Hackers

Overview

Hacker refers to an individual tat intrudes into computer systems to learn about computer systems.  Is that true? Do hackers just break into computers and do they just break in to learn? No, that is not a true statement.  Hackers intrude on computers, telephones, you name it, a hacker can break into it. 

Who is the typical hacker? (demographics)

Through my research, I found that most researchers believe that the typical hacker is a young male, college student.  A college student with free internet at school and the time to spend on a computer.  Countless hours because of no job http://www.infowar.com/hacker/whohacks.html-ssi

Another site that offers a different idea of who the hackers are is ABC.com.  ABC did a story on women hackers and found a dozen women who hack for the same reason men do, the mastery of how things work http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/tech/DailNews/hackerwomen0000602.html

 Women hackers are sneaking into the light for a little recognition in the field.  They are even going for the hard stuff.  An interview was conducted on a woman named Clara (obviously not real name).  The interview was about how Clara liked hacking into DOSÕs, (Denial of Services).  This means that a system is shut down (usually military, corporate, or government targeted).  A challenge has appeared and the women are there to crack the code http://www.obn.org/hacker/claint.html

How to become a successful hacker

·                    Learn to program- Java, Unix, Linux, C

·                    Get one of the open-source UnixÕs and learn to use and run it

·                    Learn how to use the World Wide Web and write HTML

Hackers are very tricky individuals.  If they run into any problems while hacking , they will look at annual reports of the company, or even call employees on the phone.  When they call the employees they pretend to be the technician of the company say that the computers at work are having problems.  After explaining the problem, the employee believes that the ÒtechnicianÓ really works for that same company and gives them any information the hacker needs.  In a study, 90% of the employees called, gave their passwords to the hackers.  After the hacker has the password,  everything in the company fiscally and non fiscally is theirs. http://www.infowar.com/hacker/whohacks.html-ssi

Hackers will get jobs at the targeted organizations just to get their hands on secret information that could further their efforts to break in.  Jobs such as;

·                    Janitors

·                    Security guards

·                    Programmers

Many people would not think twice about taking a job as a janitor for minimum wage, if they could steal millions of dollars months laterÓ http://www.infowar.com/hacker/whohacks.html-ssi 

Interests

Hackers, men or women, are attracted to Star Trek or any SciFi movies or shows on television

 Terms

cracker = a criminal hacker who wants to profit from their skills.  They do not care about destroying company data, records, or future investments within the computer, they only want to get paid.  Cracker ranks include;

·                    loosely organized groups of criminals

·                    Major organized crime rigs

·                    Russian Mafia

·                    Drug cartels

·                    Terrorists

·                    Foreign governments

ÒPhreakersÓ = are in turn hackers for the telephone system.  They have

·                    Stolen telephone services

·                    Sold wire taps

·                    Disconnected telephone lines

·                    Rerouted telephone lines

Many Phreakers used to be hackers, but staying on the computer all day was too expensive for them.  They turned to the telephone system due to the fact that they did not have the money.

ÒSnifferÓ = an installed device that tracks and monitors system usersÕ keystrokes.  This is said to be the number one device for hackers in the new century, because a hacker can then determine the password/code much faster.

http://www.infowar.com/hacker/whohacks.html-ssi 

Is it Illegal?

Hackers believe what they do is not illegal.  An interview was conducted with a sixteen year old male who stole $1.7 million dollars in software from NASA.  He also downloaded government files just to learn how to use a certain program that helped him break into other systems.  He learned by studying books, and hands on time with the six computers in his room.  At times he would break into a system, email the organization who's system he had broken into, and tell them how easy it was for him.  He then would give them steps on how to improve their security system on their computers. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/fronline/shows/hackers/interview/anon.html 

Hackers do not feel that what they are doing is wrong.  On the contrary, some feel that by hacking into a security system on a computer, they are helping the government or companies by telling them how easy their security system is to break into.  Other hackers break into computer security codes as a challenge.  Their thrill is to break in and then leave. 

 Fact

*        The government is said to loose One million dollars a year, due to hackers skills of breaking    and entering into computer securities.

 Solutions

What Justice departments are doing about hackers;

*        Routers should have ingress filters to make sure IP addresses are valid

*        monitor and surveillance

*        Design secure networks and to secure the computers that are being compromised to launch               the distributed attacks from. 

Links of Interest

What is a hacker?

http://www.infowar.com/hacker/whohacks.html-ssi

Interview with a sixteen year old, male, college student who stole 1.7 million dollars in software from NASA

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/fronline/shows/hackers/interview/anon.html

What you must know to become a successful hacker

http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/tech/DailyNews/cyberchat0209.html

An interview with an ex-hacker

http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/ faqs/hacker-howto.html

Woman hackers interview

http://www.obn.org/hacker/claint.html

ABC news story on women hackers

http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/tech/DailNews/hackerwomen0000602.html