Hacking maybe defined as an unlawful usage of computer systems or network resources. In other words, hacking is a method used for modifying the hardware or software to make it work according to the person’s requirements. The persons who do hacking are known as hackers. 

Hacking may be used to hack passwords, websites, computer networks and software. Hackers can be classified into two categories namely, “White Hats” and “Black Hats”. White Hats refer to people who use hacking for a good or constructive purpose. And a Black Hat is a person who hacks against the law and hacks for malicious or destructive purposes.

Hacking is done by the “backdoor” programs installed in a computer without the user’s knowledge. For example, the hacker programs try a billion of passwords to find out the password used by the user to gain unauthorized access.  The backdoor programs can do different types of damages. They can access unauthorized files and can change, edit or modify any file at any time from the hard disk.  They may steal personal information like passwords, bank account details and credit card details. Backdoor programs may allow the hacker to listen to personal conversations done by the user using his/her microphone. Virus programs written by Black Hats can damage the entire hard disk or the basic input/output system (BIOS) of the system and may turn the computer into a large paper weight.

Several ways are there to protect the Computer Systems and Networks. Using corporate firewalls in networked computers, using firewalls in computers to block any unauthorized packets, accessing only the secured sites of internet using proper internet security programs, using up-to-date versions of Antivirus products and Spyware programs to block the hackers who try to download backdoor programs on the computer, changing important passwords frequently and using up-to-date file scanners while downloading files to block malicious users are some of the ways to help protect the systems and networks.

Under the description of the United Nations Definition of Cyber Crime, “hacking is a punishable cyber crime when it is done for Unauthorized accessing, Computer sabotaging, Computer espionage, unlawful interception of communications or data.” Most of the countries in the world have their own cyber crime laws on hacking. Hackers can commit crimes from any country and that may affect the other side of the world. Hence, the process of investigation will be a complicated one and it may take years to extradite suspects from different countries.

White Hats are the security experts who hack the programs or systems to know about the weakness of the programs or the manufacturing defects and report them to the owners or to the manufacturers to maximize the security of the systems. Though these intelligent hackers are working for some good purposes, the media highlights only the cyber crimes by the Black Hats.

While hackers are spread all around the world, it is in the hands of each and every individual to protect themselves from being hacked by the hackers. Hence, one needs to be careful and alert while using computers and related networks.