What is Hacking?
Hacking is a broad term that refers to the illegal, unauthorised access and use of computer software or hardware systems. This access may be achieved by compromising security measures such as passwords or other login information. Hacking is a multibillion-dollar industry that is growing in sophistication with ever-increasing attack methods that can go undetected by cybersecurity software and IT teams.
Hackers are often portrayed in the media as villainous characters who gain access to computers that do not belong to them for unethical reasons. However, hackers are not all bad; some (called white hats) use their skills to strengthen security, catch criminals and improve systems. Others (called black hat hackers) do unethical things for money, fame or just because they enjoy it.
One of the most common hacking goals is to steal data from a company, such as hi-tech designs for new products or confidential financial information that can be traded on the stock market. Hackers may also be motivated by anger or revenge, such as a desire to get back at a person or organisation that they feel has wronged them.
A common method used by hackers is social engineering, where they trick a victim into handing over their password. This can be done through telephone calls, email or even dumpster-diving for documents that contain sensitive personal information. Other techniques include enumeration, which involves using software to find open ports or vulnerabilities on computers and systems. This can be done by tools such as nmap and ayerspsd.