Though hackers are frequently shunned for being the perpetrators of computing crimes; hacking actually started out as a way to customize new technologies and coming up with better ways to improve it. Years ago, only a select few understood the secrets of computing, but now your average 13 years old may be more proficient at cracking codes and networks than CEOs of large IT companies. Now, let’s step inside the heart and mind of hacker.
There are many types of hackers out there. Early hackers hacked to understand and uncover the ins-and-outs of latest technology, breaking and tweaking systems to reveal new possibilities. Many of them are entirely committed to the open-source community, developing and sharing codes with the goal of improving the overall IT system. Sadly, these types of vigilante wizards are progressively outnumbered by those cracking for monetary gain. It is estimated that about 70% of those who continuously engage in internet attacks are completely profit-motivated.
Hacker motivations can be subdivided into these categories:
1. Money
Most crackers get into online crime simply for monetary gain. Whether it is by fraudulently obtaining money, stealing other’s bank account information or stealing property by modifying computer data, money is a major motivation behind cybercrimes.
Albert Gonzalez was once an informant for the US Intelligence operations who helped the government officials in hunting evil hackers. That is, until they found out that he was also dealing with criminals and feeding them critical information on ongoing probes. Gonzalez was the genius behind the major credit card thefts and subsequent illegal transactions of nearly 175 million ATM and credit cards numbers since 2005, the most notorious computer fraud in history. Other than card numbers- he was also involved in counterfeiting passports, Social Security numbers, drivers’ licenses, college student identification cards, health insurance cards, and birth certificates.
2. Freedom
Many hackers feel that the cyberspace should be completely free and that all networks should be entirely accessible. They might also have a social or political agenda where their goal is to vandalize high-profile systems to deliver a statement. Those hackers are often called as hacktivists. Generally, hacktivism involves in denial-of-service attacks or website defacement. In a few extreme cases, hacktivism can be used to facilitate cyberterrorism.
Gary Mckinnon, a British citizen, was undetected for years while hacking NASA, US Navy, Department of Defense, the US Air Force, and the US Army. Considered the worst military security breach ever, Mckinnon was searching evidences of anti-gravity technology, suppression of free energy and UFOs. US officials claimed that he erased critical files from networks, which immobilized the US Army network in Washington DC for one day. He was also accused for deleting US Navy Weapons records, rendering a naval base’s system of 300 workstations inoperable.
McKinnon had denied causing any damages, arguing that, in his pursuit for UFO-related information, he broke into open, unsecured computers with no firewalls and no passwords and that he left a few notes pointing out their serious security failings. He also adamantly disputed the financial loss and the damages claimed by the US officials as concocted so they could create a specific dollar amount as an excuse for extraditable offense.
3. Love
Love is always…. a many splendored subject… until you become distrustful of your spouse's fidelity. There are lots of hacking and spying resources online for those seeking to catch a cheating partner. So, for those who suspect that a girlfriend or boyfriend, husband or wife might be two-timing, then what a better way to use the hacking skills than to tap into his/her computer!
A few hackers are opening service for helping suspicious spouses catch love rats. Although your partner has erased incriminating text messages or e-mails from a cellphone or computer, it can still be easily retrieved. Moreover, these hackers often follow specific processes and procedures that make it possible to use the evidences in legal proceeding.
4. Fun and Curiosity
In hacking world, a skiddie or script kiddie is often assumed to be a teen who uses scripts developed by more experienced hackers to attack networks and computer systems either to impress friends, have fun, learn the basics of hacking or gain recognition in computer-enthusiast groups.
Jeffrey Lee Parson, an 18 years old student was accused for spreading a modified version of the notorious Blaster computer worm. He only slightly changed Blaster using a simple hex editor to add his nickname to the original executable, and also attached a backdoor, called Lithium, and spread it from his site. By making these small modifications, authorities can easily trace the worm back to him. His modified Blaster was part of DoS attacks against Windows-based networks. The attacks used SYN floods which caused only minor damages. He was sentenced to eighteen months in prison.
