Definition of Hacking


According to Bruce Sterling in his book titled The Hacker Crackdown (Sterling, 1993), the term hacking is the act of intruding into computer systems by stealth and without permission (Lopez-Fernandez & Warren, 2002). However, this term is used routinely today by almost all enforcement officials with any professional interest in computer fraud and abuse to describe any crime committed with, by, through, or against a computer. Moreover, hacker is what computer intruders choose to call themselves , not as a criminal pejorative, but as a noble title given to those soaked through with heroic anti-bureaucratic sentiment (Sterling, 1993). Hacking, then, can describe the determination to make access to computers and information as free as possible. Hacking can involve the heartfelt conviction that beauty can be found in computers, that the fine aesthetic in a perfect program can liberate the mind and the spirit (Levy, 1994).

However, the usage of the term has changed over the years , and it is now generally accepted as referring to persons who deliberately gain, or attempt to gain, unauthorised access to computer systems. Caelli et al. (1989) have described the computer hacker in the following ways:

  1. In programming, a computing enthusiast. The term is normally applied to people who take a delight in experimenting with system hardware (the electronics), software (computer programs), and communication systems (telephone lines, in most cases);

  2. In data (information) security, an unauthorised user who tries to gain entry into a computer or computer network by defeating the computer s access and/or security controls.

Some research has been focused on determining the motivation behind hacking. Chantler developed a profile that describes the motivation of hackers. These common profile characteristics defined that hackers:

  • are loners;

  • have poor social skills;

  • have low self-esteem;

  • are intelligent , able to focus for extended periods;

  • are young;

  • are explorers, investigators , curious , analytical;

  • have a strong desire to succeed;

  • are obsessive, even addicted to computers;

  • have poor communication skills;

  • have lots of acquaintances , which they never meet;

  • enjoy a hierarchy amongst peers;

  • exchange knowledge and information amongst themselves;

  • respect each other and are popular with peers and subordinates ; and

  • are superiors who are secretly admired by the public.




Electronic Monitoring in the Workplace. Controversies and Solutions
Electronic Monitoring in the Workplace: Controversies and Solutions
ISBN: 1591404568
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 161

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