Every human discovery has pros and cons, so is the computer which has
pervaded all our lives. The modern humanity is increasingly dependent on
computer for various day-to-day activities. Computers do us a whole lot
of good things, but it is not without some pitfalls. With the extensive
use of internet for hundreds of our needs, computer opens a vicious
cycle of hackers. Computer hacking is a term which refers to an
individual’s illegal and unauthorized access to the data which are
stored in a user’s system. This is done to disturb the confidentiality
and security of the user’s computer.
The hackers focus on individuals’ computer system when they are online.
As long as you are not connected to internet you are less prone to
hacking. The access to internet has actually made computer hacking easy. You must protect your computer with strong antivirus and
firewall programs to keep hackers away. Hackers are known for creating
problems which are difficult to solve. This gives a good business to
computer investigators and technicians. Hacking can be done in lots of
ways. Few of them are given below:
- Worms: These are the programs which propagate through networks.
- Trojans: These are hidden in websites, attached files and emails.
- Viruses: These attach themselves to various kinds of files. They can damage certain functions of your computer.
Hackers also crash on wireless networks which do not have firewall installed and enabled.
They can also send email attachments with malicious software which get
embedded on the victim’s computer. Hackers attack accounts which have
weak passwords. All these are done to get access
to confidential and sensitive information of the users. Whatever is the
method of hacking, the effect is harmful for the user. Your system will
be flooded with viruses, malwares which steal your information. In
order to avoid hacking one has to make sure that the systems at home or
office have the latest anti-virus program and firewall installed and enabled. These programs need to be regularly updated. Use the latest browser and scan your computer on a regular basis.
New Age...
The New Age of internet has brought with it many risk factors along with
umpteen advantages. The New Age is the time where our personal lives
are no longer very personal, but people are able to access personal
information of internet users from various sources in the virtual world.
We need to be careful about usernames and passwords, else it will lead
to dangerous consequences. Universities, large companies and government
agencies are mostly targeted by hackers simply because of the bulk of
information they handle. The great newspapers like The Wall Street
Journal and The New York Times were also targeted by hackers.
Computer hackers are people who gain remote access to information stored
in a system elsewhere. During the 1950s and 60s hackers were more drawn
towards learning the operations of a computer rather than stealing
confidential information of a remote user. Unlike the olden days, now
computer hacking has become more sophisticated and organized. In the
late 1990s hackers tried to get access to files in the network of
Pentagon. Some more expert hackers gained access to the patent files at
the Indiana University School of Medicine in February 2003. Many hackers
were sentenced in the history since hacking represents a potential
national security threat.
Viruses
One major tool hackers use to steal information from computer systems is the use of viruses. Over the years the number of viruses has increased drastically. The virtual world now has above 100000 viruses and the number
grows virtually every day. Apart from the threat the computer hackers
pose, they also can be beneficial in one way. They can bring to light
the flaws in a computer network. Hackers can help in redesigning the
system and in making information inaccessible to illegal users and to
unauthorized access.
Getting Administrative Access
Getting a log in password is one of the predominant ways to get access
to a computer which is by the side of the hacker. Getting remote access
to a computer is another way to hack a system. Managing to crack a Wi-Fi
password is the third method of sneaking into someone else’s system.
Hacking if done on a public or school computer will have serious
consequences. The hacker will be put behind the bars for illegally
accessing the computer which does not belong to him or her.
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