Hacking

Today I remembered something that makes me feel ashamed just like every time I recall it. It was one year ago, my very close friend and I were hanging around the computer room. That day, Ms XXX forgot to log off the computer, hence leaving open access to any one, meaning you can go on youtube, open limited folders, etc... My very good friend, let's say her name is Sarah, happened to discover the unguarded account. She whispered with excitement in my ear: "I've just hacked into the teacher's account!" Though I wasn't sure if she fully understands the meaning of hacking, I smiled and listened, curious to find what she will do-- maybe decoding the teacher's password? Browsing through some unauthorised files? I don't know what... I admit I was excited for a few second as I always have interest in the computer field, but honestly I don't see anything you can do on the teachers account except decoding her password or doing a Rick roll prank =P

Anyway, there's this teacher monitoring program installed the computer that lets the user to see other computer's activities in the room or control their actions as well. Of course, this was the first thing Sarah went on and prank the other juniors in the room. She watched what they were doing on the computer—seriously, i don’t really care about whether Ninemsn says Justin Bieber has a girlfriend, nor reading private emails of other kids—and sarah just looked at me exclaiming the fascinating discovery of power. I didn’t know how to react, excited with her? Ignore? Tell her that it’s not really something amazing? Then she took it further, she started taking control of the girl’s computer. Poor bony hair girl on the left side of the room‘s google search suddenly disappeared and was invaded by a random screen of Ms XXX’s computer.  Then the other girl on the right side put a WTF face seeing her mouse moving on its own. Sarah was laughing for her achievements. I stood behind her, watching her torturing the poor juniors in the computer room. 

But it only around one minute they found out who was the culprit behind this—it was quiet obvious who was playing with them—and all eyes and disapproving face glared into our direction. I hushed Sarah quietly and told her she should stop. And that was the end of the story. But that day I felt terrible, guilty, shameful because I didn’t warn her to stop earlier. And i felt sick, having to find someone dear, sweet and innocent to me is actually not she really seems like (or maybe she just doesn’t understand the meaning of hacking).

Ok, hacking. I can’t really say i’m a geeky professional hacker and I often seek help in hacking but i know enough to understand the world of hacking. Here’s some of the reasons why people hack:

1. They see it as a challenge, a puzzle to bypass and solve the security or barriers. 
2. Sometimes it is convenient to do something (for good reasons/no harmful intentions)

That’s why i am a proud hacker with dignity =]

On the other hand, some people do it because they:

     3.       Feel in control and power 
     4.       A computer version of bullying in real life
     5.       Gain unauthorised information for other advantages

Oh btw, hacking is a broad field and it covers different areas of the digital world. There are varying types of attitude from hackers as well.

Here’s an extract from 

Why Do People Hack? :

As noted above, most of the public perceives hackers as purely malicious. However, within the community there are varying attitudes of hackers. According to Steven Levy, author of several books on hacking, the principles of hacking are: access to computers should be unlimited and total; information should be free; "mistrust authority--promote decentralization"; the creation of art and beauty with computers; the bettering of lives through computers; learning should be done in "hands-on" fashion; and hackers should be judged by their accomplishments and skills, rather than degrees and titles. Though not explicitly decried, the fundamentals of hacking do not require malicious behavior.
Within the community, there are several different types of hackers "White hat" hackers hack for purely benevolent reasons, often alerting system administrators of holes in their security. "Black hat" hackers use hacking in order to steal personal information, such as credit cards and social security numbers. "Grey hat" hackers operate in ethically and legally ambiguous territory, practicing methods that may be construed as immoral by some parties.
Other types of hackers include "script kiddies" or a "lamer" (people who use software developed by hackers but do not fully understand its function) and "hacktivists" (those who hack to spread political messages).

Not bad-mouthing my friend here or whatsoever, but that incident brings me back to reality there are those people who are selfish, cruel and a bully in doing malicious hacking. Anyway, i’m a proud hacker and next time when i see my friend doing that again, i will try to stop her rather than standing there with my mouth shut.