Why Do Black Hackers Target The Average User? As the topic tittle says

[Levis 0]

Hey guys,In the last thread, i started a topic on best free security software. I then asked, why are regular people victtimized? Kyro stated earlier that they do it for money, but thats not always the case. Their are people who do it for the hell of it, or because they believe they will ruin microsofts reputation. Don't they realixe that the average person won't just stop using windows and switch to linux? What are your views? Can we one day stop them, or should we keep on running from those nasty little virus's and spyware?

[Kyro 0]

Ah the topic did get started.

 

I also pointed out that the average home user, is more often than not the easiest target to compromise security and gives greater potential profits.

This is because like in everything that has experts and newbies the newbies do not fully understand the potential problems that can arise from running a computer system on the internet or on a home network.

The newbies don't know that you can secure your system with more than just the stock standard "put a password on it".

The expert does, he knows that he doesn't need that messenger service running, he knows he doesn't need his normal user to have admin rights and other little, but to the home user advanced options.

 

Though as you say there are people who "hack" just for the hell of it.

But typically these people are not the ones that you need to watch out for. These people are just following human nature and that is that we as humans want to know how something works. That is after all how the first 'hack' happened, people just wanted to know how the telephone system worked and as it grew more popular it became a security issue and wala, we have the first 'hackers'.

For a 50minute documentary from the Discovery Channel on the history of hacking, The History of Hacking it provides information on the beginnings of hacking and also on the beginning of the PC.

 

I actually don't see personal hacking (also known as White hat-hacking) as a problem. I do a bit of it myself, finding out how something works and how it doesn't work allows you to build more robust computer programs and to set up proper systems that will do the job you want them to do without failing.

Its the black hat-hacking that is the problem.

For more information on black hat-hacking refer to

Wikipedia: Black-Hat hacker

For more information on White hat-hacking refer to Wikipedia: White-hat hacker

[kgd2006 0]

Hacking has been taking a lot of forms lately from what I noticed, the most widely spread form is hackers that use programs built by a hacker to hack websites. These programs as I have researched is a program that can members only websites. These hackers no little or nothing about the deep backend of hacking just the noob friendly side which they use a program to hack.I believe in a way that the real hackers are releasing these programs to keep hidden from the dangers of hacking by letting the noobs get caught. The more I look into it the more interesting it gets, and I start to wonder about the viruses that are being released by hackers. I sometimes wonder about if Norton have underground hackers on purpose to release viruses and Norton would just stop one version of it when it can possibly stop all future versions of it. We all pay norton for the virus updates, and possibly norton just make sure that we are somewhat exposed so that one people that remains paying for the virus updates will still be protected while the others will catch the virus unless they update.Thats just me thinking out the box when I start to think about hackers and viruses. It sure stirs things up.

[toby 0]

If you mean why average computer rather than a bank, it's a lot easier and smaller fine.

[sparkx 0]

I actually don't mind the hackers. They get whats coming to them when they try to hack my computer. If its a keylogger I'll just find the email address of the hacker and the filters they have and then spam them. I have been testing some software with anti-viriuses and if you know the good ones you can get it all free (legaly). I hope someday (when sp3 comes out) that there will be the top of the line free anti-viriuse programes are pre-installed so that the average Joe doesn't have to go threw pages and pages of scam anti-viriuses on google. Sorry about spelling and grammar. I am kinda in a hurry. I hope you can understand my reply.

[Levis 0]

Man, don't you just love breaking into hidden ports and manipulating the system to firewall if their is one to open up. Thats all good, but its stupid. If you want to hack something, build yourself a server and keep on tweaking and hacking it untill you master the art. Don't going screwking with other people's lives because you want to learn. Thats what i did, darn bitdefender i helped them out so' much lol and all i got was a free lifetime license key and a visiti lol. Man my grammer is becoming worse and worse on these forums. See ya

[nightfox1405241487 0]

Hey guys,

In the last thread, i started a topic on best free security software. I then asked, why are regular people victtimized? Kyro stated earlier that they do it for money, but thats not always the case. Their are people who do it for the hell of it, or because they believe they will ruin microsofts reputation. Don't they realixe that the average person won't just stop using windows and switch to linux? What are your views? Can we one day stop them, or should we keep on running from those nasty little virus's and spyware?

 

If you want to know why, I'm sorry to say this but, people are really stupid and will click and run anything. My Cisco teacher fixes computers for pocket money and he once had a computer that had over 3500 spywares on it!!!!! Yes, you read correctly: 3500. The "average" user today has the intelligence of a two-year-old (no offense to anyone, but I'm hoping you all are competent enough) and will basically click anything that is underlined, moves, or flashes. Also, it isn't 100% Microsoft's fault either. Yes the file system sucks and easily allows unauthorized changes, but it is the idiot users. I NEVER get viruses and I NEVER get spyware, yet I visit more websites than the average user.

 

[N]F

[sparkx 0]

I heard somewhere that hackers hack for the same reasons pyros light fires (stop me if I'm wrong) there are two reasons why people do that: 1. For pleasure - need I say more?2. To see what they have done and feel powerful - They want a reason for life so they decide to mess up someone else's. The bigger hackers like the ones on lime-wire just stink at everything else in life so they have to steal to live. I also never have gotten spy-ware or worms. I went to my friend house and cleaned up his computer I found 32 browser hijack attempts. A hit to all the only safe programs to download in lime-wire are pure files (imgs and music but not .zip files).

Edited November 10, 2006 by sparkx (see edit history)

[Hercco 0]

Actually pyros often find starting fires sexually pleasing or are otherwise obsessed with it. Pyromania is a mental disease, blackhacking technically isn't. I guess some crackers are seriously obsessed with breaking in to systems thus being mentally ill, but I'd believe most are not. Many of them probably think it's just über-cool. They need to show-off, to get something to brag about to the other like-minded. They get the feeling of power and being in control out of it, something that they might not be able to get in real life. These are the guys whose favourite characters in action films are the "hacker-nerds" not the leaders or the ones who beat the **** out of everyone.

[HellFire121 0]

Well i'd say because the average user usually has very little knowledge of security, some users don't even know what an antivirus or firewall program is. Also these users tend to keep their data exposed so if anyone can access the computer anyone can access the data.Also as someone mentioned above it is easier and there is a smaller fine so basically they are getting some cheap files off someones computer.-HellFire

[tommydanger 0]

Good points there :)I think they also do it cause no computer is the same thus making it interesting.As every computer is different so is the data stored on it.Maybe you'll find the uber kewl data you are looking for almost like the search for the holy grail.You have no idea where to start but you will try it anywayOnce you find something similar to the "holy grail of computer data" you can brag about it and it makes you feel better, for whatever reason it is?!I think that's the main reason why they target the average user.It's more likely to find something interesting in someones personal computer.The lower security settings on those machines are also a factor.When you try to break into a firms network, the data you will see will be "predictable", at least in some wayAnd it's also more likely that you will be caught.To sum it up, hacking the ordinary people gives the best result with minimal effort

[Grafitti 0]

I think the main reason hackers target the average computer user is that they're a small part of the overall design. That's not necessarily the end goal of the professional hacker. He has a larger scope , and transforming the ACU into a zombie host or relay station, and having many linked together, can create an attack of a much larger scale in relative safety.Of course small-time hackers will hack ACUs just for the fun of it, or to get personal info off, but IMO a pro would use a network of hacked ACUs to break into, say, a credit card company's databases. Why go piddling for small-time cash when you could hit the jackpot?