Hacking: Guide To Basic Security, Penetration Testing And Everything Else Hacking (2015)

Chapter 1: Hacking - An Overview

In this chapter we will give you a general idea about what hacking really is and then move on to look into the classification of different kinds of hackers.

In its most elemental form, hacking can be defined as the process of ascertaining and the subsequent exploitation of the various shortfalls and weaknesses in a computer system or a network of such computer systems. This exploitation may take the form of accessing and stealing of information, altering the configuration, changing the structural picture of the computer system and so on.

The whole spectrum of hacking is not something that is found only in the developed countries. In fact, with the kind of advancement that has been witnessed in the field of information technology during the last two decades, it should not come as a surprise that many of the most tenacious communities of hackers are based in the developing countries of South and South-East Asia.

There is so much of smoke screen and ambiguity in the world of hackers that it is extremely difficult to pinpoint a particular activity as hacking or not. This ambiguity is so much that the very term “hacker” is subject to a lot of controversies. In some contexts, the term is used to refer to any person who has a command over computer systems and networks. In other contexts it is used to refer to a computer security specialist who strives to find and plug the loopholes in the system. They are sometimes called crackers. But more on the classification of hackers shall be dealt with in detail in the later part of this chapter.

A plethora of reasons may be behind hacking. Some do it with the very predictable reason of making money. They may steal and retrieve information from a computer system, or plant incorrect information in return for monetary gains. Some others do it simply for the challenge of the whole activity. The rush of doing something that is prohibited, accessing what is forbidden. And yet others are computer world equivalents of social miscreants who may access a network or system and scramble, thereby rendering it utterly useless for the users of such network.

There are people who hack a system as a sign of protest against the authority. Instead of being vocal against the policies which they consider unreasonable, they burrow into the technological network systems employed by the authority and wreak havoc.

Classification – Various kinds

Based on their modus operandi and the intention behind their actions, hackers can be classified into the following types;

White hat hackers

The term white hat is used to refer to someone who hacks into a computer system or network for intentions that are not malafide. They may do as a part of a series of tests performed to check the efficacy of their security systems or as a part of research and development that is carried out by companies that manufacture computer security software.

Also known as ethical hackers, they carry out vulnerability assessments and penetration tests (which shall be explained in detail in subsequent chapters).

Black hat hackers

A black hat hacker, as the name suggests is the polar opposite of a white hat hacker in terms of both intention as well as methodology. They violate a network for malafide intentions for monetary and personal gains. They are the illegal communities who fit the commonly perceived stereotype of computer criminals.

They gain access into a system and steal or destroy the information or modify the same. They may tweak the program in such a way that it is rendered useless for the intended users. When they notice a weak spot or vulnerable area in the system, they take control of the system by way of such weak spot. They keep the proprietors, authorities and the general public in the blind regarding such vulnerability. They do not make any attempts to fix the lacunae unless their reign faces a threat from a third party.

Grey hat hackers

A grey hat hacker has a curious mix of both black hat and white hat characteristics. He trawls the internet and sniffs out network faults and hacks into the system. He does so with the sole intention of demonstrating to the system administrators that their network has a defect in terms of security. Once hacked into the system, they may offer to diagnose and rectify the defect for a suitable consideration.

Blue hat hackers

These are freelancers who offer their expertise for hire to computer security firms. Before a new system is introduced in the market, the services of blue hats are called for, to check the system for any potential weaknesses.

Elite hackers

These are the crème de la crème of the hacking community. This is a marker of social status used to demote the most proficient hackers. They are the first ones to break into a seemingly impenetrable system and write programs to do so. The elite status is usually conferred on them by the hacking community to which they belong.

Skiddie

The term "skiddie" is short for "Script Kiddie". These are the amateur level hackers who manage to break into and access systems by making use of programs written by other expert level hackers. They have little or no grasp on the intricacies of the program which they use.

Newbie

Newbies, as the name suggests, are hackers who are beginners in the world of hacking, with no prior experience or knowledge behind them. They hang around at the fringe of the community with the object of learning the ropes of the trade from their peers.

Hacktivism

This is another version of hacking, in which the individual or the community makes use of their skills to promulgate any religious or social message through the systems they hack into. Hacktivism can broadly be classified into two kinds- Cyber terrorism and Right to information. Cyber terrorism refers to activities that involve breaking into a system with the sole intention of damaging or destroying it. Such hackers sabotage the operations of the system and render it useless.

The hackers who belong to the "Right to information" category operate with the intention of gathering confidential information from private and public sources and disseminate the same on the public domain.

Intelligence agencies

Intelligence agencies and anti-cyber terrorism departments of various countries also engage in hacking in order to protect the state interests and to safeguard their national systems against any foreign threats. Though this cannot be considered as hacking in the true sense of the term, such agencies engage the services of blue hat hackers as a sort of defense strategy.

Organized crime

This can be construed as a kind of conglomerate of black hat hackers working for a common goal or under a leadership. They access the systems of government authorities and private organizations to aid the criminal objectives of the gang to which they belong to.