A Free Educational Resource Created by Carnegie Mellon University to Empower You to Secure Your Part of Cyberspace

Cracking

Trying to get into computer systems in order to steal, corrupt, or illegitimately view data

The term “cracking” means trying to get into computer systems in order to steal, corrupt, or illegitimately view data. The popular press refers to such activities as hacking, but hackers see themselves as expert, elite programmers and maintain that such illegitimate activity should be called “cracking.”

Protective Measures

See the entry on hacking for ways to protect yourself from cracking.

Legal Issues

See the entry on hacking for ethical, legal and privacy issues related to cracking.

References

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