Computer Hacker Essay, Research Paper

The meaning of Hacker is one who accesses

a computer which is supposably not able to be accessed to non

authorised people of the community. Hackers

may use any type of system to access this information

depending on what they intend on doing

in the system.

Methods

Hackers may use a variety of ways to hack

into a system. First if the hacker is experienced and smart the

hacker will use telnet to access a shell

on another machine so that the risk of getting caught is lower than

doing it using their own system.

Ways in which the hacker will break into

the system are:

1) Guess/cracking passwords. This is where

the hacker takes guesses at the password or has a crack

program to crack the password protecting

the system.

2) Finding back doors is another way in

which the hacker may get access to the system. This is where the

hacker tries to find flaws in the system

they are trying to enter.

3) One other way in which a hacker may

try to get into a system is by using a program called a WORM.

This program is specially programmed to

suit the need of the user. This programme continually tries to

connect to a machine at over 100 times

a second until eventually the system lets in and the worm executes

its program. The program could be anything

from getting password files to deleting files depending on

what it has been programmed to do.

Protection

The only way that you or a company can

stop a Hacker is by not having your computer connected to the

net. This is the only sure fire way in

which you can stop a hacker entering your system. This is mainly

because hackers use a phone line to access

the system. If it is possible for one person to access the system

then it is possible for a hacker to gain

access to the system. One of the main problems is that major

companies need to be networked and accessible

over the net so that employees can do overdue work or so

that people can look up things on that

company. Also major companies network their offices so that they

can access data from different positions.

One way which is used to try to prevent

hackers gaining access is a program used by companies called a

Firewall. A Firewall is a program which

stops other connections from different servers to the firewall

server. This is very effective in stopping

hackers entering the system. Tho this is not a fool proof way of

stopping hackers as it can be broken and

hackers can get in. Tho this is a very good way of protecting your

system on the InterNet.

Major Hacks

Some of the major hacks that have been

committed have been done by young teens aged between 14 and

18. These computer geniuses as they are

known have expert knowledge on what they are doing and also

know the consequences. Tho the consequences

do not really enter there mind when they are doing it.

This hack occurred on February 10, 1997,

and again on February 14, 1997 Portuguese hackers launched a

political attack on the web page of the

Indonesian government, focusing on that country’s continued

oppression of East Timor. The attack was

online for about 3 hours from 7.00 PM to 10.00 PM (Portuguese

Time) at the web site of the Department

of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia. The hackers did not

delete or change anything. The said ?We

just hack pages?.

Another major hack that occurred was on

April 1 1981 by a single user. This hacker who was situated in

an east coast brokage house was interested

in the stock market. SO he purchased $100,000 worth of shares

in the stock market. Then he hacked into

the stock markets main computers and stole $80 million dollars.

The hacker was eventually caught although

$53 million dollars was not recovered.

On Wednesday, March 5 1997 The home page

of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s was

recently hacked and the contents changed.

The group known as H4G1S. This group of hackers managed to

change the contents of the webpage

The hacking group changed the webpage

and left a little message for all. It said ? Gr33t1ngs fr0m th3

m3mb3rs 0f H4G1S. Our mission is

to continue where our colleagues the ILF left off. During the next

month, we the members of H4G1S, will be

launching an attack on corporate America. All who profit from

the misuse of the InterNet will fall victim

to our upcoming reign of digital terrorism.

Our privileged and highly skilled members

will stop at nothing until our presence is felt nationwide.

Even your most sophisticated firewalls

are useless. We will demonstrate this in the upcoming weeks?.

The homepage of the United States Air Force

was recently hacked and the contents had been changed. The

webpage had been changed completely as

the hackers had inserted pornographic pictures saying ?this is

what we are doing to you? and had under

the image ?screwing you?. The hackers have changed it and

shown their views on the political system.

One other major hack which was committed

was by a 16 year old boy in Europe. This boy hacked into the

British Airforce and downloaded confidential

information on Ballistic missiles. The boy hacked into the

site and down loaded this information

because he was interested and wanted to know more about them.

This boy was fined a sum of money.

In conclusion it can be said that hackers

are sophisticated and very talented when it comes to the use of a

computer. Hacking is a process of learning

not following any manual. Hackers learn as they go and use a

method of trial and error. Most people

who say they are hackers most of the time are not. Real hackers do

not delete or destroy any information

on the system they hack. Hackers hack because they love the thrill of

getting into a system that is supposably

unable to be entered. Overall hackers are smart and cause little

damage to the system they enter. So hackers

are not really terrorists in a way they help companies find out

flaws in their system.