Fundamentals of Information Systems Security, 4th Edition

Who Are the Perpetrators?

In popular usage and in the media, the term hacker often describes someone who breaks into a computer system without authorization. In most cases that means the hacker tries to take control of a remote computer through a network or by software cracking. The media and the general public also use the word hacker to describe anyone accused of using technology for terrorism, vandalism, credit card fraud, identity theft, intellectual property theft, or one of many other forms of crime. In the computing community, the term hacker generally describes a person who enjoys exploring and learning how to modify something, particularly related to computer systems. Hackers, for good or bad, are considered to be experts and tinkerers. ...