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A computer hacker only exploits systems to discover how they work, computer Cracker's are people who lack any real knowledge on computer systems and use a tactic called "Brute Force Hacking", both better and usually termed "Brute force cracking" to gain access to systems and then damage them.
Despite the fact you are quite mislead....
What, exactly, was the point of that?
Well how would you define it?
More so I should ask. what exactly is the difference between a Hacker and a Cracker. I read about it on some old tutorial so I was hopin to get some clarification.
Hackers tend to do things for interest without harm.
Crackers may be equally talented or more so as a hacker but do things with harm in mind...
That's the short story as written by me... Others may vary...
Hacker's find clever ways to circumvent problems. Also they aquire knowledge more through 'tinkering' and trial and error. The media has demonized the term, and anymore anyone that commits a crime with a computer, no matter how little skill was involved, is labled a hacker. Tiger Shark is right, hackers usually do not have malicious intent. If so, there is a totally different term for them... 'Criminals' ... Hacking is about as illegal as shooting a gun... it all depends on where you point it.
It really all depends on who you are talking to. A cracker could mean one thing from person and something totally different from anybody else.
For example, in the military, a cracker might be someone who "cracks" code. If someone is in the South of the United States, they might be a cracker, however it has racial connotations.
I guarantee this thread could go on for days with people giving their explanation of what they call a hacker vs. what they call a cracker.
Might I suggest the “AO Hacker Jargon” definitions as potentially viable answers to this problem?? Here is the AO definition for HACKER and CRACKER.
-Deeboe
P.S. I'm always a cracker, unless I was smoking the night before. At that point, I become a hacker.
*L* yeah, a hacker can be someone that is terrible at golf too...
Ok, well my definition is
A hacker is someone that is interested in computers in a more anarchistic or alternative way. Unconventional if you like, finding ways into computer places that they have been told they can't get to.
A cracker is like a dry biscuit that you eat with cheese, commonly called a waterbiscuit. there are many good manufacturers around, Jacobs being a very popular brand.
Ultimately, is this a thread trying to difine the term, because it really does seem that there has not been a definite definition?
Proffessor Frond
lol omg not another "hacker/cracker" debate.
This debate has been goin on for years and years... i thought we all decided to resolve this by not using those terms anymore, and just use "white hat/black hat"
in the sense, they can both be just as intelligent or more.. but it only differs in the intention..
IF u want a term for someone who has no skill and bent on causing damage.. then a "Script Kiddie" would be a good terminology. Someone who 5p33k5 1337 and uses scripts made by someone else to bully ppl around.
Man this has been going on for years. There are so many slants on this its tiring to review it.
Most of the confusion comes from misleading media representatiosn as always.
I like to to use Hacker to encompass the lot then just make the diffference in individuals or groups with from an ethical standpoint
I dont think the term hacker means a bad thing or the term cracker. You can be hacker who has ethics or not, you can be a cracker who has ethics or not, you can be criminal or not simple as that.
There are rules to obey and thats that, you can be a hacker, cracker, grey hat, black hat, white hat at the end of the day your either a criminal or not.
all the terms are good, all the people are good people apart from of course the bad ;-)
Yep... That was clear and lucid....Quote:
all the terms are good, all the people are good people apart from of course the bad ;-)
Just a quick 2 cents. I have often heard the word applied to people outside of computers.
I feel the term could be applied to anybody who finds a way to make something operate outside of a meant fashion.
The media hasn't demonized the term since the kids who use it are complete idiots. Let me ask you something... whens the last time you've ever seen anyone smart call themself a hacker?
I'll say it agian just to be redundant... you've got people who like computers and just leave it at that. Then there are people who've decided to dub themselves "hackers" or whatnot. I could pretty much do whatever I want with a computer but so could billions of other people. This is why I consider myself an average user. The fact that these people need some word to seperate themselves from your average Joe just shows what they *really are* and its nothing to be proud of.
You guys should make this into a stickie next time the h-word is being tossed around just link 'em.
I would have to disagree... I read 2600 'The Hacker Quarterly' I would say that most of the people submitting articles call themselves hackers... and I would have to say that most of them are pretty intelligent.Quote:
originally by dr.poop
The media hasn't demonized the term since the kids who use it are complete idiots. Let me ask you something... whens the last time you've ever seen anyone smart call themself a hacker?
Most computer users I have met are not hackers... In my experience, a large percentage of people only know how to get online, use a search engine, check their mail, and can use MS Office. When it comes to fixing hardware/software/network problems, most are clueless beyond rebooting. Most don't know how to program, or locate security issues on a network. A hacker is generally considered to have a higher skill set than your 'average user'.Quote:
originally by dr.poop:
I could pretty much do whatever I want with a computer but so could billions of other people.
The fact that someone would attempt to make themself look good by equivically degrading the mentally challenged sort of speak... would sort of prove my point and back my views, would it not?
Most of the articles in 2600 are the standard mindless crap you see everywhere in teh computer world, translated into the 1337 vernacular. (Not saying I don't read it...) There are countless factual and theoretical errors. I have never seen a truly original peice come out of there.Quote:
I would have to disagree... I read 2600 'The Hacker Quarterly' I would say that most of the people submitting articles call themselves hackers... and I would have to say that most of them are pretty intelligent.
And as far as I am concerned the hacker/cracker difference is merely intent. They are both meaningless titles.
Like Javascript injection on old vulns, huh ? wow....Quote:
. I could pretty much do whatever I want with a computer but so could billions of other people.
Sorry if I wont take advice from someone who runs around in a totally unethical way, trying to define words about ethics, and the stupid argument that has been going on since the beginning of time...
THAT I can agree with.Quote:
They are both meaningless titles.