 PC Advice
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Hacking |
The terms "hacker" and "hacking" are used in a number of computing contexts, not all of which involve illegal activities or breaking into systems. While media and film coverage have centered on the lone computer nerd busily inventing illicit methods of infiltrating systems, the term "hack" is also used to describe "a software designer and programmer who builds programs and systems that garner the respect of one's peers (Wikipedia)." With this clarification in mind, let's talk about hacking as a method of illegally gaining access to someone else's computer.
Stalking The Wily Hacker
There are probably as many reasons for hacking into machines as there are hackers who engage in the practice. A list of the top motivations probably includes the following.
- Prestige. Hackers love to boast about breaking into allegedly secure systems, either as a means of establishing "street cred" among other hackers or simply for the technical accomplishment of having defeated someone else's safeguards.
- Financial Gain. An obvious motive for some hackers involves money. Breaking into banks or brokerages involves obvious monetary gain, either through direct theft, extortion, or the sale of confidential data to other parties.
- Political Motivation. Some hackers are motivated by a desire to obtain and publish private information, either business or government related. This may be due to a desire for recognition, or to embarrass opponents, or a "Robin Hood" mentality of righting perceived wrongs.
- Revenge. This is a powerful motivation, and can be directed at either individuals or organizations. What better way to revenge yourself on a university that gave you bad grades than by invading and disabling their computing infrastructure?
- Curiosity. Forbidden information is often a motivation for hackers, who simply want to have access to material others are denied.
Numerous methods are available to those who engage in hacking efforts. Not all are technological in nature; many involve "social engineering" techniques that are only indirectly related to computers and software. Here's a list of some common attack vectors you'll encounter when reading in more depth about hacking.
- OS or Other Software Vulnerabilities. All computer software includes potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited in order to gain illicit access to a machine. Buffer overruns, open sockets, undocumented features, and other techniques are explored in great depth by hackers. Newly discovered vulnerabilities are often shared among hacking groups.
- Weak Passwords. Most people, including many computer administrators, use passwords that are far too easy to guess. Password attacks, including "brute force" and "dictionary" efforts, involve massive lists of common words and repeated connection attempts via networks or modems. The hacker hopes such an attack will hit on a login ID and password combination that's active on the remote system; when one is discovered, the software records the successful combination for later use.
- Open TCP/IP ports. Networked machines, especially those that are not updated on a regular basis by the system's owner, may be vulnerable to attack via various services (Windows login, mail, FTP, HTTP, etc.). If a hacker uncovers a weakness that allows privileged access to one of these services, they may be able to achieve full access to the system.
- Social Engineering. These non-technical attacks involve an understanding of human nature, and may include:
- Searching someone's office for passwords written on scraps of paper.
- Impersonating a system administrator or other support person, in the hope of persuading a user to reveal their login ID and password.
- "Shoulder surfing" (watching people type their login ID and password) and memorizing the results for later use.
- Offering to repair a machine, and using the opportunity to install or exploit a known vulnerability.
Once someone has hacked into your machine - especially if they gain privileged "Administrator" level access - they can essentially do anything they want. Your machine could be added to a botnet and used to send spam. A keylogger could be installed, and your privacy compromised. Private data can be copied and removed, or simply deleted. You may not be aware that any of the above has occurred until it's far too late to do anything about it.
Be vigilant; be prepared.
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