Threats » Hackers

What is a Hacker?

Hackers are people who break into computers without the authorisation of the computer owner. Hackers do this for various reasons sometimes with intent to cause harm to the system or steal information for malicious purposes. Hackers are skilled in computer programming and often use this skill to violate the privacy of individuals or organisations. They possess the ability to cause significant damage and loss to a computer system.

Which ZoneAlarm Product is best to combat Hackers?

ZoneAlarm offers two products which can prevent hackers obtaining access to your system.

The ZoneAlarm Antivirus application is the best way to protect your computer(s) from the harmful effects of hackers and any viruses they may employ. The award-winning ZoneAlarm Antivirus software offers premier protection against any threat you may encounter. It features the most up-to-date virus protection available on the market. The Antivirus also provides protection through its market leading firewall application which makes your system invisible to hackers.

ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite offers the highest-level of protection against malicious software and unwanted system access. Internet Security Suite will provide a barrier against hackers and also remove any malware present on your system. It also offers MailSafe which is designed to protect all incoming and outgoing mail from intrusion by malicious applications contained in spam.

What is the purpose of Hacking?

The word hacker is a neutral term and hacking can be conducted for both constructive and destructive purposes. Constructive hacking involves skilled programmers attempting to consensually break into systems to ensure they employ adequate safeguards. They try to counteract the negative effects of destructive hacking by finding and alerting people or companies to the security limitations of a system which might be exploited for malicious purposes.

Hackers who engage in destructive hacking are considered criminals who breach privacy and compromise the integrity of computer systems. The most common reason malicious hackers enter systems is to obtain information which aides in identity theft and computer fraud. Other forms of destructive hacking can be simply carried out in order to cause annoyance and satisfy the urges of the hacker to cause harm or inconvenience.

A short history of Hackers/Hacking

The term hackers first became common in the 1960s. It was initially used as a term for computer programmers who enjoyed writing programs to explore the possibilities offered by computers. The term became increasingly negative as computing started to take a more networked form. Hackers began to break into networks they were not authorised to be part of and questions of privacy became an issue. While a majority of hackers maintain they mean no harm there are many others who engage in the practice for the wrong reasons.

Characteristics of Hackers

Hackers with malicious intent use a number of methods to breach the security of computer systems. Hackers often use a three step process to obtain access to a system. They will first monitor the target system in order to reveal the activities the system may be engaged in. Following this they analyse the vulnerabilities of the targeted system and then begin to exploit them. They use a number of complex methods to analyse and exploit vulnerabilities which may exist on a target system.

Once a vulnerability has been identified their sophisticated programming abilities often allow them to write software programs in the form of keyloggers and viruses which they implant within a system to carryout certain tasks. These tasks can range from data collection or destruction to complete system failure. Other forms of malware may also be implanted by hackers on a system to cause annoyance.

Eliminating/Controlling Hackers

Hackers are often difficult to control as they are usually far more skilled in computer use than the person who is trying to control them. Constructive hackers are the only people who are adept at working against the malicious intentions of destructive hackers. The superior knowledge of hackers often allows them to subvert the protection of anti-hacking software which is poorly constructed. The only way to control hackers is to use anti-hacking software which is properly designed and reputable. There are a number of programs which offer such protection and they have a vested interest in staying up-to-date to maintain the security of their customers.