Hacking the System

A hacker, simply put, is a programming specialist who has the expertise to enter a computer or network without proper authorization. Hacking is defined as illegally entering a computer system and making unauthorized changes to the files and data contained in it. However, a system needs to be “cracked” before it can be hacked, thus the existence of crackers. A cracker can be an individual or group who maliciously enters a network through illegal access with the end goal of damaging the system.

General hacking is differentiated from criminal hacking in the sense that the former only aims to gain access to a system while the latter seeks to have actual manipulation of the information contained in the system. However, the regulation of this form of criminal activity is rather complex partly due to the hesitance of victims to admit that their systems have been illegally penetrated.