Hacking Computer Hacking Beginners Guide

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

 Like any other technological advancement in human history, the benefits gained by mankind from the computerization and digitization of our world come at a price. The more information we can store and transmit, the more it becomes vulnerable to theft or destruction. The more dependent our lives become on technology and on rapid, instantaneous communication, the greater are the consequences of losing access to those capabilities. It is not only possible, but in fact routine for billions of dollars to be transferred overseas in the blink of an eye. Entire libraries can be stored on devices no bigger than a human thumb. It is common to see toddlers playing rather mundane games on smartphones or tablets that have more computing power than machines which just 50 years ago would have filled entire rooms. This unprecedented concentration of data and digital wealth, coupled with society’s increasing reliance on digital means of storage and communication, has been a bonanza for savvy and malicious opportunists eager to take advantage of every vulnerability.

         CHAPTER 1. WHAT IS HACKING?

 It is important to lay the groundwork for a proper introduction to computer hacking by first discussing some commonly used terms and to clear up any ambiguities with regard to their meanings. Computer professionals and serious hobbyists tend to use a lot of jargon that has evolved over the years in what had traditionally been a very closed and exclusive clique. It isn’t always clear what certain terms mean without an understanding of the context in which they developed. Although by no means a complete lexicon, this chapter introduces some of the basic language used among hackers and computer security professionals. Other terms will appear in later chapters within the appropriate topics. None of these definitions are in any way “official”, but rather represent an understanding of their common usage.