by Hla Min
Updated : Aug 2025
In the early days of Computing, a Hack is defined to be a “useful and/or beautiful piece of code.”
Hacker
- Some students, who worked at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Computing Laboratories, preferred working on code rather than attending courses.
- They feel proud of their Hacks and are addressed as Hackers.
- Over time, Unethical Hackers emerged.
- Ethical Hackers also rose to defend against the Unethical Hackers.
- Most people do no know or care about the difference between Ethical and Unethical Hackers.
Ethical Hackers
- They try to break the security of computer systems and applications.
- They propose solutions to defend the possible attacks of Unethical Hackers.
- They are known as White Hats.
Unethical Hackers
- They inflict damage to hardware, software and data systems.
- They may steal and sell sensitive information.
- One study says that it is safer and lucrative to be a Criminal Hacker (also referred to as Cracker) than selling drugs (which can lead to imprisonment and death in some countries).
- The underground business for malware (viruses, Trojan horses, …) is valued at multi-billion dollars.
HlaMin 