Hacking

Hacking is a particular type of illegal activity which endangers the privacy and security of important on line information.Hacking challenges the utility of the mechanisms which are used to secure a communication network. It is important here to note that although hacking is used interchangeably with cracking, both are different. Both the activities are carried on with different objectives. In hacking, the attempt is to create something while in cracking the primary motive is to destroy something.

Purpose behind Hacking

When somebody tries to access other's computer systems with the aim of destroying or altering important information or data, such an activity is defined as hacking and the person is called a hacker. It is believed that hacking activities are not backed by solid logical reasons. On the contrary, hackers try to experiment with the computer brilliance by trying of affect other system with viruses. Hacking is done mostly for sheer pleasure by which a hacker wants to prove his skills. But if at all one searches for reasons behind it, it can be logically concluded Hacking is carried out with the objective of tracing vital information and affecting computer systems with viruses.

Hackers

Hackers are generally computer geniuses because it is due to the extraordinary computer knowledge and skills that they can conveniently break into other computer systems. They are also known as crackers. In fact, many brilliant aspects and functioning of computers are invented by the hackers. Hackers need to be very cautious in what they are doing and how. They pre plan their mode of action before starting with a new venture. Hence, hacking, in spite of its being an unwanted and illegal crime involves lots of prediction and intelligence.

Types of Hacking

There are different types of hacking which are listed below:
1.Hacking of website pages protected through password
2.Hacking into someone else's computers while they are online.
3.Hacking of company servers.

Advantages of Hacking

1.By hacking into company A, which is competed by company B, Company B will know A's information.It is good for B's development and improvement.
2.Hackers can receive so much good information and have fun.
3.Hacking tools are used to test the security of a network, pc etc.
4.It can have free calls,yahoo,stealing one's mail and much more.

Disadvantages of Hacking

1.Company B hacking into company A, Company A will lose its information.It is bad for A's development and improvement.
2.Hacking tool is being used by criminals to steal information and passwords.
3.It can catch by other and can block it.
4.It violates people's privacy.

Cracking

Cracking is the act of breaking into a computer system, often on a network. A cracker can be doing this for profit, maliciously, for some altruistic purpose or cause, or because the challenge is there. Some breaking-and-entering has been done ostensibly to point out weaknesses in a site's security system.
Contrary to widespread myth, cracking does not usually involve some mysterious leap of hackerly brilliance, but rather persistence and the dogged repetition of a handful of fairly well-known tricks that exploit common weaknesses in the security of target systems. Accordingly, most crackers are only mediocre hackers. These two terms should not be confused with each others. Hackers generally deplore cracking.

Cracker

A cracker is someone who breaks into someone else's computer system, often on a network; bypasses passwords or licenses in computer programs; or in other ways intentionally breaches computer security. A cracker can be doing this for profit, maliciously, for some altruistic purpose or cause, or because the challenge is there. Some breaking-and-entering has been done ostensibly to point out weaknesses in a site's security system.

The difference between hacking and cracking

Hacking, and cracking. Two different forms of Internet and computer related privacy and copyright breaches, usually malicious. I'll be discussing the differences between hacking, and cracking. They are two completely different things, but people usually get confused between the two, they both end with a similar sound, or 'acking' (that's probably why!) and they're both malicious forms of cyber activity. I'll be talking about the difference between hacking, and cracking.
Let's start off by explaining what the words mean, in computer vocabulary - that is. Hacking, is the act of stealing personal or private data, without the owner's knowledge or consent, it could also include other things like stealing passwords, creating a bot net, or pretty much any act that breaches someone's privacy, without their knowledge, or consent.
Now, on to cracking. Cracking is where edit a program's source code, or you could create a program, like a key generator (more commonly known as a 'keygen'), patch, or some sort of application that tricks an application in to thinking that a particular process has occurred. For example, a key generator and a patch for the Adobe Master Collection would trick the software in to thinking that the key entered is correct, and not let it verify the key with the Adobe master server. Cracking is pretty much looking for a back door in software, and exploiting it for malicious use or for a copyright breaching act.

The difference (if you have not noticed it yet) is that a hacker is someone that uses their extensive knowledge of computer logic and code for malicious purposes, while a cracker - looks for back doors in programs, and exploits those back doors. Cracking is generally less harmful than hacking. Hackers are usually involved with web related hacking, like MySQL interception, or phishing, other forms of hacking would include things like brute force, or password lifting.

Well, the difference is simple. One is more malicious than the other, crackers usually have an extensive knowledge in code related to Python and .NET (Visual Basic, C, C++, C#) and Objective C (Mac), while hackers are fluent in different forms of web code, like PHP, MySQL, Java Script , Ajax, and HTML and CSS. I hope, after reading this, we all have got what the difference between hacking, and cracking are. Basically, it's just what they do, that's the difference.

Conclusion

Hacker uses their knowledge to only help the security of systems where as Cracker will use their knowledge to break the law. the terms are used interchangeably but they are not the same, to some it can be considered an insult to be called a Cracker over a Hacker.
Hacking is a serious present day problem and important steps must be taken against it.