What is Hacking?
Hacking is the technical manipulation of digital systems to perform actions they weren’t intended to allow. These actions can be malicious, such as stealing data or deploying malware, or ethical, like penetration testing designed to improve security for all users. There are many types of hackers, motivated by everything from profit to activism to espionage.
The first step in hacking is exploiting a vulnerability, often by sending phishing emails or texts that lead to malware downloads or unauthorised access to your device, computer or network. Once inside, the next step is to gain persistence in the target, which could involve setting up a backdoor to easily re-enter the system, escalating privileges or installing lateral movement tools to steal information and move between targets. Finally, a good hacker will also seek to hide their activities from detection with techniques such as credential stuffing (using leaked passwords from previous breaches), man-in-the-middle attacks or supply chain attacks by targeting trusted third-party software or vendors to break into the target.
While the concept of hacking is commonly associated with illegal activity and cyber crime, there are a growing number of people who use their skills for good, participating in penetration tests or reporting vulnerabilities through bug bounty programs. And some major cybersecurity firms employ ex-hackers to improve their defences. The global cybercrime economy has also become increasingly industrialised, with hackers renting cloud infrastructure and purchasing pre-built kits on dark web marketplaces to launch automated attack campaigns that can scan the globe in seconds.