We all are familiar with the word 'Computer hacking' but very few of us have the idea what computer hacking exactly is
. Typically, this is the practice of changing computer hardware and software without permission and knowledge of the computer user. Individuals who do these types of activities are termed as computer hackers.
Tteenagers and young adults are mostly engaged in computer hacking and they are mainly motivated by the challenge. There are many older hackers as well who also hack computer as a challenge or for profit. There is also no lack of hackers who are true technology buffs and they think computer hacking is an 'art'. These technology buffs employ their problem-solving skills in computer hacking. They think it's a chance to show their abilities, not a way to harm others.
It is also not uncommon to see that computer hackers are engaged in constructive technological developments. We all know that the creators of the UNIX operating system Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson were former hackers. And the UNIX operating system had a great impact on the development of Linux which is a free UNIX-like operating system.
There are also some corporations who employ computer hackers to find flaws in the company's security system. These hackers are known as ethical hacker and they use their skills and assist the company to prevent identity theft and other types of computer-related crimes.
Hackers who are engaged in computer hacking for personal information theft, break security codes to gain unofficial network access, or change a corporation's financial data can be sent behind the bars for long time if caught. These types of hackers are known as 'crackers' or unethical hackers. To catch these crackers and protect the computer users from them every country has set up cyber crime protection cell.
To protect your home computer against malicious hackers, it is strongly recommended to buy a good firewall. You can also check for updates for your software programs on a regular basis. To protect your system from hackers and viruses, you can also choose virus removal support.