Computer Hacking1

Computer Hacking

Introduction

This essay is about computer hacking. This essay is against computer hacking. The essay will also include the criminal techniques that hackers use to interrupt to destroy the memory of a computer with an example. This essay will also include three best prevention techniquesto guard against computer hackers. As well, this essay will describe the negative effects of computer hacking when it comes to personal computers, businesses and for the government. Two strong references will be included to supplement the thesis against computer hacking for this essay. First, I will begin by describing what the hacking of a computer’s memory is all about.

Hacking a Computer’s Memory

The definition of computer hacking has been situated in this fashion:

Hackers are people who try to gain unauthorised access to your computer. This is normally done through the use of a 'backdoor' program installed on your machine. You can protect yourself from these by using afirewalland a good up-to-date anti-virus program. You would normally get such a backdoor program by opening an E-mail attachment containing the backdoor program. It is normal for such a backdoor program to send out more copies of itself to everyone in your address book, so it is possible for someone you know to unintentionally send you a malicious program. A few backdoor programs can work with any e-mail program by sitting in memory and watching for a connection to a mail server, rather than actually running from within a specific mail program. These programs automatically attach themselves to any e-mail you send, causing you to unintentionally send out malicious programs to your friends and associates (North Carolina State University, 2016).

Hackers attack the memory of a computer and destruct all of the data that is inside of a computer. This is a wrong thing to do. The United States Department of Justice (2016) illustrates how wrong computer hacking truly is by stating on their website that it is a federal crime to do computer hacking and it is also a violation of intellectual property.The North Carolina State University Study Guide (2016) saysthe motivation for criminals to hack other people’s computers is because they see the hacking of a computer as a “challenge” and enjoy the “thrill” of spying on other people’s information.Computer hacking often happens to people’s personal computers, businesses and also to the government. Next, I will give two examples of the criminal techniques that computer hackers use to attack the computers of innocent people.

The Criminal Techniques of Computer Hackers

Sometimes revenge is the motivation of why computer hackers will do their criminal activities, such as with people’s personal computers and with the government in particular. There are four types of criminal computer hackers (North Carolina State University, 2016). The four different types of hackers are pranksters, fame seekers, educational and criminals. Next, I will discuss three prevention techniques to guard against the criminal activities of computer hackers.

Prevention Against Computer Hackers

The three prevention techniques that anyone running a network of computers or with their own personal computer can do to protect themselves against criminal computer hackers are stated by the North Carolina State University (2016):

A skilled hacker will do whatever it takes to break into your computer. Just ask Microsoft. Even a giant software company is not completely safe. The company was hacked by a Trojan-horse program hidden inside an innocent-looking email attachment. The Trojan horse replicated itself throughout Microsoft's internal network and eventually emailed proprietary secrets back to the originator of the Trojan horse. Follow these six steps to protect your computer from being hacked:

  • Don't let other people onto your computer unless you really trust them. A great way to do this is to password-protect your computer.
  • Don't ever open attachments. Avoid Trojan horses and viruses by following this rule. For more information, gohere.
  • Turn off file sharing if you don't need it. If a port scan is done on your computer, a hacker may find a back door to your machine and access your files.
  • Use an antivirus program and keep it up to date. For more information, gohere.
  • If you have a constant Internet connection, use a firewall. For more information, gohere.
  • Routinely update Windows software. This is extremely important. Updates fix many bugs and known security holes within the Windows operating system (North Carolina State University, 2016).

With these prevention techniques this will aid to prevent either a personal computer, a network of computers with a business and/or a government computer system from being criminally hacked. Next, I will discuss how criminal computer hacking has influenced personal computers, businesses and the government byusing a government example.

Example of Computer Hacking

Two examples of criminal computer hacking include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI (2015) was involved in dismantling a criminal ring of hackers known as Darkode that was running in 20 countries worldwide. Charges were laid. In the New York Field Office of the FBI (2015), hackers had stolen more than 150,000 press releases to generate $30 million in illegal funds and the FBI (2015) charged nine people with two indictments.

Conclusion

This essay has been about computer hacking. This essay is against computer hacking. The essay also included the criminal techniques that hackers use to interrupt to destroy the memory of a computer with an example. This essay also included three best prevention techniquesto guard against computer hackers. As well, this essaydescribed the negative effects of computer hacking when it comes to personal computers, businesses and for the government. Two strong references were included to supplement the thesis against computer hacking for this essay. First, I began by describing what the hacking of a computer’s memory is all about.

References

North Carolina State University. (2016). Ethics in Computing. Online: North Carolina. Retrieved

from

The Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2015). Major Computer Hacking Forum Dismantled.

Online: Washington. Retrieved from

The Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2015). Nine People Charged in Largest Known Computer

Hacking and Securities Fraud Scheme. Online: New York. Retrieved from

The United States Department of Justice. (2016). Reporting Computer, Internet-Related, or

Intellectual Property Crime. Online: Washington. Retrieved from