Hacking
Samiksha Das
Assistant Lecturer, JIBS
• An activity which is intrusive in nature and linked
to exploiting vulnerabilities an organisation’s
computer system or private network without
authorised access
• It is a practice of intentionally exploiting
weakness in an organisation’s computer system
• finding security holes in a computer system or
What is it ? network to gain access to personal or corporate
information or control of digital assests.
• in order to gather information on users, steal data
and documents, or disrupt data-related activity.
• Hacking is not always a malicious act, BUT
almost always operates with a goal of steal
sensitive data or cause damage to the system.
History of Hacking
• In 1975, a more formalised definition of hacking was adopted by THE
JARGON FILE as ‘a malicious meddler who tries to discover sensitive
information by poking around. Hence password hacker, network hacker.’
• In 1980s, Robert Morris, the first Internet hacker, deployed the first ever,
“denial of service” attack due to a fault in the code.
• It was otherwise known as the ‘Morris Worm’ of 1986, the incident was
intended to highlight security vulnerabilities but inadvertently caused
extensive damage that almost lasted for several days.
History of Hacking
• Two years later, two movies, Tron and War Games, were released, in
which the lead characters set about hacking into computer systems,
which introduced the concept of hacking to a wide audience and as a
potential national security risk.
• Around 1983, a group of teenagers cracked the computer systems of
major organisations like Los Alamos National Laboratory, Security Pacific
Bank, and Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
• A Newsweek article covering the event became the first to use the word
“hacker” in the negative light it now holds.
• This led to several bills on cyber-crime but it did not restrict the no. of
high-profile attacks on corporate and government organisations.
• The release of public internet increased no. of hacking cases as with time
opportunities and rewards increased and that led to wide ranges of new
variations of hacking and hackers.
Who are the Hackers?
• Traditional View – narrower explanation
Hackers in recent times are increasingly growing in sophistication, using
stealthy attack methods designed to completely go unnoticed by
cybersecurity cells.
• they are skilled in developing ‘attack vectors’ that tricks users into opening
malicious attachments or links and voluntarily giving up their sensitive
personal data.
• Hackers are not essentially ‘cyber-attackers’ as the later operates solely to
exploit vulnerabilities for malicious purposes.
Types of Hackers
Black Hat Hackers
▪ These are the “bad guys” of the hacking scene.
▪ These types often known as crackers and always have a malicious motive.
▪ They go out of their way to discover vulnerabilities in computer systems and software’s to exploit
them
▪ for financial gain or for more malicious purposes, such as to gain reputation, carry out corporate
espionage, or as part of nation-state hacking campaign.
▪ Their goal is to make money by stealing secret organisational data, stealing funds from online
bank accounts.
Types of Hackers
Black Hat Hackers
▪ Majority of hackers fall in this category.
▪ Hackers utilize their technical expertise to exploit others.
▪ Their actions can inflict serious damage on both computer users and the organisations they
work for.
▪ They operate with the intention of stealing data, extorting money for financial gain, or causing
harm.
▪ They use techniques like malware, phishing, social engineering
Types of Hackers
White Hat Hackers
▪ Seen as “good guys” who attempt to prevent the
success of black hat hackers through proactive
hacking.
▪ Also known as ‘ethical hacking’, they break into
systems to assess and test the level of network
security.
▪ Help in exposing vulnerabilities in systems before
black hat hackers can detect and exploit them.
Types of Hackers
White Hat Hackers
▪ Techniques used by them is similar or even
identical to those used by black hat hackers but
the intensions are different.
▪ Hackers are authorised to test the security of a
system.
▪ They are employed by businesss and
government agencies as data security analysts,
researchers.
▪ They assist their employers to resolve security
flaws.
Types of Hackers
Grey Hat Hackers
▪ These sit somewhere between the good and the bad
guys.
▪ Unlike black hat hackers, they attempt to violate
standards and principles but without intending to
do harm or gain financially.
▪ Their actions are typically carried out for the
common good.
▪ For example, they may exploit a vulnerability to raise
awareness that it exists, but unlike white hat
hackers, they do so publicly.
Types of Hackers
Red Hat Hackers
▪ who search for black hat hackers to prevent their attacks
▪ Also known as ‘eagle-eyed hackers’.
▪ Red hat hackers want to stop threat actors from launching
unethical assaults.
▪ Operate as vigilantes.
▪ Don't get paid for their work but gain fame for taking down the ‘bad
guys’.
▪ Fall between white and grey hat hackers.
▪ They don't aim to hurt companies for societal causes.
▪ The objective of red team hacking is to improve cyber security
health while purging threats.
Types of Hackers
Blue Hat Hackers
• Before releasing new software,
companies frequently encourage them
to test it and uncover security flaws.
• Freelance hackers
• Done through “invite-only penetration”
tests
• Microsoft uses the term to refer security
professionals whom they invite to find
vulnerabilities in their products.
Types of Hackers
Green Hat Hackers (Script Kiddies)
▪ who want to learn about and observe hacking techniques on hacking forums.
▪ they’re quick learners who are driven (if not desperate) to advance in the hacking
world.
▪ Although it is unlikely that they want to damage others, they may do so while
“experimenting” with various viruses and attack strategies.
▪ As a result, green hat hackers can be dangerous since they are frequently unaware
of the implications of their activities – or, even worse, how to correct them.
Types of Hackers
Yellow Hat Hackers
▪ Social media hackers
▪ Focus on hacking social-media accounts
▪ Have criminal tendencies.
▪ Similar to black hat hackers
▪ Operate with intention to
➢ cause embarrassment to a brand,
➢ distributing malware,
➢ getting revenge on a person,
➢ or misuse personal information
Hacktivists
• Who use their skills for political or social
activism.
• To cause DIGITAL CIVIL DISOBIDIENCE.
• Challenge authorities or advocate for change
• Intentions – to promote justice and freedom
• However, process is controversial – collateral
damage and raise legal and ethical damage.
Social Engineers
• Individuals who exploit ‘HUMAN
PSYCHOLOGY” rather than technical
vulnerabilities.
• Employ manipulations and deception tactics –
to gain TRUST
• Often pose as ‘tech support, authority figures
or friends’
• Praying on ‘urgency’, ‘fear’ or ‘curiosity’.
• Target human element – highlighting the
importance of awareness of digital security.
Types of Hacking Techniques
Malware Attacks
▪ Malware, also known as Malicious software
▪ It is software that is designed to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorised access
to a computer system.
▪ To gain access to sensitive information or to take control of a computer system.
▪ infects a system and spreads without the user’s knowledge or consent,
Types of Hacking Techniques
Malware Attacks
▪ Malware includes
➢ Trojans (camouflage itself, looks useful but spreads and affects the system)
➢ Worms (replicate themselves and spread to other computer on a network, crash system,
download malicious application)
➢ Spyware (software that enters into user’s device, gathers data, and sends to third parties
without the user’s consent)
➢ Ransomware (holds PC in hostage for financial gain)
Types of Hacking Techniques
Phishing Attacks
▪ Phishing is the fraudulent attempt to capture sensitive information (such as
passwords, login credentials, or financial data) by pretending to be a legitimate or
trustworthy entity via email, or website.
▪ It is a type of social engineering attack where the attacker poses as a legitimate entity
to obtain sensitive information such as usernames and passwords, credit card
details, and other personal information.
▪ The attacker sends fake emails or creates fake websites to trick victims into divulging
their personal information.
Types of Hacking Techniques
Password Cracking
▪ The process of guessing or cracking passwords to gain unauthorized access to
a computer system or network.
▪ Hackers use various techniques such as
➢ dictionary attacks
➢ brute force attacks to crack passwords.
Types of Hacking Techniques
Dictionary Attack
• Intruder attempts to crack a password-protected security system
• Using a “dictionary list” of common words and phrases that is commonly used
by individuals and businesses
Brute Force Attacks
• A brute force attack is a trial-and-error method threat actors use to crack
passwords or encryption keys by systematically trying every possible
combination until the correct one is found.
• It can be time-consuming but is often effective against weak or simple
passwords.
Types of Hacking Techniques
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
▪ Also known as data eavesdropping.
▪ In MITM attacks, the attacker creates obstructions in
communications between two parties to gain access to sensitive
information.
▪ The attacker can then
▪ modify the communication or
▪ steal information from the victims
▪ Alter confidential information
▪ carry out damaging actions.
Types of Hacking Techniques
Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial-of-Service Attacks
▪ These attacks overwhelm a computer system, network, or website with traffic to the
point of rendering it unusable.
▪ Hackers often use DoS and DDoS attacks to shut down a website or network or to
extort money from victims.
▪ Known as DDoS Attacks, involves overwhelming a target system or network with
traffic or requests to cause service disruption.
Types of Hacking Techniques
Zero-Day Exploits
• Exploiting the vulnerabilities of software application or computer systems that are
unknown to the vendor or users to gain unauthorised access or cause damage.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Attacks
• Exploiting weaknesses in web apps to inject malicious scripts into the webpage
viewed by users to steal data or perform unauthorised actions.
Types of Hacking
Techniques
Social Engineering
▪ Social engineering is the process of
manipulating individuals to gain access to
sensitive information.
▪ Hackers often use social engineering
techniques to trick individuals into
divulging their personal information, such
as passwords or bank account details.
Types of Hacking Techniques
Hacktivism
▪ This is a type of hacking carried out by groups or individuals who aim to promote a political
or social cause.
▪ Hacktivists use various techniques, such as denial-of-service attacks, to draw attention to
their cause.
Advanced persistent threat (APT) hacking
▪ This is a type of hacking where a cybercriminal gains access to a system or network and
remains undetected for an extended period.
▪ APT hackers often use sophisticated techniques, such as zero-day exploits and
customized malware, to evade detection and carry out their objectives.
Credential Reuse Attacks
• Using stolen or leaked login credentials (usually obtained through phishing, password
attacks, or physical means) to gain unauthorised access to other accounts or systems.
Types of Hacking Techniques
Keylogger
• Simple software-records the key sequence and strokes of your keyboard into a logfile –
contains personal passwords
• Main reason – online banking sites gives you an option to use their virtual keyboards
Waterhole attacks
• Discovery and National Geographic channels – relate easily – poison the source of river.
• Similarly, hackers targets the most accessed physical location – coffee shop, public wifi
in library, railway station, flights etc.
• Hackers gets aware of your timings- create fake wi-fi access point- get personal information.
Types of Hacking Techniques
Evil Twin Attack
• Hacker fakes a wireless access point – once connected- access your data
Cookie Theft
• The cookies of a browser keeps our browsing history, username and
passwords for different sites that we access.
• Once hacker gets the access, he can even authenticate himself as you on
a browser.
What devices are most
vulnerable to Hacker?
Computers (PC/Laptops)
▪ Common computer systems like laptops and PCs are
prime targets for hackers due to the vast amount of
personal and sensitive information they contain, such as
financial data, login credentials, and personal
documents.
▪ Computer systems are particular targets of cyber attacks
on a commercial level, given the value of assets
associated with them.
What devices are most
vulnerable to Hacker?
Mobile Devices –
▪ Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are also at risk of being
hacked, as they often store sensitive information, including personal
photos, messages, and emails.
▪ They can be particularly susceptible to hackers when using public Wi-Fi
and shared networks.
▪ IoT Devices – Internet of Things (IoT) or network of devices such as smart
home appliances, security cameras, and even medical devices are
common targets for hackers.
▪ These devices are often poorly secured and typically hacked to gain access
to personal information or even to control the device remotely.
What devices are most vulnerable to Hacker?
Network Routers –
• Network routers, responsible for distributing Wi-Fi signals, are often targeted by hackers.
• Hacked routers provide a means to gain access to entire networks of devices, enabling
hackers to access sensitive data and valuable digital assets.
▪ Also to gain access to data sent and received across them and networks that are accessed
on them.
• Hackers can also hijack a router to carry out wider malicious acts such as distributed denial-
of-service (DDoS) attacks.
ATM Machines –
• Bank ATMs are also vulnerable targets to hackers motivated by financial incentives
• many ATMs often operate on outdated software and may be connected to an unsecured
network.
What devices are most vulnerable to Hacker?
Smart Devices
• Smart devices, such as smartphones, are lucrative targets for hackers.
• Android devices, in particular, have a more open-source and inconsistent software
development process than Apple devices, which puts them at risk of data theft.
Webcams
• Webcams built into computers are a common hacking target, mainly because
hacking them is a simple process.
• Hackers typically gain access to a computer using a Trojan malware to hijack
webcam, which allows them to not only spy on users but also read their
messages, see their browsing activity, and take screenshots (Movie: Unlocked)
What devices are most vulnerable to Hacker?
Jailbroken Phones
▪ Jailbreaking a phone means removing restrictions imposed on its operating system to enable
the user to install applications or other software not available through its official app store.
▪ Aside from being a violation of the end-user’s license agreement with the phone developer,
jailbreaking exposes many vulnerabilities.
▪ Hackers can target jailbroken phones, which allows them to steal any data on the device but
also extend their attack to connected networks and systems.
Additional devices vulnerable to cyber hackers that are often overlooked are things like internet-
connected security cameras, smart TVs and smart appliances, and even baby monitors.
How does hacking work ?
Reconnaissance:
• Hackers start by conducting preliminary survey on the target system or
network.
• They may use various techniques such as scanning tools to identify
vulnerabilities, search engines to gather information, or social engineering
tactics to gain access to user credentials.
Exploitation:
• Once the hackers have identified vulnerabilities, they use various techniques
to exploit them.
• For example, they may use malware to gain access to the system.
Privilege Escalation:
• Once hackers gain access to a system, they may need to escalate their
privileges to gain full control of the target.
• They may use techniques such as password cracking, or other types of
exploits to gain additional access.
How does hacking work ?
Data Exfiltration:
• After gaining control of the system, hackers may steal
sensitive data, such as credit card information, social
security numbers, or other types of personal information.
Covering Tracks:
• To avoid detection, hackers may attempt to cover their
tracks by deleting log files, changing system
configurations.
Social engineering techniques to exploit
• Malware to gain access
• Phishing (email, call, or sms)
• A tone of urgency
• Baiting (a “free music downloader”)
• Dumpster diving (retrieving sensitive info. from discarded papers,
receipts)
• Tailgating (pretending to be delivery staff to bypass security)
Effects and Impact of Hacking
Data Breaches –
▪ Data breaches are one of the most detrimental forms of hacking, especially
when data gets leaked to malicious parties.
▪ With these attacks, hackers can gain unauthorized access to confidential
or sensitive data, like financial records, medical records, or intellectual
property.
Disruption of Services –
▪ In a hacked computer or network, the immediate outcome disrupts the
normal function of websites, computer systems, or entire networks.
▪ Not only does this disrupt standard operations, but it can damage critical
infrastructure.
Effects and Impact of Hacking
Financial Loss –
▪ Hackers that breach bank accounts can steal money or commit fraud,
leading to substantial financial loss for individuals or businesses.
▪ The damages hackers introduce to computer systems can also result in
costly repairs.
▪ When hackers gain access to a bank’s systems, they can steal money or
manipulate financial transactions.
▪ For example, they can transfer funds to their own accounts or change the
destination of transfers, leading to financial losses for both the bank and its
customers.
Effects and Impact of Hacking
Identity Theft –
▪ Hackers have been known to hijack sensitive personal information, such as
birth dates, Social Security numbers, Aadhar card number, addresses, and
credit card numbers, to maliciously commit various cyber crimes that fall
under the category of identity theft.
▪ Identity theft can cause significant financial losses for individuals and
banks, as it can lead to fraudulent transactions and illegal activities.
Effects and Impact of Hacking
Cyber Espionage –
Hackers can steal valuable information, such as government data, confidential
information, or sensitive trade secrets, to gain a competitive advantage with
political interests and foreign affairs or by putting national security at risk.
Spread of Malware –
The creation and distribution of malware, such as viruses or ransomware, are
common ways for hackers to infect and damage computer systems, steal
data, or demand ransom payments from organizations or individuals.
Effects and Impact of Hacking
Reputational damage:
▪ A hack can cause reputational damage to a bank or financial institution, especially if
sensitive customer data is compromised.
▪ This can lead to a loss of customer trust and confidence, which may result in a significant
decrease in business.
▪ Additionally, negative media coverage can damage the bank’s brand image, leading to
reputational and financial harm.
Regulatory non-compliance:
▪ Banks and financial institutions are required to comply with numerous regulations to
ensure the safety and security of their customers’ data.
▪ A hack can result in a breach of these regulations, leading to legal penalties and
reputational damage.
All-Time Historic Hacks
PlayStation Network Hack
▪ Sony PlayStation's gaming network was hacked in 2011, resulting in an
epic case that impacted 77 million systems and almost a month-long
shutdown on the gaming system's network.
▪ Although they never identified the hacker responsible for the data breach,
Sony estimated $171 million in financial losses from the incident.
All-Time Historic Hacks
DoD and NASA Hacks
▪ In 1999, a teenager hacked into NASA's computer networks and the
Department of Defense (DoD).
▪ The hacker downloaded software from NASA that was valued at $1.7
million.
▪ While this historic hack against two of the most prominent U.S.
governmental organizations had little damaging impact overall, the
teenager's actions resulted in NASA's networks shutting down for three
weeks.
All-Time Historic Hacks
Yahoo Data Breach
▪ In 2013, Yahoo encountered two hacking incidents that resulted in
one of the largest data breaches in history, impacting over 3 billion
user accounts.
▪ The breach was executed by four Russian agents that were
recruited through a hacker-for-hire scheme.
▪ While the breach affected billions of accounts, the biggest
concern involved targeted attacks on high-profile U.S.
Intelligence officials, opening the door to potential cyber
espionage.
What can hacker do ?
While your computer is linked to the Internet, spyware installed by a
hacker silently checks your personal and financial information without
your awareness or agreement.
The hackers can:
▪ Steal usernames and passwords.
▪ Steal your money and use your name to obtain credit cards and bank
accounts.
▪ Make a new account requesting additional credit cards or personal
identification numbers (PINs)
▪ Destroy your credit cards.
▪ Exploit your Social Security number
▪ Misuse personal information and share it with third parties (illegal
purposes).
How to identify that your system is hacked ?
If your system is hacked by some hacker, then you will see the
following warning signs:
▪ Your computer system or mobile phone or tablet start acting
strangely
✓ like the password does not work,
✓ the setting of your device is changes,
✓ the camera and microphone of your system is activating, etc.
▪ The antivirus software of your system is deactivated without your
information.
How to identify that your system is hacked ?
▪ If someone stealing money from your account without your
permission.
▪ When some hacker gain the access of your account then the first
step he/she do is to change that password of your account.
▪ Seeing some suspicious ads or popup frequently on your system
is also the part of hacking.
How to prevent Hackers?
Set up multifactor authentication –
▪ In addition to a strong password, include a layer of security protection using two-factor or
multifactor authentication.
▪ Two-factor authentication (2FA) removes people's reliance on passwords and provides
more certainty that the person accessing an account is who they say they are.
▪ When a user logs in to their account, they are then prompted to provide another piece of
identity evidence, such as their fingerprint or a code sent to their device.
▪ Multifactor authentication adds an additional layer of security to the login process,
requiring employees to provide additional verification such as a fingerprint or a code sent to
their phone.
▪ This makes it much more difficult for hackers to gain unauthorised access to the system.
How to prevent Hackers?
Install antivirus and anti-malware software –
▪ Software programs that detect and remove viruses and malware are essential in
protecting your computer system and ensuring your data is safe.
Stay alert about suspicious emails –
▪ Avoid clicking questionable links or opening attachments to emails you don't
recognize.
Minimize your online footprint –
▪ While not always applicable to certain individuals, reducing the amount of
information available about you online can make you less of a target to hackers.
How to prevent Hackers?
Avoid public Wi-Fi networks for personal or financial data –
▪ Never use public Wi-Fi to access sensitive personal accounts, like bank accounts, online
wallets, or trade accounts where financial exchanges occur.
Backup your computer –
▪ Backing up your data is critical to quickly recovering in the instance hackers do succeed
in hacking your computer.
Properly dispose of electronic devices –
▪ Make sure to properly erase and dispose of old computers and devices that may have
contained personal information and login credentials.
How to prevent Hackers?
Conduct phishing simulations –
▪ Investing in phishing simulations enables teams to effectively test employees and help
them understand how phishing attacks occur.
▪ These simulations are usually part of a more comprehensive cybersecurity awareness
training program.
Educate remote employees on cybersecurity policies –
▪ With remote and hybrid working dynamics now the new normal, employees working from
home need as much awareness and understanding of cybersecurity best practices as those
in the office.
Make employee privacy a high priority –
▪ Anonymize any data collected from employees for insider threat prevention and clearly
communicate policies and guidelines about the organization's cybersecurity standards.
How to prevent Hackers?
Software Update
▪ Hackers are constantly on the lookout for vulnerabilities or holes in security that have not
been seen or patched.
▪ Therefore, updating software and operating systems are both crucial to preventing users
and organizations from getting hacked.
▪ They must enable automatic updates and ensure the latest software version is always
installed on all of their devices and programs.
HTTPS Encryption
▪ Spoofed websites are another common vehicle for data theft, when hackers create a scam
website that looks legitimate but will actually steal the credentials that users enter.
▪ It is important to look for the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) prefix at the start
of a web address. For example: [Link]
How to prevent Hackers?
Avoid clicking on ads and Strange Links
▪ Advertisements like pop-up ads are also widely used by hackers.
▪ When clicked, they lead the user to inadvertently download malware
or spyware onto their device.
▪ Links should be treated carefully, and strange links within email messages or on
social media, in particular, should never be clicked.
▪ These can be used by hackers to install malware on a device or lead users to
spoofed websites.
Maintain strong, complex passwords –
▪ According to UC Santa Barbara Information Technology, the longer a password is,
the better. Whenever possible, use at least 16 characters – alphanumeric
How to prevent Hackers?
Do not login as an Admin by Default.
▪ "Admin" is one of the most commonly used usernames by IT departments,
and hackers use this information to target organizations.
▪ Signing in with this name makes you a hacking target, so do not log in with it
by default.
Change the default usernames and password on your router and smart
devices
Download from First-party sources – trusted organisations
Use a VPN
▪ Using a virtual private network (VPN) allows users to browse the internet
securely.
▪ It hides their location and prevents hackers from intercepting their data or
browsing activity.
How to prevent Hackers?
Use a password manager apps
▪ Creating strong, unique passwords is a security best practice, but
remembering them is difficult.
▪ Password managers are useful tools for helping people use strong, hard-to-
crack passwords without having to worry about remembering them.
Regularly backup data:
▪ Regular data backups are essential to prevent data loss in the event of a
breach.
▪ Backups should be stored in a secure location that is separate from the
primary system.
How to prevent Hackers?
Implement firewalls and other security measures:
▪ Businesses should implement firewalls and prevention systems, and other
security measures to prevent unauthorised access to their systems.
Use end-to-end encryption:
▪ Encryption is an essential tool for protecting sensitive data.
▪ Banks and financial institutions should use encryption to protect customer
data and financial transactions.
List of Ethical Hackers
1. Rahul Tyagi
2. Pranav Mistry
3. Ankit Fadia
4. Koushik Dutta
5. Vivek Ramachandran
6. Trishneet Arora
7. Sunny Vaghela
8. Falgun Rathod
9. Jayant Krishnamurthy
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