

task. He got caught and thrown into prison, but once he got

out nothing changed. Kevin stated that as long as the

technology is there it just calls to people to break into

it.

Computer hackers usually start off young, thinking that

it is nothing but a little harmless fun. But as they get

older, they realize it has turned into an addiction. The

definition of a hacker according to the Hacker's

Dictionary, "a person who enjoys exploring the details of

programmable systems and how to stretch their

capabilities."(Hackers 1) "The Internet is just another

playing field." (Kjochaiche 3) "Hackers regard hacking as a

game in which their mind is up against that of the system

designers." (Hackers 3) The Internet allows the hackers to

take files, programs, passwords, and other information from

users that are using it. They use this as a tool to make it

easier to beat "the system".

There are three major types of hackers, one with good

intentions but gets slapped in the face due to the bad

reputation of others, there are the hackers with bad

intentions, and there are the hackers that fit in between.

The bad hacker category is the largest by far. "A bad

hacker's motives are to punish someone or retaliate against

the owner of a computer system."(2) Computer terrorists fall

under this category. Some bad hackers may also hack just to

challenge the programmer. The hacker feels that if they can

break into it then they are much more superior than the

person who actually wrote the software. They can feel so

superior that they might enter a virus to eliminate a

program that was not worthy of their abilities. One of the

other many goals of a hacker is to steal passwords.

Hackers can steal your password about four different

ways. Intercepting your password through email is "not that

difficult."(How are they getting my password? 1) This is by

far the easiest method because all they have to do is take

the email as it is being sent to you. Hackers can also use

a program called a password cracker to actually learn you

password. There are two types of theses but both have their

own problems. The first "checks every password possible from

the entry site." (1) The second uses a program that goes in

and reads the passwords off. The problem with both is that

you have to "get the cracker into the site, undetected"(1)

You also must cover you trail. Some prefer the manual method

first. "There are actually lists of 100(or more) most-used

passwords."(2) Hackers have reported that, "a simple

password that appears in the English dictionary will take

about an hour or less for a hacker to crack."(4) "This is

not considered a long time to a hacker."(Brian 2) Third,

they use what is called web spoofing. This is the most

dangerous because they see what every you are doing. They

can get you passwords plus any other information you might

have. This web spoofing is caused by a middle man who can

redirect information from your page, to his page, to the

page you were sending the information to. "The middle man

sees all."(How are they getting my password? 3) This is

above all the easiest way to get any information that they

might want or need. The last method is through Java.

Through a program they can hack into a computers hard drive

through your Java program. That is why if you can avoid

keeping your passwords on your hard drive do it. Some

people keep their passwords on three by five cards and store

them which is allot safer.

The best method to securing yourself is always backing

up files. That way if a virus or hacker crashes you

computer you will safe. Another very safe method is to

change your password often and don't use the same password

for everything. "If they already know another