Hacker is a word that has two meanings:
Traditionally, a hacker is someone who likes to tinker with software or electronic systems.
Hackers enjoy exploring and learning how computer systems operate.
Recently, hacker has taken on a new meaning — someone who maliciously breaks into systems for personal gains. Technically, these criminals are crackers (criminal hackers). Crackers break into (crack) systems with malicious intent. They are out for personal gain: fame, profit, and even revenge. They modify, delete, and steal critical information, often making other people miserable.
The good-guy (white-hat) hackers don’t like being in the same category as the bad-guy (blackhat) hackers. (These terms come from Western movies where the good guys wore white cowboy hats and the bad guys wore black cowboy hats.) Whatever the case, most people give hacker a negative connotation. Many malicious hackers claim that they don’t cause damage but instead are altruistically helping others. Yeah, right. Many malicious hackers are electronic thieves.
Hackers (or bad guys) try to compromise computers.
Ethical hackers (or good guys) protect computers against illicit entry.
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