A dark room is lit only by the glow of a computer screen. A pale, nerdy-looking youth bends over the keys, tapping away frantically. And there you have it: the stereotypical hacker in modern America.
A “Hacker” is described as a person who accesses a computer system by circumventing its security system. This sort of thing is seen as highly illegal in America, because many hackers use their skills with computer software for evil; breaking into private computers, stealing information, and sometimes planting harmful viruses. However, the connotation of the word is slowly beginning to change. Instead of “criminal”, many people think “genius”.
According to an article called “When Is A Web Hacker Good For My Business?” on Forbes.com, “An emerging trend to ensure your website, business server or database is secure is to hire a professional hacker and have them target you for an evaluation”. If the hacker manages to find a break or flaw in security, they report it to the company, who fixes the error, and the system is stronger as a result. This sort of hacking is not illegal, if the company has hired someone to hack their system. Also, the Washington Post reveals in an article, “the NSA is looking for a few good hackers”. The article remarks that the U.S. government is heavily in need of good computer coders to fight the “cyberwars” that are threatening national security.
However, there are also people who believe that hacking, even hacking for the purpose of stealing information, is all fair and above board. “Hack this Site” is a website that offers opportunities for people to practice their hacking skills. Their “Philosophy” says, “We believe everyone should have free access to all information.” This seems to be the mindset of the last generation or so—because information is not only public and available, but also easy to access, there is little sense of privacy or decency among people who can hack.
And that, my friends, is a pretty scary thing.
Just the other day I was listening to the radio and they were talking about a guy who had hacked into dozens of celebrity emails and spread photos and information about them all over the Internet. Like the article says in your post, these "super nerds" should be used for good, not evil. If the guy who hacked into these celebrity emails worked for Microsoft or Apple, he could utilize his "talent" in a more beneficial way, rather than using it to harm others.
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy how in these days hackers are becoming a good thing almost. The hackers that you metnioned that purposely broke into company's websites ot test the company's security. I think one day most hackers will be used for good.
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