What is Hacking?
Hacking is the process of exploiting vulnerabilities in cybersecurity defenses for malicious or self-motivated purposes. It requires technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, creativity, and persistence to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized access to digital assets. Hackers can use these digital assets to steal private information, damage systems, or spread computer viruses.
Hackers often pursue financial gain. They can make money by stealing passwords and credit card numbers, breaching banking systems, or selling stolen data on the dark web. They can also create a malicious software program (called a “worm”) that infects computers and networks, stealing data and spreading the infection to new victims. Finally, hackers can seek to disrupt critical infrastructure or leak information for political or social motives.
To hack a system, hackers must first identify and exploit a vulnerability. This can be achieved through a wide variety of methods, including software exploits, brute force attacks, and social engineering. Once a hacker gains access to a system, their goal is to maintain this access and carry out their primary attack objectives. This might involve spying on activity, collecting sensitive data, injecting malware, or gaining privileged access to carry out their aims. Finally, they may attempt to hide their tracks by deleting log files, altering timestamps, or using obfuscation techniques to conceal their activities.
Hacking can be a dangerous and illegal endeavor, and its prevalence continues to grow. As of 2024, laptops and desktop computers (particularly those running Windows) are more commonly targeted by hackers than other types of devices. This is because of the sheer number of these devices and the fact that they hold a 72% share of the global market for desktop operating systems.