Different Types of Hacking
Many businesses and individuals use computers to do several things.
Laptops and computers are essential for organizations, and this makes them
an easy target. Hackers are classified into groups to enable easy
identification. There are white hat hackers who engage in ethical hacking
and do things by the book. They are allowed by organizations to
compromise a system.
However, there are rules that they must follow. Black hat is the second
category of hackers. These are the villains who compromise systems for
personal gains. The third category is the grey hat hacker who hacks with a
good intention only that they do not ask for permission. People hack for
different reasons. Others see it as a way to earn quick money, while others
do it just for the sake. Some are lured by hacking series and TV shows.
Hacking is considered cool by young people who see it as a way to
challenge systems and disorient organizations.
Hacking refers to gaining unauthorized access to computer systems. The
number of hackers has mushroomed over the years. They hack into systems
by cracking passwords and gain access to systems. The term cracking is
used to describe the method of getting the code or password to access a
system. A hacker is a person who cracks into a system. It can be one
person or a group of people hacking into a single system or a group of
systems. A hacker can decide to hack a website, LAN network, or a social
media account. To obtain access to a password, hackers crack algorithm
programs. Hacking is not a new phenomenon, but the techniques change
every day.
In attempts to tame the dark world wide web, governments spend billions,
but that does not deter people from cracking into systems. Hackers do not
just focus on major brands alone, but also small ones, provided they have
vital information. A distributed denial of services (DDoS) attacks is on the
rise. While it is not exactly a form of hacking, it is a major concern for
online brands. It works by making services unavailable by flooding a
website with fake requests or traffic. To pull off DDoS, the hacker uses a
big portion of previously hacked computers to carry out the attack. The
computer used is known as a botnet, and the hacker asks to access the
targeted site many times to overwhelm the server and eventually bring it
down.
Another hacking commonly done is injection attacks. This is where a
hacker injects code into a site to carry out remote commands to modify the
database. This type of attack is common because it can be done from easily
accessible input points such as login forms or contact forms where the site
permits public user input. These inputs are used to make SQL queries in
attempts to interact with the site’s database and crucial access data. It also
gives the hacker a chance to modify the database immediately. A hacker can
also decide to carry out the Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack on a system.
This is a type of code injection, only that the attacker injects malicious code
into a website then executes a malicious client-side script whenever the
victims visit the website. For you to run a malicious script in the victim’s
web page, you must find a way to inject code into the said browser. You
need to trail the victim and find the website that he/she visits frequently.
Knowing where the victim visit regularly gives the hacker access to his/her
cookies and enables him to send HTTP requests.
People hack into systems through DNS Spoofing. Using this method, the
hacker manages to divert traffic from a server to a malicious one. It leads
unsuspecting users to malicious web pages. For a hacker to spoof DNS, he
brings in a corrupt domain name system data into the DNS cache. He then
determines where the DNS requests go and steal sensitive information.
After getting the needed information, the attacker redirects traffic. Hackers
love this method because it allows them to divert traffic-legitimate browsers
to malicious ones.
To gain unauthorized access into systems, hackers can practice clickjacking.
This is where the attacker manipulates a website user’s clicks by hiding
hyperlinks under clickable content. This tactic allows hackers to trick web
page users into clicking links without their knowledge. In this case, the
hacker is not primarily concerned with hacking but causing the user to click
on a web page. Clickjacking is done by concealing hyperlinks under
something that the site user will be lured to click. For example, the attacker
can place an attractive ad to motivate the surfer to click on the link.
It can be a social sharing button, and in case it is malicious, the attacker
sends the user another website where a different attack is carried out.
Google hacking is another way hackers use to gain access to web pages. It
is where a hacker looks for sensitive information or victims through search
engines such as Google. This is an easy way for them to find easy targets.
The Google Hacking Database has a list of questions people search on
Google. Attackers use these queries to identify sensitive information about
the target or web pages. Google tried and blocked Google hacking queries,
but this did not stop hackers from finding tools to crack websites.
Another great way to hack into systems is to use malware to compromise a
computer system. To pull off attacks, attackers disguise malicious software
in video or music files to trick the victim into downloading and installing it.
Trojan horse virus is an example of malware that is commonly used by
hackers. A trojan is introduced with other downloads or emails that users
trust. After download, they serve as the backdoor and contacts a remote
controller which gains access into the system.
Hackers also use symbolic links to hack into systems easily. This is a
method employed to hack Linux servers. It is a shortcut that surfers know
and use regularly. Attackers use symbolic links to access servers’ root
directories. It makes hacking possible even when the user has limited access
to the server. This method works by creating a symbolic link from the
directory, where there is restricted permission to the directory. For instance,
an employee with limited access has an easy time accessing the server using
a symbolic link.
Once he has access to the root servers, it becomes easy to change files and
to insert malicious code. The attacker can decide to expose the data or
conceal it. Arbitrary code execution is another great way to hack into
systems. This technique involves executing commands on target computers.
Once the victim’s computer is separated from the attacker’s machine, a
remote code executed is deemed to have taken place. It is done by assuming
control of a program’s instruction pointer, which indicates the next line of
code to be processed.
A malware infection can be used to perform arbitrary code execution.
Alternatively, an attacker can use fake wireless access points to infiltrate a
system. If you have been keen, you have most likely witnessed a large
number of open wireless access points. Hackers usually set up fake wireless
access points (WAPs) to appeal to free Wi-Fi users. When you are
connected to a Wi-Fi that is managed by a hacker, he/she can see everything
that you are doing. It is scary how the hacker has access to all your
information, immediately you connect to WAPs. It allows the hacker to see
when you type the passwords and credit card information .
WAPs are set up in busy neighborhoods to lure many people. If you are not
into the waiting game and want to carry out a quick attack on the system,
you can use a brute force attack method. If you have tried every technique
there is, and nothing seems to be working, you can become a brute force
attacker. In this technique, you try different encryption and passwords until
you get the right answer. Seasoned attackers use brute force attack tools
until they find what they are looking for. It is a method of trial and error.
The good thing with brute force attack is that many people use the same
passwords for several accounts so once you have it, chances are you have
access to everything you need. If a hacker manages to crack a Gmail
password, chances of cracking the phone are extremely high. You can also
use a directory traversal hacks to maneuver the hacking game. This method
you access to commands, files, and directories that are outside a website’s
root directory. It works when the hacker keys in malicious character
sequence into the search engine in a manner that the site executes the
command.
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