Surely you know the term hacker, since it is quite common to hear from this type of people who do illegal activities online. But surely you do not know or have little knowledge of crackers, this type of People are quite common in the internet world and both differ from each other. Although the difference is small, it is important to clarify that a hacker and a cracker is not the same , because these terms in today’s news media tend to be confused or misuse these terms.
What generates confusion or misinformation in the population. Keep in mind that a hacker can enter computer systems remotely without complications and without having any authorization to do so, he can also steal information and manipulate the systems. A cracker performs these same actions, but for profit, as extortion, for example.
In this guide we will explain the concept of a hacker and what is a cracker? Their differences and even talk about possible motivations, so that you can be more informed about this group of individuals lurking in the world of cyberspace.
Index:
What types of hackers or crackers exist?
There is a wide variety of hackers and crackers, these can be classified in their specialties, as well as in the level of skills that they have to enter the computerized systems.
Hacker types
Among the types of hackers you can name the following:
- Black Hat : These are the most dangerous among the types of hackers. They use their highly specialized techniques to gain access to computer systems and thus take control of them, obtain their data, in order to destroy or sell them, among others.
- White Hat : These can be referred to as ethical hackers, since they work generating security and protecting IT systems (Information Technology). They commonly work for computer security companies, whether governmental or private, reporting potential vulnerabilities in company systems to take corrective action.
- Gray Hat: These types of Hackers can be considered as a kind of hybrid, since they can act illegally, but with good intentions. These individuals can enter systems and disseminate information that is useful to the general public. An example of this may be that they disseminate cases of large companies due to the unauthorized collection of user data.
Types of crackers
Among the types of crackers are the following:
- Carder: They are people who have become experts in credit card fraud. These can generate false numbers and access codes that can successfully violate control systems, thereby stealing and cloning cards.
- Pharmer: These people are dedicated to make “Phishing ” attacks, that is, they make the user believe that they are entering a real site. People enter their personal data on the site created by the hacker and then use credentials to steal money from their victims’ accounts.
- War driver : They are crackers that take advantage of the vulnerabilities in all types of networks in the mobile connection.
- Defacer : This group of people search for web page bugs in order to infiltrate them and thus modify them .
- Spammer and disseminators of Spywares: There are companies that pay these types of people for the creation of spam of their main products and in other cases they seek to profit from illegal advertising.
What is a Hacker and what are its origins?
The term Hacker refers to a person specialized in one or more branches of computer science, such as: programming, computer networks, operating systems, network / voice hardware , among others. Hacking or hacking actions performed by a hacker is called.
It is believed that the word hacker was born from people who worked as programmers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This group of people during the 1960s had a tradition of playing innocent jokes the which they called hacks, acquiring for themselves, the term hackers as a way of calling the group they formed within the institute.
Characteristics of a Hacker
It is a person who enjoys the exploration and details contained in programmable operating systems, as well as other programs. Looking for a way to take advantage of their possibilities, obtain greater knowledge of them and new ways to apply this knowledge. Other features that can be named are the following:
- Whenever they program they do it enthusiastically. (It even becomes an obsession in some).
- Its programming speed is very advanced compared to a normal user or an amateur in the programming world.
- They can specialize in a program in particular or have great skills for different programs.
- They tend to have the belief that sharing information is a great job and a powerful and very precious asset , believing that it is an ethical obligation of hackers to share their experiences and knowledge using an open source (Open source). In this way they facilitate the use of information to everyone who wants to know more. They also believe that breaking systems either for fun or exploration, is ethically well accepted as long as the hacker does not commit a robbery, an act of vandalism or violates people’s confidential data.
What is a Cracker and what are his abilities?
It is defined as cracker that person who uses his great knowledge and skills in computing and information technology as a motivation to fight against what defines society as prohibited. Modern crackers like to use their own programs or in some cases, use those that are distributed for free on specialized websites in the distribution of these and other illegal information on the internet.
Among these tools you can name the following: programs to unlock or copy passwords, use number generators that by randomizing and automatically executing can violate system access codes .
Characteristics of a cracker
The crackers mostly focus and specialize in theft and vandalism, either for their own reasons, or with the intention of generating damage no matter how serious it may be. They tend to unite in small, secret and private groups.
Crackers perform the following activities:
- Crack: It is a program created, which has the functionality of introducing a modification to a software, probably with the intention of disabling its protection.
- Warez: It is a type of illegally obtained software.
- KeyGen: This is a program that generates keys which can be used to cancel the measures of anti-copy software backup.
- Piracy: This is what we currently know as illegal copies of software or audio.
Main differences between a hacker and a computer cracker
Basically a cracker and a hacker, perform the same activities and have an equal skill level (of equal proportion). However, what differentiates them is what they do with these skills.
While a hacker uses his skills, to know system failures and thus provide corrections and increase computer security. A cracker uses these bugs, to increase errors in the system, damage them or make them totally unusable. They even use it to steal information in order to extort or sell the data to other people and thus profit.
Hackers act under a belief and ethics where all information is stolen, is to demonstrate illegal activities of governments, companies or individuals. Sharing it to the public to expose the true criminals.
Like the hacker, the cracker is also passionate about the computer world. Its difference is that a cracker tries to damage systems and computers. De There comes its English term “Cracker” means “Breaker”, and its goal is to break or damage systems and computers.