Pss, guess what? The Internet is vulnerable to HACKERS!
Okay, I hear you say, “tell us something we don’t know!” But every week you see another article with the headline “Internet vulnerable to hackers” “hackers on the rise” “hackers break into website” “internet vulnerable to information warfare attacks” etc. And these stories are usually typed up by so called “security experts” a lot of these experts are probably the same ‘experts’ that promoted their buggy software years ago, and their rants on “don’t hire hackers”. We have seen enough reparative articles, new security companies pop up, and newly appointed ‘computer experts’ to rival the many groups of script kiddies gangs.
It would be ok if they actually brought out articles and news that other people haven’t already spoke about, or read a zillion times before, they just aren’t coming out with anything no average computer user already knows. And a lot of articles just seem going over the same facts again and again. The problem is, unfortunately, a lot of capitalist run security companies are only promoting products, many that don’t offer the security they claim their products offer. A lot of these corporations are now making security very popular, and fashionable, turning it into a consumer pastime. But the first thing to remember in security is: there is no such thing as absolute security. Many people, and companies are forgetting that point. They seem to actually keep confusing more people than informing – Yes! The Internet is vulnerable to hackers; we should all know this, because hackers built the Internet.
And are continuing to build the Internet, in programs, new rfcs, and maintaining of networks. A lot of them are doing this as volunteers too, only driven by new technology and the exiting possibilities it brings. The internet is also a place for young people, and thus the Internet is vulnerable to tens of thousands of teens around the world who are going to rebel across cyberspace everyday, by downloading automated hacking programs, and irc war programs, then engaging in cyber battles against other gangs of youths, or whoever else gets in their way. We all know this too, or we should, it’s like, if parents just took the time to listen to their kids more, we wouldn’t need to keep reminding them on new technology, and social changes.
Perhaps the battlegrounds of e-commerce sites that are propagating across the Internet need to also understand this, too. The Internet isn’t a place for just making money, People need to remember that. A lot of the original history behind the Internet and it’s terminology has become hazy, mostly due to the on going e-commerce boom, media and government presence dominating the Internet now. With big companies, come big corp. networks with many insecurely kept computers, open to attack from script kiddie’s gangs, and crackers. Then you get a lot of people that want to make money fast, unfairly and illegally on the Internet, just like in the real world -so how do you actually try and help the networks stay safe and secure? Well for starters, one must use the right terminology, and understand the Internets history, also understanding where the dangers are coming from then knowing how to protect computers, and networks by taking the right steps in getting the security needed to do so. It’s no good saying, “Ah oh, them pesky hackers are breaking into computers again!” That’s spreading the wrong message to a company; it’s spreading fud that ‘hackers’ are breaking into their computers. Not only will it conjure up the image of a mastermind, evil genius at work, but it also mixes up the wrong terms, which causes disastrous and confusing results. What should really be said is something like this; “Hm, more pesky script kiddies trying to break in again, is our security policy up to date?”
It’s not hard to figure out the groups of people to worry about. Hackers build things. Crackers break into them by using hackers, and whitehats released code. Some crackers have come to code themselves, too. Whitehats, and hackers then release vulnerabilities in code to companies, so they can then patch their programs to stop crackers. Whitehats will communicate to the company in question to patch their products. If the company does not respond, or disbelieves the bug is exploitable, then sometimes the whitehats will release the exploit into the wild, into the public of the Internet to prove it.
Whitehats explore technology security, to better it. Crackers use the Internet and technology for illegal activities. A lot of crackers fall under corporate spies, and many virus and worm writers to date are crackers too, a lot of them release viruses and worms that people have known about for a long time. Usually crackers, script kiddies, and anyone else with malicious intent, will cause more headaches for insecure sites, than major harm, for now. Which is really a company’s fault to begin with. There has been a lot of talk lately on enforcing new laws that put people in jail for accessing computer networks illegally. These are pretty stupid laws, if a company is on the Internet to do business, then they need to protect their assets like they do in the real world, simple as that. And government should be thinking about protecting their assets too, children. It seems silly passing new laws that may put many of the next generation in jail, because a company or government can’t protect their own networks from young curious minds.
The authoritarian minds work to control and give orders to stop many of young creative minds in creating new ideas, new technology, and new philosophies, when they should be researching into social change a little more, and allowing young minds to be guided, not controlled. However if organised crime gangs and other criminals are breaking into ecommerce sites to steal data and peoples personal information, then proper investigations need to be carried out, and these criminals restrained accordingly. That should be said for dodgy ecommerce criminals starting ecommerce sites and ripping other netizens off. But script kiddies, as the term implies are mostly just kids, kids grow up, they become wise and move on, you can’t put kids in jail because of the lack of understanding, the lack of knowledge in companies, and governments own ill guided judgments.
Now many hackers and company programmers are focusing more on security and better security countermeasures in their programs and Internet activities. With better programming and security in mind, and many good whitehats are consulting, monitoring and auditing networks across the Internet, today. But security is different for all computer networks, you can’t just sell a product and say it offers the best security for the company, all companies are setup differently, many need access points open, while others need them closed. And really only trained whitehats and security engineers can bring tighter security for a computer network infrastructure, by means of consulting, auditing, and helping create the security policy for that network. It’s even easier for a person to defend her/his home PC, by establishing good PC firewall and virus protection. Just doing a little reading and/or asking friends and netizens for some friendly assistance, you can become quite secure and protected at home in a matter of minutes.
Below is a list of computer security scene terminology to help clear up terms used.
1) Hacker – (the original term, before media f*ked it) Advanced programmer, skilled technology explorer. An individual who yearns for knowledge.
2) Whitehat – computer security specialists. Independent consultants, and vulnerability coders. Someone working in the computer security industry. Often showing many ti is in computer security around the world.
3) Blackhat – independent security researchers, not working for company. Often keeps vulnerability codes private, or shared in close groups for group research. Loners or part of underground groups, usually very gifted vulnerability coders, but not interesting in working in the computer security industry.
4) Greyhat – someone in between whitehat and blackhat, usually someone who works in the security industry part time, but being part of both blackhat and whitehat networks.
5) Security engineer/consultants – A title used in corporate company security, or a title given to whitehats in a corporate company.
6) Cracker – An advanced script kiddie, usually out for personal or financial gain.
7) Script kiddie – someone that downloads other peoples programs, then uses them to try and break into as many computers as possible. Someone that usually doesn’t know what they are even doing but has the one goal of breaking into a computer, mostly young curious teens.
8) Media whore – People that continue to write for the media on topics, even when they are only writing to promote themselves, or a company product, and don’t really offer anything else besides fud.
I hope this article/rant helped people understand security more, and the terminology behind computer security.