Many people confuse between hackers and crackers. However, both are different from each other and do opposite things. Below is the quick difference between them:
- Hackers: They must think and operate as crackers to spot vulnerabilities in systems or networks and help organizations from the biggest cyber threats.
- Crackers: They exploit the vulnerabilities of the newly launched products or software for destructive purposes and personal gain.
Nowadays, the internet sometimes provides us with complex news and information that we do not even understand. Sure, the internet has many advantages that have made our lives efficient. However, it is not short of the shady side and shady people.
Thus, a myriad of well-meaning information about the risks of malware attacks and hackers that roam the sites comes with this. But have you ever heard of crackers? As a non-tech savvy, you probably think that crackers are an interchangeable word for hackers. That is not the case.
Hackers vs. crackers
A hacker is a person who possesses the interest, skill, and understanding of the internal workings and skeleton of a system, computer, or network. Unlike popular myths, hackers are not bad people. Hackers use their skills to find weaknesses within a system or network and find a way to mitigate the problem. Organizations usually legitimately hire them as systems and network auditors to spot and recommend solutions to vulnerabilities.
These security professionals possess knowledge of programming, computer terminology, codes, and computer security. And they usually conduct their work ethically; yes, they hack ethically! Hackers work to improve systems and create defenses rather than just penetrating the existing protection. Because of their skills, they can anticipate risks to which your system or networks are exposed as malicious attackers.
On the other end, Crackers are those you are constantly warned about. These individuals work to penetrate the organization’s systems and networks without authorization. These are the culprits that hackers work to keep out of your systems and networks. Crackers are generally malicious, intending to steal information or hijack your networks and systems for ransom.
They work by looking for the backdoors to your systems to penetrate them. The same backdoors that hackers work to identify and close before crackers take advantage of them. Crackers can also beat software algorithms to guess the activation codes of reputable manufacturers like Movavi. One can even say a cracker is the ultimate poster child for cybercrime.
Unlike hackers, the main objective of a cracker is to penetrate, steal, ransom, or destroy. These individuals are normally motivated by financial gain. Whether they are commissioned by a competitor to steal and destroy data or are simply looking to steal credit card information, they are always up for financial gain. Other crackers simply extend their sociopathic tendencies to the virtual world and are merely motivated by publicity and satisfying their egos.
And some of the few crackers may even be breaking into systems and networks, believing they do so for charitable purposes. A good example is crackers who break into networks of big corporations hated by people en masse for some reason – maybe because they are polluting the nearby lake or involved in child labor abroad. Rackers break into these systems to make the corporations pay either by ransoming data or destroying it.
Ethical viewpoint
In general terms, hackers are the good guys, while crackers are the culprits. Hackers are typically given the legal mandate to break into networks with the primary purpose of spotting loopholes. Their report is then used to fortify the system’s defenses. This makes their whole process ethical. Crackers, on the other end, do the opposite. They penetrate systems with the primary purpose of harming, and there is normally a hidden agenda, whether it’s financial gain or publicity.
Differences in skills
Typically, hackers possess broader skills than crackers. Hackers are skilled in multiple computer processes, including codes and languages, and can even design and build their own programs and systems. Crackers, on the other hand, possess limited and compounded skills.
While they can penetrate one specific system, they usually do not possess the skills to build their programs. etc.; even with these limited skills, they are never to be ignored as they have invested their time searching for ways to penetrate and damage systems.
Know the differences
Thus, with the growing fears spread by media outlets, there’s no better time to always equip yourself with more knowledge of what is happening around you. This helps you to make informed decisions rather than being overly fearful of the masses, thanks to the media frenzies that blow everything out of proportion.
This isn’t to say that you should not follow up and listen to vital information and news; it is also important to know current information. Consequently, hackers and crackers are not the same. As much as we need anti-malware programs and software to protect us from malware attackers and skimming individuals all over the internet, we also need hackers to build these programs.
Think of it in terms of, without hackers, we wouldn’t know how to fortify defenses, design protection software, and even better our systems and networks.
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