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What are hacking and cracking?

Updated: 10/3/2023
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14y ago

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They are both the same thing...Sort of. A hacker is a person who is proficient with computers and/or programming to an elite level where they know all of the in's and out's of a system. There is NO illegality involved with being a hacker. A cracker is a hacker who uses their proficiency for personal gains outside of the law. EX: stealing data, changing bank accounts, distributing viruses etc. What the hacker does with their knowledge of systems within the definition of the law is what defines them as a hacker vs a cracker. It's then safe to say that all crackers are hackers, but not all hackers are crackers. This is an important distinction. The term cracker and hacker are used interchangeably (albeit incorrectly) largely due to the ignorance of the general populace, especially the media.

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14y ago
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14y ago

Hacking is fooling around with source code and learning how things work. (Hacking can also mean playing a creative practical joke. --JARGON file) Cracking is illegally breaking into computer systems and stealing information.

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11y ago

Cracking is the act of gaining access to an account or system by guessing a privileged user's credentials. This is often accomplished by brute force, using programs or algorithms to systematically guess at the credentials, possibly using personal information known about the privileged user, until access is granted. Most cracking attempts can be thwarted by rate-limiting access attempts.

A variation of cracking involved somehow acquiring a hash of the user's credentials (sometimes by hacking, other times from an insider or a careless user thinking their hash is uncrackable), and running brute force tests against the hash before attempting to access the system. While there are ways of reducing this threat, rate-limiting access attempts is insufficient by itself.

Hacking is usually considered the unauthorized access of a system or of information without having credentials, often exploiting a weakness in the system's firewall or other security measures. Cracking is not usually considered a form of hacking by network security experts, though users compromised by cracking will often claim to have "been hacked".

In the early days of computing and networking, a "hacker" was a programmer, whether malicious or honest, and was so named from the sounds of punch cards being created, and later, the hacking and clacking sound of proficient typists writing their code. As "white-hat" programming professionals began to choose other titles, the term "hacker" took on a negative connotation.

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11y ago

Its Really Simple man

Go To EliteGaming.Biz/forum and Sign up (Fast, Free, No Surveys)

Download A hack (Fast Download, No Surveys, Free)

No.

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13y ago

bad

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Q: What are hacking and cracking?
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Related questions

Has there been a lot of coumper hacking?

All I can tell you is that the issue is fraught with hype. A lot of people make a lot of money by making out that computer hacking ('cracking') is a bigger problem than it really is. 'hacking' and 'cracking' are two different things. Technically it would be impossible to be arrested for 'hacking' because hacking is completely legal. 'Cracking' is illegal.


How are hacking and cracking the same?

In the modern slang, it basically means the same thing. Sometimes cracking is used to describe illegal decompilation (hacking) of software.


What are two ways data can be stolen?

hacking and cracking


Do hackers really hack people's laptops?

Only when authorised to do so. Unauthorised entry is known as cracking rather than hacking, however we typically use the terms white-hat hacking and black-hat hacking to differentiate between lawful hacking and unlawful cracking.


Breaking into a remote computer system with authorization is called what?

Cracking, not hacking.


Define the activity of hacking or cracking?

Gaining access to systems and locations without authority.


What are the websites that need to be hacked?

None. Hacking, or in the terms of someone who does not work for a the government, cracking, is illegal. Hacking is government approved only if you work for the government.


Who invented computer cracking?

originally computer cracking was to test computer is different situations. previous to that people would use hacking/cracking to fool telephone exchanges to get free phone calls etc


How does hacking or cracking work?

Computer hacking can be done remotely by sending a virus, Trojan or something.


What is the origin of cracking and hacking?

MIT geeks who pulled pranks in the 60's and 70's


Conclusion for hacking and cracking?

Hacking is a very dangerous thing. A kid cannnot learn it to hack in a game. Espeacially in Sudden Attack, because will tio gm banned


What is hacking and what is cracking?

hacking= The search of all related to information systems, it's vulnerabilities and security mechanisms in order to protect our system from those who become unethical hackers. Cracking= the intent of violation of information systems with justified means or not. This goes for individual programs also.