What Is Hacking?
Hacking is a term that describes attempts to break into computer systems, mobile devices or IoT Devices (Internet of Things) for illicit gain or malicious attacks. Hackers use a variety of tools to breach security and access information that may be used for monetary, political or social reasons. Many hackers also exploit software vulnerabilities and weaknesses in network security practices, gaining unauthorized entry to computers or other sensitive electronic devices.
In a traditional view of hacking, a lone rogue programmer with an extensive knowledge of coding and computer hardware systems uses his or her skills to break into other people’s computers to steal sensitive information for monetary or personal gain. However, the practice is more complex than this one-dimensional view of hacking shows. Hackers are actually a diverse group of individuals who are extremely skilled at what they do. They may be employed by a company to test security measures or they may be part of a collective, such as Anonymous, that aims to encourage civil disobedience and unrest through distributed denial-of-service (DoS) attacks and the publication of personal information online.
Ethical hackers, meanwhile, use their skills to help companies find and fix cyber vulnerabilities before malicious actors can take advantage of them. This type of hacking is called “white hat hacking.” Ethical hackers follow strict codes of conduct and keep their findings confidential.
Hackers are creative thinkers who can get around seemingly impenetrable barriers by thinking outside of the box and combining multiple strategies. This is why they are such a valuable asset to organizations looking to stay ahead of cyberattacks and threats.