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Dated: Aug. 13, 2004
Related CategoriesNetwork Security
Suppose you had a walnut. And your dying to get to that yummi part inside. Would you hack a walnut or crack it?
The logical question is therefore; Is there a difference? The most logical answer would be, "YES". If not, there wouldn't be a seperate word for the two. Back to the walnut; Cracking the walnut would seem to be the logical choice because cracking the walnut will not damage the nut inside the walnut cover.
Am I going somewhere with this? Well the point to this walnut story is that there are various ways to get the job done. Each technique brings its flaws. But do keep in mind. Walnut is not a system critical computer network. Although, we all know there is a difference between cracking and hacking; Unfortunately, a lot of people confuse the terms "hacker" and "cracker". There are a number of reasons for this.
The two big reasons are:
- Crackers often call themselves "hackers"
- The media refers to crackers as "hackers".
This Is Infinitely Annoying To Hackers!
Eric Raymond does an excellent job of answering the question "Difference between a Hacker and a Cracker?" in his How To Become A Hacker FAQ. In it, he says, "The basic difference is that Hackers build things. And Crackers break them.”
In the world of cyberspace, the difference between hacking and cracking is great.
Profile of a Hacker
Hackers generally like to think of themselves as an elite group of information seekers who are adept at exploring computer systems and networks. Although hacking into network computer systems is illegal, hackers believe it is ethically acceptable as long as a hacker does not commit theft, vandalism or breach any confidentiality -- the so-called hacker code of ethics. In fact, many hackers believe it is their responsibility to seek out security holes in computer networks so that systems administrators may fix them. "If we can share what we've learned with everybody and then publish it," L0pht hacker Wedge stated in a News Hour interview, "that's great."
Profile of a Cracker
But not all hackers follow a code of ethics. Those who break into computer systems with malicious intent are known in the hacking world as crackers. Hackers who wanted to differentiate themselves from crackers devised the word itself. Whereas hackers possess a great deal of knowledge of computers and generally write their own hacking programs, crackers tend to be young and unskilled.
As Jeff Schiller, head of network security at M.I.T, stated in a News Hour interview, "most of the crackers we are dealing with are not experts, they are not very sophisticated." They do most of their cracking by downloading free hacking software from hacker Web sites. Although they lack the technical skills of hackers, crackers are considered dangerous because of their irresponsible use of sophisticated software.
Although, the walnut story in the beginning was a total bummer. It will make you realize the point of the whole article. One large group becoming part of a smaller group can create havoc for all. And thats what these crackers have done. The crackers are truly the terrorists of the cyberspace and TechiWarehouse totaly believes that the Cracker community should be a very logical target in the Fight Agains Terrorism.
Thats all for this week!
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