hacker Last modified: Monday, August 25, 2003
A slang term for a computer enthusiast, i.e., a person who enjoys learning programming languages and computer systems and can often be considered an expert on the subject(s). Among professional programmers, depending on how it used, the term can be either complimentary or derogatory, although it is developing an increasingly derogatory connotation. The pejorative sense of hacker is becoming more prominent largely because the popular press has coopted the term to refer to individuals who gain unauthorized access to computer systems for the purpose of stealing and corrupting data. Hackers, themselves, maintain that the proper term for such individuals is cracker.
The CERT/CC Home Page  Learn about the organizations mission and get up-to-date security information, security alerts and training information. eSecurity Planet  A resource for daily information on e-security targeted to IT managers. The site provides users with information from a variety of sources, including experts at security product and services firms, and the consultants who follow the security industry. 2600 Magazine Published quarterly, 2600 Magazine provides articles of interest to the hacking community. Bruce Sterling's hacker crackdown The science-fiction author Bruce Sterling has posted his true study of computer hacking. It has been praised as the first accurate account of online hacking. Hacker Stoppers? Information Week feature article (April 1998) describing "Hacker Stopper" software, which sounds the alarm when your system is invaded. Hacker's Defense Fund home page An organization of legal firms and lawyers providing news and information regarding the legal aspects for hackers. Hacking 101 This is a general hacking resource. Hacking 101 offers a number of downloadable files and links. How to Plug Web Holes? Hackers get a head start on exploiting bugs. Yahoo!'s hacker's pages Yahoo!'s directory of hacker's pages.

Related Terms

CERT/CC crack DoS attack geek hacktivism IP spoofing phreaking port scanning programmer quarantine sniffer Tempest worm

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