What Is Hacking?
Hacking is a serious and dangerous form of online criminal activity that targets computer systems and databases. Its goal is to gain access to confidential information or personal information of others. The motivation of a hacker may be monetary gain or political activism. Although some forms of hacking are legal, most are criminal in nature. Criminal convictions for computer tampering can range from a few weeks to as much as 15 years in prison.
Hackers usually gain access through phishing emails or texts. Once inside, they gain administrator privileges and can install or modify data on the victim’s system. Sometimes, they target a company that has a huge database of data to steal. The Equifax data breach is a prime example of this. This incident compromised the records of almost 150 million US citizens and Canadians.
Hackers are computer experts who utilize their technical knowledge to penetrate and gain access to computers. Computer hackers are often associated with criminals, but they are not always the ones responsible for crimes. Legitimate figures can also use hacking techniques to gather evidence. For example, the law enforcement agencies sometimes use hacking techniques to investigate criminals. They may use anonymity software to mask their identities and may pose as criminals to obtain evidence.
In the 1990s, hackers allegedly broke into major organizations’ computer systems. This incident was the first reported use of the word “hacker” in a negative context. Since then, the word “hacker” has been used negatively in several industries. However, the positive connotation of the term is more common.