Hacking is the act of penetrating a closed computer system for the knowledge and information that is contained within. Through the study of technology and computers a hacker can open his mind and expand his knowledge. Hacking is intended to free information and expand minds, not to be destructive nor for material gain. Although there is always some debate because of how the term hacker has been both glorified and undermined by common media, but most will say that those who destroy data, hack for money or with illegal intent should be referred to as crackers, not hackers. Everyone has to start somewhere, and since hacking will continue to grow and transform as technology progresses, there will always be newcomers. Due to the increased media publicity about hackers, the underground, and the Internet, the flood of beginners has increased incredibly.
But, there is no simple answer to this question. The best way to start, and continue, building your knowledge base is to read up on material that interests you. Try locating everything you can, on and offline, about hacking, computers, programming, cellular phones, whatever interests you. Then read it, study it, and understand it. Reading is the key to learning your new craft, and there are tons of text files available that will get you started on your attack into the world of hacking and the computer underground. Simply read everything you can get your hands on.
Learn about the Internet and the various services available through it (such as WWW, FTP, IRC, Telnet, etc. ).
You must try to learn on your own. Don’t go clicking the first email link you see and then asking every question you can think of. Hacking is about learning and finding out things for yourself, you will not be spoon fed information, you must go out and get it.
Determination and perseverance are key factors to becoming a hacker. And it isn’t an overnight process either. If you really want it, you will eventually get it. Start by reading all the underground-related text files and experimenting with the programs and utilities available on the Internet. Contrary to popular myth, you don’t have to be a nerd to be a hacker.
It does help, however, and many hackers are in fact nerds. Being a social outcast helps you stay concentrated on the really important things, like thinking and hacking. The ethical hacker’s expertise in network management and security will include intimate knowledge of firewalls, platforms such as Unix and NT, and common tools and applications. They will also be familiar with the weaknesses in these systems or tools. The ethical hacker will need to know how to assess which systems are running on a network.
They will also know how to get through firewalls, launch denial of service attacks, and break into systems that have not been correctly patched, crack passwords and identify dial-up modems that will provide a back door into networks. In part, this knowledge will be gained by keeping up with hacker exploits reported on sites such as attrition. org or the Hacker Quarterly. Again, to be a hacker, you have to enter the hacker mindset. There are some things you can do when you ” re not at a computer that seem to help.
They ” re not substitutes for hacking but many hackers do them, and feel that they connect in some basic way with the essence of hacking. Learn to write your native language well. Though it’s a common stereotype that programmers can’t write, a surprising number of hackers are able writers. Read science fiction. Study Zen, and / or take up martial arts because he mental discipline seems similar in important ways. Develop an analytical ear for music.
Learn to appreciate peculiar kinds of music. Learn to play some musical instrument well, or how to sing. Lastly, develop your appreciation of puns and wordplay.