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A stereotypical look of hacker is a lone rogue programmer who is highly skilled in coding and modifying computer software and hardware systems. However, this narrow view does not cover the true technical nature of hacking. Hackers are increasingly becoming sophisticated, using stealthy attack methods designed to go completely unnoticed by cybersecurity software and IT teams. They are also highly skilled in creating attack vectors that trick users into opening malicious attachments or links and freely giving up their sensitive personal data.
As a result, modern-day hacking involves far more than just an angry kid in their bedroom. It is a multibillion-dollar industry with extremely sophisticated and successful techniques.
Hacking first appeared as a term in the 1970s but became more popular through the next decade. An article in a 1980 edition of Psychology Today ran the headline “The Hacker Papers” to explore computer usage's addictive nature. Two years later, two movies, Tron and WarGames, were released, in which the lead characters set about hacking into computer systems, which introduced the concept of hacking to a wide audience and as a potential national security risk.
Sure enough, later that year, a group of teenagers cracked the computer systems of major organizations like Los Alamos National Laboratory, Security Pacific Bank, and Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. A Newsweek article covering the event became the first to use the word “hacker” in the negative light it now holds.
This event also led Congress to pass several bills around computer crimes, but that did not stop the number of high-profile attacks on corporate and government systems. Of course, the concept of hacking has spiraled with the release of the public internet, which has led to far more opportunities and more lucrative rewards for hacking activity. This saw techniques evolve and increase in sophistication and gave birth to a wide range of types of hacking and hackers.
There are typically 6 key drivers for hacking websites or systems:
1. Financial Gain through the theft of individual financial information.
2. Corporate Espionage, or stealing company information and trade secrets like intellectual property.
3. To gain respect for their hacking talents.
4. State-sponsored hacking that aims to steal business information and national intelligence.
5. Hacktivists - who aim to raise public attention by leaking sensitive information, such as Anonymous, LulzSec, and WikiLeaks.
6. Ethical Hacking to detect vulnerabilities for fixing.
Black hat hackers are the "bad guys" of the hacking scene. They go out of their way to discover vulnerabilities in computer systems and software to exploit them for financial gain or for more malicious purposes, such as to gain reputation, carry out corporate espionage, or as part of a nation-state hacking campaign.
These individuals’ actions can inflict serious damage on both computer users and the organizations they work for. They can steal sensitive personal information, compromise computer and financial systems, and alter or take down the functionality of websites and critical networks.
White hat hackers can be seen as the “good guys” who attempt to prevent the success of black hat hackers through proactive hacking. They use their technical skills to break into systems to assess and test the level of network security, also known as ethical hacking. This helps expose vulnerabilities in systems before black hat hackers can detect and exploit them.
The techniques white hat hackers use are similar to or even identical to those of black hat hackers, but these individuals are hired by organizations to test and discover potential holes in their security defenses.
Grey hat hackers sit somewhere between the good and the bad guys. Unlike black hat hackers, they attempt to violate standards and principles without intending to do harm or gain financially. Their actions are typically carried out for the common good. For example, they may exploit a vulnerability to raise awareness that it exists, but unlike white hat hackers, they do so publicly. This alerts malicious actors to the existence of the vulnerability.
There are some ways by which you can prevent yourself from getting hacked. Although it may not be enough, still the chances will come down;
1. Software Updates: Hackers are constantly on the lookout for vulnerabilities or holes in security that have not been seen or patched. Therefore, updating software and operating systems is crucial to preventing users and organizations from getting hacked. They must enable automatic updates and ensure the latest software version is always installed on all of their devices and programs.
2. Use Unique Passwords for Different Accounts: Weak passwords or account credentials and poor password practices are the most common cause of data breaches and cyberattacks. It is vital to not only use strong passwords that are difficult for hackers to crack but also to never use the same password for different accounts. Using unique passwords is crucial to limiting hackers’ effectiveness.
3. HTTPS Encryption: Spoofed websites are another common vehicle for data theft when hackers create a scam website that looks legitimate but will actually steal the credentials that users enter. It is important to look for the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) prefix at the start of a web address. For example: https://www.thewiki.in.
4. Avoid Clicking on Ads or Strange Links: Advertisements like pop-up ads are also widely used by hackers. When clicked, they lead the user to inadvertently download malware or spyware onto their device. Links should be treated carefully, and strange links within email messages or on social media, in particular, should never be clicked. These can be used by hackers to install malware on a device or lead users to spoof websites.
5. Change the Default Username and Password on Your Router and Smart Devices: Routers and smart devices come with default usernames and passwords. However, as providers ship millions of devices, there is a risk that the credentials are not unique, which heightens the chances of hackers breaking into them. It is best practice to set a unique username and password combination for these types of devices.
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