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 Is Your Kid a Hacker? |
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Recently, a congressman’s kid was arrested for breaking into Sarah Palin’s Yahoo e-mail account. Many news organizations labeled him a “hacker.”
Most of you have heard the term, “hacker.” But, what is it? Or, more importantly, “who” is it? Hollywood leads you to believe this person is a misguided teenage, punk rocker, with too much time on their hands, involved in illegal deeds using their computer.
First, let’s get things straight. The words “hacker” and “criminal” are not synonymous. I have quite a few friends that are hackers. I even fancy myself a bit of a hacker, but not on caliber with some of the net-gods that exist. A hacker is simply someone that enjoys “learning how things work.” One online source defines a hacker as:
“[Originally, someone who makes furniture with an axe]
1. A person who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and how to stretch their capabilities, as opposed to most users, who prefer to learn only the minimum necessary.
2. One who programs enthusiastically (even obsessively) or who enjoys programming rather than just theorizing about programming.
3. A person capable of appreciating hack value.
4. A person who is good at programming quickly.
5. An expert at a particular program, or one who frequently does work using it or on it; as in ‘a Unix hacker'. (Definitions 1 through 5 are correlated, and people who fit them congregate.)
6. An expert or enthusiast of any kind. One might be an astronomy hacker, for example. 7. One who enjoys the intellectual challenge of creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations.”
Notice, that nowhere in that definition, did you see anything illegal.
To use a Star Wars analogy, though, it is possible for a hacker to turn “to the dark side.” We call criminal hackers, “Crackers.” A person that breaks into computers or networks with the purpose of changing, deleting, or stealing information is a cracker.
As an example, here’s a scenario involving both types of people: One day, Joe Hacker is wandering around the Internet, looking at various sites, when he finds an “address” he hasn’t seen before. Upon entering this mysterious address, he finds himself at the heart of NORAD’s missile defense system. A large button labeled, “Launch” sits squarely on his screen.
A “hacker” would contact NORAD and tell them about the “hole” in their security so it could be fixed. A “cracker” would push the button (or, more likely, sell the information to the highest bidder).
Using these definitions, we can actually label some of our greatest inventors as hackers. If Thomas Edison were alive today, he would probably wear the label proudly. Throw in Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, etc. Heck, if you have a kid that takes apart the vacuum cleaner to see how it works, well, you have a hacker.
Crackers are the more mysterious of the two, though. They tend to congregate in loose organizations, similar to street gangs. However, unlike street gangs, a single gang may include members from nations all around the world. With names like “Legion of Doom” and “The Destroyers”, these criminals often bill themselves as cyber-mercenaries, selling their services to corporations or foreign countries. Much like mobsters, once hired, they will steal from a competing corporation or “assassinate” their data.
Many of the most lethal computer viruses are written by crackers.
Originally, these deadly viruses were intended for a specific target (like a military base or corporation). However, as with most viruses, they escape into the wild, spreading throughout the large population of personal computers in homes and businesses.
The majority of crackers use “non-techy” methods of breaking into systems. “Dumpster diving” is a popular pastime among crackers. You would be surprised how many passwords, credit card numbers, and confidential reports are simply thrown away.
So, how can you tell if your kid is experimenting with “cracking?” Are
they constantly using their computer to the exclusion of other important activities? When you enter the room, do they suddenly “switch the screen off” or cover it so you can’t see what they’re doing? Do they frequent chat rooms at odd hours of the night. In their writing, do they use any of the following slang:
kEwL - similar to “cool”, capitalization included
lamer – someone that is not a cracker, but thinks they are
doodz – dudes – fellow crackers
warez – short for “software”, specifically, pirated software.
Don’t get me wrong. Answering “yes,” to any or all of those questions does not automatically mean your kid is a cracker, but those are some of the “signs.” Many families have solved the problem by putting the family PC in a public area, like the living room or dining room, with the screen in full sight of anyone entering. If your kid is behind a locked bedroom door using his computer, you are just asking for trouble…
I’ll see you in Cyberspace! |
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Category : Newspaper Articles
| Posted By : Eric |
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| Kids and the Internet |
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When the weather turns sour outside, many kids immediately jump in front of the television and turn into vegetables. With a few Internet bookmarks you can change that wasted time into something more “brain-filling.”
Many people feel that websites are designed for adults. Not so! Quite a few sites are designed with the younger set in mind. Before you gather the kiddies around the computer, though, make sure your PC is up to the challenge. Kids demand interaction and multimedia. Before going to any of these sites, make sure you have a high-end AMD computer, Pentium-based computer, or newer Macintosh. The majority of these sites rely heavily on something called “Flash” or “Shockwave.” These techy sounding words represent programming languages for the Internet and allow people to play games, watch movies, and interact with websites. If you need them, your system will give you instructions on downloading and installing these free programs. Now, on to the sites!
For the youngest kids, check out Crayola (http://crayolakids.com). Offering hundreds of activities, parents will tire out before kids do. One of my favorites is the “Coloring Pages” area. Here, you can find hundreds of pictures, ready to print, and then color. If interactivity is more their style, have them head to the “Games and Fun” area. I found an addictive game called “Rainbow, the Spouting Trout.” Think of it as “Space Invaders” for the younger set.
Another game, Monster Mixer, allows your budding mad scientist to create their own unique “creature.” By picking various tops and bottoms, they can design, print, and then color their own creepy creation.
Finally, under the “Craft Ideas” section, kids will receive step-by-step instructions on creating their own Crayola projects. Cowboy outfits, headbands, and paper ponies are just a few of the options. Numerous illustrations make these projects extremely easy to follow.
Another great site is Nick Jr. (http://nickjr.com). Based on the cable television channels of Nickelodeon, this site is perfect for the youngest of Web Surfers. Online games are available with the characters from Blue’s Clues, Lazy Town, Franklin, Dora, and Oswald. For example, in the Blue’s Clues game, kids are asked to determine whether certain items “float” or “sink” when placed in water. Using the mouse, kids can drop the items in one by one, performing their own science experiment of sorts.
To play the games you will need the “Flash” plug-in. If you have the newest versions of Firefox or Internet Explorer, don’t worry. But if you need to download it, go to http://macromedia.com. The plug-in facilitates many of the interactive sections of the games and also adds some great audio.
The Children’s Television Workshop (creators of Sesame Street) also have a great website (http://www.ctw.org). Your kids can play with Big Bird, Elmo, and the Cookie Monster in a variety of games.
Warner Brothers, not to be outdone by its rivals, has also created an interactive site (http://kidswb.com). Show schedules, message boards, and games are available. My favorite activity, of course, is the games. The Scooby Doo “Look and Find,” akin to “Where’s Waldo,” is very addictive and great for strengthening pattern-matching skills.
Speaking of Warner Brothers, their dedicated site, Looney Tunes (http://www.looneytunes.com) is packed with games and activities. However, the one offering that sets them apart from the rest is their free cartoons. Yes, that’s right: Actual Looney Tunes cartoons you can watch on your PC. You’ll find a collection of old favorites as well as some Internet-only features. (Attention adults: While these may be a blast to watch at work, make sure your speakers are turned down...)
Each of the previous sites gives links to many more, great kids’ areas, so don’t worry about this activity getting “old.” Remember, a computer is not a babysitter. Enjoy these activities WITH your children. You never know; in all of that fun, they may just learn something.
I’ll see you in Cyberspace! |
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Category : Newspaper Articles
| Posted By : Eric |
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| Pumpkin Masters |
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| Sticking with my Halloween theme, check out my site of the week, Pumpkin Masters. Here you can learn great tips on carving that cool jack-o-lantern. You can even download some free patterns, but only at pumpkinmasters.com. |
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Category : Cool Sites
| Posted By : Eric |
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| Halloween on the Net - October 27, 2008 |
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Well, Halloween will be here in a couple of days. If you’re low on celebration ideas, the Web has some great resources. First, check out the largest site, Halloween-Online.com. Here, you can find links to pumpkin carving, party ideas, even scary music you can play. Another great site, Halloweenmagazine.com lets you send free e-mail postcards to friends and learn about the history of this holiday. Oh, and they even have a safety game you should play with your kids before they go out. My favorite site, though is allhallowseve.com. The webmaster has really done a great job putting animation to work. For instance, check out the Ghoulish Music link, where you can listen to such tunes as Haunted Disco and Franken-beat. He even has a little program that will let you create your own virtual jack-o-lantern. No fuss, no mess, just click till you get it perfect.
I'm Eric Spellmann…taking you to the Next Level.
More Information
Halloween Online
http://Halloween-online.com
Halloween Magazine
http://www.halloweenmagazine.com
All Hallows Eve
http://allhallowseve.com |
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Category : Television Articles
| Posted By : Eric |
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| TabUp |
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| Having trouble keeping up with everything in your busy world. Check out my site of the week, TabUp. Here, you can easily organize everything you do and everyone you talk to using their unique brand of Tabs. Check it out at tabup.com. |
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Category : Cool Sites
| Posted By : Eric |
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