Hacking Attacks: At first, hacker attacks are uncomfortable for companies. But why do hackers attack websites and service providers at all? What is their intention? A study addressed this question—the results were surprising. Many people still associate a hacker attack with a nerd who sits in his darkroom in front of his laptop day and night and looks at screens on which thousands of lines of code can be seen.
And, of course, this picture is not entirely far from reality because a robust technical understanding of the structure and programming of websites or technological infrastructures is necessary for (successful) hacker attacks.
Why Do Hackers Launch Their Hacking Attacks?
Also connected to the image of the hacker is the negative intention. The hackers are often accused of only wanting to have harmful consequences with their work. The Hacker One community, for example, shows that there are many specialists in this field who use their skills to increase the security of applications so that the average citizen is less likely to become a victim of fraudsters.
That’s why a survey of 3,150 hackers from over 120 countries who uncovered at least one critical security gap in Hacker One is all the more exciting. They were asked: What is the intention behind your hacker attacks?
Hacker Attacks: Between Challenges, Money And Fun
The results might come as a surprise in some places. The most common reason is the appeal of the challenge, 68 per cent. Is it possible to attack this system or website? Second is the financial incentive 53 per cent, followed by learning new tips and techniques 51 per cent. It is unclear whether the money is about blackmailing the respective service providers or rewards from companies for the security gaps discovered. And the other places also reveal a fantastic mixture of personal and social interests.
A part of the hacker community, which should not be despised, is pursuing positive goals. They want to help and protect 29 per cent, improve the world by 27 per cent and help others 22 per cent.
At the same time, however, individual and sometimes irrelevant reasons are always at the forefront of hacker attacks. These include having fun 49 per cent, advancing your career 44 per cent and demonstrating your skills (eight per cent).
Conclusion
So when it comes to hackers’ intentions, the good and the bad are mainly balanced. Ultimately, the incentive to do something good must always be greater than the appeal of blackmail. Therefore, more and more companies must make a budget available to reward the detection of any security gaps. The negative consequences are likely to be more painful if this does not happen.
Many people still associate a hacker attack with a nerd who sits in his darkroom in front of his laptop day and night and looks at screens on which thousands of lines of code can be seen. Also connected to the image of the hacker is the negative intention. A part of the hacker community, which should not be despised, is pursuing positive goals. At the same time, however, individual and sometimes irrelevant reasons are always at the forefront of hacker attacks.
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