BotNet News

Hacking is the use of technical skills to exploit vulnerabilities in cybersecurity defenses in order to achieve unauthorized access and gain malicious purposes such as theft, fraud and even damage. Hacking can be performed on anything from computers and phones to IoT devices and specific software.

Early depictions of hackers in film and TV typically portrayed precocious teens breaching major organizations’ systems for the thrill or to make money or gain notoriety. However, hackers are now a diverse group of people across all demographic profiles with different skills and motivations for hacking.

Some of the most common hacks target mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, which store personal information or have security cameras and other sensors that can be hacked to gain access to sensitive data. Other hackers are more targeted, specifically targeting IoT devices such as smart homes or medical devices that connect to the internet and are often not secured.

There are also hackers who work for the good of society and for legal reasons. These are referred to as white hat hackers. These hackers look for and repair system vulnerabilities and are often rewarded with salary.

Finally, there are hacktivists who leverage their knowledge and skills for nefarious purposes such as exposing government secrets or raising awareness on political or social issues. While hacktivists often work with a loose collective, they may also act alone. For example, the loose collective Anonymous is widely credited with staging high profile attacks against the government.