HACKERS

My paper is on hackers, who they are, what they do, and my personal view on the rights or wrongs of hacking. According to the Merriam-Webster Web dictionary, a hacker is 1: one who hacks, 2: a person who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity, 3: an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer, and 4: a person who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with information in a computer system. The definition that is most associated with computer hackers in society today would be a person who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with information in a computer system. I think that hackers should stay out of other people’s business. They shouldn’t be able to get into other’s files.
Hackers are people who attempt to penetrate security systems. The five rules of a hacker are as follows:
1. Keep a low profile
2. If suspected, keep a low profile.
3. If accused, deny it.
4. If caught, plea the 5th Amendment.
5. Hackers try not to leave traces or trails to what they have done. Hackers don’t like calling attention to themselves or your exploits. Hackers need privacy to do what they do.
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What? You want to learn what they can do? Ok. They can hack into other people’s computers. Good ones can use viruses to their advantage. They can trash systems, destroy hardware, and even do irreversible damage of data. Hackers can unleash destructive viruses, Trojans, and logic bombs.
Hackers can be caught though. Sometimes hired hackers attack or assassinate other hacker’s viruses. Most hackers mean harm. Some help disable other hackers. After being caught the hacker usually goes to court. After court, hackers usually end up in jail. Some hackers might skip court and go straight to jail.
Being a hacker is bad but a hacker can be good to destroy viruses and to track down other hackers. Remember use firewalls. More defense is always a good idea. Don’t let hackers get you. Hackers will always be there. Watch out!


Merriam-Webster Web Dictionary, http://www.m-w.com/dictionary.htm, 2004


Steven Mizrach, Fin.edu/~mizrachs/hackethic.html