The Difference between Hacker and Cracker

a.k.a. a hacker -or- hacking

A computer enthusiast who enjoys learning everything about a computer system and, through clever programming, pushes the system to its highest possible level of performance. Often confused with crackers, these hobbyists are skilled programmers with the reputation of having a mischievous bent for breaking into secured systems. In one sense, a hacker is a person who enjoys programming rather than just theorizing about it. In another sense, the term "hacker" tends to connote membership within a global community defined by computer networks; it implies that the person subscribes to some version of the hacker ethic. Hacking has been going on since computers were invented, and sometimes there have been extremely damaging consequences. A variety of old-time hackers have now "gone commercial" and taken hacking to the business level (they are now referred to as "ethical hackers").

For example, they use their hacking skills to develop penetration tools, and then they go out and analyze a customer's networks for security vulnerabilities, in order to report the findings back to the customer. Hacker wannabes take note: It is better to be described as a hacker by others than to describe oneself that way. Most hackers consider themselves something of an elite (a meritocracy based on ability), although new members are said to be gladly welcome.

Cracker

hacker jargon used to describe one who breaks security on a system. This term was coined circa 1985 by hackers in defense against journalistic misuse of the word "hacker." While it is expected that hackers will have done some playful cracking, most outgrow the desire to break security (except perhaps to get some work done). Crackers tend to gather in small, secretive groups that have little overlap with hacker culture. They like to describe themselves as hackers (but hackers consider them lame). A cracker is also one who can crack a software program.

How To Protect Yourself

'Crackers' get hold of your passwords by gaining access to email via the security question, or by guessing the password of an admin or gmod, or running a scanner to do the same. Follow these guidelines :-


1. Ensure your email password security question is not obvious (don't have 'my favourite football team' then go talking about them non stop)
2. You may want to change your email address / provider (the cracker may still have access to the old one)
3. Use the 'Hide email' option (if you want members to contact you, use one of the free 'throwaway' emails for public view)
4. Make ANY passwords difficult (use upper and lower case letters, mixed with numbers)
5. Use different passwords for each account.
6. Use different email for your main Admin account(s), and don't make it public.
7. Don't let ANYONE know your passwords (if you make a note of them, keep them safe)
8. If you share a computer/ computer account, don't 'let the computer remember password'
9. Tell your main staff to do the same (2nd Admin, and G Mods)
10. Don't open links in PM's, unless you know EXACTLY what it is.

Hackers are Not Crackers
Understanding the Difference between Hackers and Crackers
Information Database: Hackers
Information Database: Crackers :)

I read this on a site when i was learning about viruses and stuff...

i posted this because people seem to have a misconception about the two..

Yeah, and it's annoying when they do have such ideas.

I hate hackers.

in short.. hackers are the good guys, crackers are the bad guys..

No not really,hackers are bad too,and so are crackers. (There's 2 different definitions of crackers you know.)

My mother once tolled me about them.

We're talking computer terms. Crackers are bad, hackers are not. If a hacker vandalises or does anything bad to another's computer then they become a cracker.

Education is the first step to eliminate ignorance.

actually there are 3

1. person who crack security

2. a tasty snack

3. a white guy (ex. coughgeorgebushcough )

Some crackers don't break into companies or other people's computers, rather they break into a companies software and either remove, bypass or invent a method to bypass the protection on it so that it can be used freely by everyone. (Hence why there are cracks for software... But I'm still wary of them... if they can rewrite the code in it, what's to stop them from injecting a virus or trojan into it as well?)

That is exactly what they do..

Even in torrents you see shit like "crack.exe" or "exe1.exe" or "update.exe"

and then they usually have the real crack or serial in a separate folder..

that is why I don't download cracked programs, and that is why I don't download cracked torrents.

Shoot, some crack sites try to install that shit to your computer the moment you visit the website.. in addition to the files mentioned above inside the file you download..