The Art of Intrusion
analytical Essay
1234 words
Most U.S. citizens associate the word hacker with the concepts of cyber criminals, cyber terrorism and cyber warfare. A large percentage of the population list the names of cyber insurgent groups like Anonymous, LulzSec and the Syrian Electronic Army, and almost every American believes that China and their cyber army is a possible threat to American safety. The largest cyber force in existence the Chinese cyber army. Hackers were not originally online scam artists, software thieves, and news website vandalists. At the heart of hacking was a group of people that wanted to test bounds of the computer and cyberspace. Over the past few decades, with the growth of hacking and the lack thereof, court precedence and legislation related to the matter has allowed for many hackers to get away with many malicious cyber-attacks. However, in order to prove its point, the United States courts have caused collateral damage to select individuals in order to make an example of many young hackers with one of those being Kevin Mitnick.
About the Author
Kevin Mitnick was a legendary hacker deemed by one website I read to have been the most wanted hacker through the mid-90s, he is a legendary phone phreaker and social engineer and used to enjoyed collecting stolen software licenses from companies. Mitnick was sentenced to slightly under four years in prison for his mischief. However, there certainly is no need to feel sorry for him as since the termination of his sentence he has become a renowned computer and cyber security consultant for both the private and public sector, and has published three books on hacking and cyber security.
Purpose of this Essay The most legitimate way for the public to learn about hackers presently is through the reading of black hat hackers turned white hat security professional, for example the writers, Kevin Mitnick (The Art of Deception, The
In this essay, the author
- Explains that most u.s. citizens associate the word hacker with the concepts of cyber criminals, cyber terrorism, and cyber warfare.
- Describes mitnick as a phone phreaker and social engineer who was sentenced to under four years in prison for his mischief, but he has become an renowned computer and cyber security consultant for both the private and public sector.
- Explains that the most legitimate way for the public to learn about hackers is through the reading of black hat hackers turned white-hat security professionals such as kevin mitnick and chris hadnagy.
- Analyzes the admirable trait of perseverance many successful hackers have. hackers have an innate ability to find types of vulnerabilities and effectively exploit them.
- Argues that the law is hard on hackers and treats even non-dangerous hackers like criminals. adrian lamo when prosecuted for a later hack testified against by companies.
- Concludes that hackers do not always contribute such dedication to things outside of hacking as many tend to be computer savants with no interest in anything away from the cyber realm.
- Cites amoroso, e. (2007), silicon press, hadnagy, c. (2011), the art of intrusion: the real stories behind the exploits of hackers,intruders and deceivers.
- Cites amoroso, e. (2007), silicon press, hadnagy, c. (2011), the art of intrusion: the real stories behind the exploits of hackers,intruders and deceivers
Related
- analytical
- explanatory
- opinion
- The Three Hats of Hackersanalytical essayThe definition of hacking has undergone some changes in the past few years. At first it identified people “who enjoys modifying and subverting system, whether technological bureaucratic or sociological.” (Lemos, 2002) In the last decade hacking has evolved to describe “those people with a hands-on interest in computer security and circumventing such security. (lemos 2002) As you explore deeper into the digital landscape it becomes clearer that these hackers are sub divided into three groups of intermingling individuals classified by a system of hats.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the definition of hacking has undergone some changes in the past few years. hackers are subdivided into three groups of intermingling individuals classified by a system of hats.
- Describes the hat system coined by the l0pht, one of the most well-known old-school hacking group on the internet.
- Explains that black hats are known as the criminal masterminds, but not all are the bad guys. black hat hackers are just board and look for challenging systems to break into to test their skill.
- Explains that black hat hacks ideology centers around controlling systems and accessing protected information, which negatively affects both white hat and grey hat groups.
- Analyzes how white hats work for companies attempting to find and fix security holes before they are found and used by black. cyber space chess games over security leave people like white house’s critical infrastructure protection board vice chairman howard schmidt at a crossroad
- Explains that white hats are the counterpart to the black hat just like in chess. they work to counter and destroy them by finding and plugging security holes.
- Explains that while white hats exist within many companies, it is common that major companies do not want their names or it departments known for having hacker in them.
- Argues that the dmca is a favorite weapon for companies to combat hackers due to its vague and confusing wording.
- Explains that grey hats are the reason for the three-hat system and the region most hackers claim to inhabit.
- Explains how the "brightest flashlight" app on the google play store was one of the top grossing android apps for 2013 until a grey hat hacker decided to find out how it worked.
- Explains that hacking is a tool and like all other tools it depends on the wielder l to decide how she or he will use it.
- Explains that byod and increased malware threats help driving billion dollar mobile security services market in 2013.
1143 wordsRead More - Myth of the Hackeranalytical essayMyth of the Hacker The 1960s hacker, a term that was originally a referent to a good person with computer wizardry, has come full circle into the 1990s. Through media representations and the formation of hacker icons, modern hackers are mythologized as the good hacker. The original hackers of MIT belonged to a group of privileged individuals; they operated during a time when computers were not a household item. Hacking, for this generation, began as an intellectual pursuit as well as a way to pull elaborate pranks. The progression of hacking was limited because computer networking had not been completely implemented into society.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the 1960s hacker, a term originally referent to good person with computer wizardry, has come full circle into the 1990s. the original hackers of mit belonged to privileged individuals.
- Explains how hackers renamed themselves rebels in the 1980s, creating cult icons in this seemingly underground group of renegades.
- Analyzes how the popular film war games (1983) became a beacon for many modern-day hackers. it was youth that devoured computer knowledge and obtained infiltrating power.
- Analyzes how the x-files perpetuates the media myth that hackers are a subculture. they form an underground culture hidden from view, continuously weary of government plots.
- Analyzes the hacker narrative depicted in the 1992 film sneakers. the lead role, played by robert redford, has a history of hacking lands his friend in jail.
- Opines that the myth of the hacker is supported by society as long as their efforts are directed at the government.
609 wordsRead More - Hackers and the Internetexplanatory essayHackers and the Internet Internet Security covers a broad list of topics. I have chosen to cover hackers and their history. I will go through who hackers are and how we define hackers. I will also cover the history of how hackers got started. This was a very interesting topic and may surprise a lot of people who have had misconceptions of what hackers do due to how the are covered by the media.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hackers and the internet security covers a broad list of topics. they will go through who hackers are and how we define hackers.
- Explains that in the 1970's a trend started with phone hacking. phreaks exploit phone systems to make free long distance calls. steve jobs and steve wozniak were members of homebrew computer club.
- Explains that computer hacking had grown so much that a magazine called 2600: the hacker quarterly was formed. the government responded by passing the computer fraud and abuse act and forming the computer emergency response team.
- Explains that the hacker community shares a lot of ideas and tools on websites devoted to hacking. they also attend conferences like def con and x-force.
- Explains that the media has given hackers a bad reputation. there are three main groups of hackers: white hat hackers, crackers, and script kiddies.
- Explains that white hat hackers are the security experts fighting cyber warfare on a daily basis. they are also the hackers that hack just for the knowledge they can get.
- Explains that the term "hacker" has a negative connotation and the media still lumps the good and bad together by calling them all hackers.
- Explains that there is also a sub-category that is between the black and white hat hackers, known in the cyber world as "gray-hat hackers".
- Explains that script kiddies, also known as cyber-punks, are usually kids who get bored in school and use their technical knowledge to deface websites and write simple bugs in visual basic.
- Opines that it is wise to invest in some security software for your home pc even though the threat of them accessing your files is low.
- Applauds the hacker community for their intelligence and creativity, but does not like the malicious intent of the black hat hackers and script kiddies who are out to destroy and cause problems.
1370 wordsRead More - Academic Freedom And The Hacker Ethic By Tom Crossanalytical essayHacking has historically been associated with shady behavior or criminal connotations. It is very rare that a person condones hacking or thinks of it as anything other than a crime. However, in his article “Academic Freedom and the Hacker Ethic”, Tom Cross challenges us to redefine a hacker and what they actually do. He forces the audience to think as he states that “knowing how to do something that might be harmful is not the same as causing harm” (Cross, 38). Using this powerful statement, Cross uses his article to give the reader a new take on hacking. He proceeds to explain that often times, the information that we receive as a public is a result of hacking into government systems. He provides us with a new perspective as he divulges the
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how tom cross challenges us to redefine a hacker and what they actually do in his article "academic freedom and the hacker ethic".
- Analyzes how cross addresses the question of whether or not it is right for information to be withheld from us as people with basic rights.
- Argues against the stereotype that hackers are criminals accessing information that doesn't belong to them by sharing the fact that vendors, government agencies, and university labs kept software vulnerabilities secret from the general public.
- Analyzes cross' point about the benefits of the information hackers have provided. they firmly believe that the pursuit of knowledge is tied directly to our freedom of speech.
- Analyzes how cross challenges many of the beliefs that are instilled in us with the stigma surrounding the word hacking.
- Opines that tom cross' article "academic freedom and the academic ethic" changed their perception of hackers and provided them with a new perspective of what hacking can bring to the table.
970 wordsRead More - The Art of Hackinganalytical essayThe art of hacking The world of hacking cannot be placed into clearly defined positive or negative categories. When people hear the word hacker they tend to think about someone that defies or breaks the law. Everything in life has two sides of it the good and the bad, that is how people can understand a subject if they see both sides. Hackers can cause havoc around the world within the systems they get into just to get what they wish. On the other hand hackers are an essential help when we are in trouble and someone needs to find info inside a cellphone to try and help if someone is missing.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hackers can cause havoc around the world within the systems they get into just to get what they wish. they are an essential help when we are in trouble.
- Defines hacker as a computer enthusiast or microcomputer user who attempts to gain unauthorized access to proprietary computer systems.
- Explains that criminal hackers terrorize the world using their computer skills to make viruses that can damage a computer. they also hack companies, security systems, people’s computers for their pure desire to do evil.
- Explains that target was hacked and millions of people's credit card information was stolen. hackers like the ones in the target issue, do stuff for malicious reasons.
- Explains that white-hat hackers, along with; blue hat hackers and elite hacker, are ethical hackers who help the fbi or just mainly the government.
- Explains that david helkowski, a white-hat hacker, had found malware in the university of maryland's system, but society didn't believe him, and the fbi raided his home and he lost his job.
- Opines that hackers are good but at the same time dangerous. they can affect their daily life just like anyone else's.
- Cites clayton, m., and gallagher, s. on how whitehat hacker goes too far, gets raided by fbi and tells all.
- Analyzes how target made itself a target for hackers. time.com, 1. retrieved from devry library riley, m.
1008 wordsRead More - Analysis on the Book Dissecting the Hackanalytical essayDissecting the Hack is a great book for any technological geared individual. Whether one is a seasoned hacker or an average-Joe from off the street this book will give the individual new information to build on their repertoire. I highly recommend this book for this reason and many others. This book is unlike most other books on cyber crime, it is a fictional story that incorporates real hacks that is very much within the realm of possibility. If a reader becomes stumped after a technical word or hack is used, the book will refer the reader to the second section, which will explain it in more detail. The world is full of criminal activity and with the advancement of technology in today’s world this makes crime a more than ever dangerous reality.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that dissecting the hack is a great book for any technological geared individual. the fictional story incorporates real hacks that is within the realm of possibility.
- Analyzes how the story of f0rb1dd3n centers around two college kids who get caught up in a mess of terrorism and corporate sabotage.
- Analyzes how cyber-crime is an increasingly popular field for criminals in the present day.
- Explains that vlad and the other russians plan to sabotage the company from within by using their newly recruited pawn to install a router somewhere within the firm.
- Describes how bob, leon, and hannah design a long-range wireless scanner and try to connect to the company network.
- Explains wardriving, honeypots, long distance scanning, and yagi rifles.
- Recommends this book to prospective hackers, students, seasoned techies, or just flat out sci-fi novel readers. the three authors are highly touted in the technological field and have garnered great reputations.
1409 wordsRead More - Analysis: The American Perspective On Hackersanalytical essayThe issue of public information has always been a controversy in our world. One of our country’s founding arguments was based on the necessity of free speech and free information. Many now believe that our government is being overly restrictive on information, blocking and controlling some aspects of free speech that first amendment advocates feel are necessary to maintain our American society. These advocates of free information have been using the nickname “hackers” for over twenty years, but improper use by the media has stretched the word to slanderous levels. Hackers are now stereotyped as mindless vandals and miscreants, although the word “hacker” has been used as a term for computer programmers and technicians since the late 1970s. Modern-day hackers refer to themselves as intelligent socio-political activists who want to raise social awareness of threatening problems. Governments worldwide are trying to persecute hackers when vandals, not hackers, are most often the ones breaking laws and causing damage. The conflict between hackers and the American public is a deeply rooted standoff, caused by misinformation and sensationalism from the media and the government.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the american perspective on hackers is rooted in misinformation and sensationalism from the media and the government.
- Explains that to evaluate and analyze this conflict objectively, both points of view must be put into proper perspective. they have worked as a security engineer for three internet service providers.
- Analyzes the irrationality of the fear hatched from sensationalistic movies and articles written on "hackers."
- Explains that the technically oriented part of society is made up of advanced home users capable of modifying parts of their computer and fixing most problems.
- Explains that most people understand the vast difference between a cyber-vandal and true hacker, and that actual hackers are not intent on damaging things.
- Explains that hackers are content with the free spread of information and thought, whereas delinquents and vandals, who find it amusing to damage and ruin data, prefer being called hackers.
- Explains that the government is broken down into two parts: the technically-advanced and the common men. the technically advanced sector of government has been known for catching information vandals and thieves.
- Explains that kevin mitnick was arrested for breaking into the computers of digital equipment corporation, and tsutomu shimomura, a computer security expert. he was imprisoned without bail since february 15, 1995.
- Explains that the congress is responsible for writing laws to define "hackers" and the legal boundaries of their activities, although most of these congressmen neither own computers nor understand how they work.
- Opines that the american democratic system is allowing people who know absolutely nothing on the subject of computers and computer security to manipulate and fabricate the laws which all must follow.
- Explains that the telecommunications decency act of 1996 was the best example of the faults of letting ignorant people create laws governing computers.
- Opines that our congress poorly represented the american people when they committed this injustice upon our entire society.
- Explains that our congressmen are responsible for creating laws that define electronic crimes, which are intangible and difficult to explain, having little to no knowledge of the internet. they have the least reason to fear and criminalize what they perceive as hackers.
- Explains that true hackers united in full force when news of the decency act hit their computer screens. they proved that they are neither miscreants nor vandals.
- Argues that society is intent on being a populace of ignorant non-voters, struck with fear of the unknown. instead of persecuting and attacking hackers, we need to embrace them.
1593 wordsRead More - The Pros and Cons of Technologyopinion essay... that how everyone refers to them as; and what qualifies being a hacker? Someone who can rob your bank account in under a minute when your naïve child clicks a link some random person sent you? Having had personal experiences on both ‘ends of the stick’ I have realized just how interesting yet dangerous things can get. Hacking has its perks, whether it is to gain invincibility on a computer game or to make a mockery of America’s defense and try to prove aliens exist. It however, can be very, very serious though when both lives and money are on the line; so how do we stop it? Or is it too late?
In this essay, the author
- Opines that technology is advancing exponentially fast and that we should hope it is for the better of humanity.
- Opines that technology is helping the medical sector cure patients faster and more frequently than ever before, or is it simply giving every child in our country a pair of square eyes and short temper?
- Opines that technology has impacts on people's social lives. they have made many friends through oline gaming, however, many mothers totally disapprove.
- Explains that technology is becoming more and more prevalent in the education sector, with children coming to lessons with tablets and computers. however, professor james evans at the university of chicago compared academic papers written before and after the internet.
- Opines that the freedom of young children viewing assassinations could be seen as a good history lesson by some.
- Describes the perks of hacking, such as invincibility on a computer game or to mock america's defense and prove aliens exist, but it can be serious when lives and money are on the line.
- Concludes that technology brings fantastic, new and innovative ideas to the world, but as one looks at the bigger picture, the dangers come into play and the ages old traditions of pen and paper go out.
661 wordsRead More - The Pros And Cons Of Hackingopinion essayAlthough, hackers can damage a person psychologically, emotionally, and financially, hacking almost never leads to direct physical violence. I believe that hacking is one of those unique tools of life that is considered good or bad depending on what it is being used for. I believe that anything that falls into the right hands and is used for a genuine purpose, can help progress society in a positive light even if the thing in question is deemed bad. For instance, in June of 2013, Edward Snowden, an American computer professional, leaked classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) to the mainstream media in Hong Kong by using the helpfulness social engineering approach, which help him obtain confidential information without physically taken it from the person. Although this was detrimental for the US government’s reputation, simultaneously it was an event that lead to the improvement of security. In addition, if the US had hired Edward Snowden that could use his wrong doing for a right cause. We all have our thoughts about what is wrong and right, but in reality those who are in power of wealth determine what is deemed acceptable and unacceptable. With this in mind, I state the claim that from a creativity aspect no matter whether a product is deemed good or bad,
In this essay, the author
- Explains how their friends were misguided and eventually became full-time criminals. they were taught that aggression was the best way to steal from people.
- Opines that hacking is a new age crime that allows those who are computer savvy to engage in illegal activity without causing physical harm.
- Opines that hacking is a terrible thing for those with dark secrets that haven't surfaced. hacking can be deemed good, even though technically it would be considered illegal.
735 wordsRead More - Hacker Crackdownanalytical essayThe Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier by Bruce Sterling is a book that focuses on the events that occurred on and led up to the AT&T long-distance telephone switching system crashing on January 15, 1990. Not only was this event rare and unheard of it took place in a time when few people knew what was exactly going on and how to fix the problem. There were a lot of controversies about the events that led up to this event and the events that followed because not only did it happen on Martin Luther King Day, but few knew what the situation truly entailed. There was fear, skepticism, disbelief and worry surrounding the people that were involved and all of the issues that it incorporated. After these events took place the police began to crackdown on the law enforcement on hackers and other computer based law breakers. The story of the Hacker Crackdown is technological, sub cultural, criminal, and legal. There were many raids that took place and it became a symbolic debate between fighting serious computer crime and protecting the civil liberties of those involved.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the hacker crackdown: law and disorder on the electronic frontier by bruce sterling is a book about the events that led up to the at&t long-distance telephone switching system crashing on january 15, 1990.
- Analyzes how sterling discusses three cyberspace subcultures: the hacker underworld, the cyber cops, and the idealistic culture for cyber civil libertarians.
- Explains that technology has different life cycles just like everything else on earth. the first stage is called the question mark or the "golden vaporware" stage.
- Analyzes how bruce breaks the hacker crackdown into four sections: crashing the system, the digital underground, law and order, and the civil libertarians.
- Opines that bruce sterling's the hacker crackdown was boring, repetitive, and too detailed. they think that did a good job of explaining how the cyber space world came into existence, but what he said could have been condensed to make the book easier to understand.
- Analyzes how sterling used wozniak as an example of a bedroom hacker to show the relationship between phone phreaking and hacking.
1754 wordsRead More