What Is Hacking?
Hacking is the unauthorized access and manipulation of computer systems, networks, and devices. This typically involves the theft of sensitive data or the disruption of an entire system. Hacking is becoming a very serious issue for businesses of all types and sizes, especially banks and financial institutions. In some cases, hackers can even have a negative impact on our national security.
The term hacker is often associated with rogue individuals who are highly skilled in the technical aspects of computer software and hardware. While this is true, the modern definition of hacking encompasses a much wider spectrum of activities. The term is also used to describe a hobbyist community around home computing, including building and configuring computer hardware and software (see hacker culture). Additionally, the term has come to be used more broadly to refer to any roundabout solution or trick to achieve something (see life hacking).
In the early days of telecommunications when calls were processed by computers rather than human operators, hackers would manipulate the machines by sending specific tones over the line – this became known as phreaking. The idea of hacking as it is practiced today evolved from these efforts.
Generally, there are four key drivers that lead to people hacking: financial gain by stealing credit card information or defrauding financial services, corporate espionage to steal intellectual property and competitive advantage, social or political activism by groups like Anonymous and LulzSec, or state sponsored hacking for the purposes of espionage and disruption. There are also gray hat hackers who may operate outside the law for their own personal gain or to improve cybersecurity.