Who are hackers?
 

Hello guys,

I believe that this discussion is not illegal. If it is plz pardon me(and delete this thread). I went to this site( great site). There i saw explanations about hackers. But i just wanted to know what do u call a guy who dont know programming but know lots of networking stuffs. And he also knows to read programs( codes). And he know most of the network security holes but doesn't misuse them. Totally he is a network pro. Would u call him a hacker or something else?

I am actually talking about my friend and he claims that he is a hacker not a cracker. What do u think?

Thanks

PS: If i am breaking the forum rules, plz forgive me. I couldn't find forum rules page. Sorry.

Cheers

<edited>
Actually i found it later, but i believe i am not talking about piracy(like how to hack), cracking, warez. Just a discussion about hackers.
<edited>

/me is a hacker.... well.. obviously seeing as that's my site.

it really depends where you take your information from. dictionaries now list a hacker as the normal breaking into systems, being a twat kind of person, but originally hackers were defined as people who code for fun (or do other equivalently motivated activities in other areas). hacker is just a much much cooler word than cracker, and also there is an inevitable cross over between the two societies...

Thanks for ur reply. Thats a great site. Faq page is really funny.

He is not a programmer, but know to hack networked systems. And he only do it once, just to learn.

Thanks to the media.....
 

The distinction between the two has come some what vague. IMPO, i consider nearly all Linux users to come under the classfication of 'Hacker'. Why? In general we are all interested in the mechanics of computing, hence why most of us use Linux. To Hack a system is to see how it works. The fuzzy area is who's system it is?
I would consider a 'cracker' to be something of a script kiddie style person who uses various exploits to gain control of software and systems.
Thats just my opinion.

I always thought crackers were the people who alter software illegally, etc.

I think a hacker is somewhat analogous to a mechanic: they are interested enough in the workings of a thing to take it apart and put it back together in order to further their knowledge of it.

A cracker is always malicious.

The Jargon File will do a better job of explaining it than I can.

lol - dunno about anyone else, but I routinely attempt to root my boxes on my lan (and no, not through ssh :) ), if for nothing else, than to test security.

Hackers can be good and bad...

White hat hackers are good hackers...

Black hat hackers are bad hackers,...

Black hat hackers can be crackers (those who illegally hack into systems), script kiddies (those who really don't know what they are doing other than to use tools someone else made to do illegal crap), and staight-up black hat hacker coders who might write viruses, trojans etc.

Some crackers are war-drivers, those who search out wireless networks for use and mischief. Some just try to crack into systems connected to the net,... or try to shut down systems or websites...

hacker HOWTO

ESR's howto is one of my fav. in regards to this topic

I already read that more than 5 times. thanks.