Why Hackers Hack

Why Hackers Hack
The main reason hackers hack is because they can! Okay, it goes a little deeper
than that. Hacking is a casual hobby for some hackers — they just hack to see
what they can and can’t break into, usually testing only their own systems.
These aren’t the folks I’m writing about here. I’m focusing on those hackers
who are obsessive and often have criminal intent.
Many hackers get a kick out of outsmarting corporate and government IT and
security administrators. They thrive on making headlines and being notorious
cyberoutlaws. Defeating an entity or possessing knowledge makes them feel
better about themselves. Many of these hackers feed off instant gratification.
They become obsessed with this feeling. Hackers can’t resist the adrenaline
rush they get when breaking into someone else’s systems. Often, the more
difficult the job is, the greater the thrill.
The knowledge that malicious hackers gain and the elevated ego that comes
with that knowledge are like an addiction and a way of life. Some hackers want
to make your life miserable, and others simply want to be seen or heard. Some
common hacker motives are revenge, basic bragging rights, curiosity, boredom,
challenge, vandalism, theft for financial gain, sabotage, blackmail, extortion, and
corporate espionage.
Hackers often promote individualism — or at least the decentralization of
information — because many believe that all information should be free.
They think cyberattacks are different from attacks in the real world. They
easily ignore or misunderstand their victims and the consequences of hacking.
24 Part I: Building the Foundation for Ethical Hacking
Many hackers say they don’t intend to harm or profit through their bad deeds,
which helps them justify their work. They often don’t look for tangible payoffs.
Just proving a point is often a good enough reward for them.
Many business owners and managers — even some network and security
administrators — believe that they don’t have anything that a hacker wants or
that hackers can’t do much damage if they break in. This couldn’t be further
from the truth. This kind of thinking helps support hackers and their objectives.
Hackers can compromise a seemingly unimportant system to access
the network and use it as a launching pad for attacks on other systems.
It’s worth repeating that hackers often hack because they can. Some hackers
go for high-profile systems, but hacking into anyone’s system helps them fit
into hacker circles. Hackers use the false sense of security that many people
have and go for almost any system they think they can compromise. They
know that electronic information can be in more than one place at the same
time. It’s tough to prove that hackers took the information and possess it.
Similarly, hackers know that a simple defaced Web page — however easily
attacked — is not good for business. The following Web sites show examples
of Web pages that have been defaced in the past few years:
www.2600.com/hacked_pages
www.onething.com/archive
Hacked sites like these can persuade management and other nonbelievers
that information threats and vulnerabilities should be addressed.
Hacking continues to get easier for several reasons:
Increasing use of networks and Internet connectivity
Anonymity provided by computer systems working over the Internet
Increasing number and availability of hacking tools
Computer-savvy children
Unlikelihood that hackers are investigated or prosecuted if caught
Although most hacker attacks go unnoticed or unreported, hackers who are
discovered are often not pursued or prosecuted. When they’re caught, hackers
often rationalize their services as being altruistic and a benefit to society:
They’re merely pointing out vulnerabilities before someone else does.
Regardless, if justice is ever served, it helps eliminate the “fame and glory”
reward system that hackers thrive on.
These criminal hackers are in the minority, so don’t think that you’re up
against millions of these villains. Many other hackers just love to tinker and