hacking

Unauthorized access to computer systems, either for fun or for malicious or fraudulent purposes. Hackers generally use computers and telephone lines to obtain access. In computing, the term is used in a wider sense to mean using software for enjoyment or self-education, not necessarily involving unauthorized access. The most destructive form of hacking is the introduction of a computer virus.

There is some dispute over the correct use of the term hacker. Some believe hacker should be used to describe someone who develops computer software, with the term cracker being used for a person who breaks into a computer system.

Some hackers call themselves ethical or white hat hackers. Ethical hackers probe Web sites for holes in the security system, either fixing the holes themselves or alerting the company in question. White hat hackers are computer experts employed by companies to hack into their networks to expose weaknesses in security.