What Is Hacking?
Hacking is a term used to describe the act of circumventing security mechanisms in a computer system or network. The use of the word has gained notoriety because of the rise of cyber attacks and high-profile criminal cases. Hacking has become a widespread problem across industries and is often referred to in the media and in popular culture as a major threat to national security.
The term hacking was first used in the programmer subculture of the 1960s to describe the modification of technology. This early hacking was known as phreaking, and a pejorative meaning developed. A 1980 issue of Psychology Today explored the addictive nature of hacking, while two movies released that year – Tron and WarGames – gave hacking wide exposure.
In the 1990s, hackers gained notoriety for compromising large corporations and government agencies. Hackers were able to steal valuable intellectual property and personal data from these organizations, as well as disrupt services or cause financial losses.
Some hackers are white-hat or ethical, working with companies to improve cybersecurity and identify vulnerabilities. Others are black-hat hackers, whose primary goal is to exploit systems for monetary gain or other malicious reasons.
Other types of hackers are grey-hat, operating in a gray area between ethical and malicious hacking. These individuals may identify and exploit vulnerabilities, but are doing it with the intention of informing the organization about them. This type of hacker is also referred to as a penetration tester. Lastly, there are hackers who are just looking to break into systems for fun. This is sometimes referred to as life hacking, and it can include anything from reprogramming an ATM to making a DIY synthesizer.