What is the CS definition of hacking?

[Sniper4Life]

I have a question that seems very dumb to me, but I'd like to ask the CompSci community anyways. What is the CS definition of hacking? For example, when one hacks a video game. What is the hacker doing to make this new "hack?" How is he breaking the system and making it so that a character can fly in a game where there is only walking?

* I don't plan on hacking any games, as hacking ruins the fun for other players. Also...its not challenging if you hack.

edit:
From what I know the hacker must decompile the code, and then recreate so that the character can now fly. This doesnt seem like enough for me.

[saltpro15]

Decompiling code into a source readable by humans is impossible...

if you can get the source somehow you can write mods for it, but you can't completely change the entire structure of a game

and don't even get into hacking....
it's not so much fun when you have to sit in a corner every time your class goes to the comp lab >.>

[Sniper4Life]

I also understand the difference between a hacker and a cracker... a cracker is one who breaks the work of a hacker. He makes unethical decisions and uses his higher intelligence to break down modern society, rather than help it. Excluding the intelligence, a hacker is quite the opposite.

just wanted to make it clear i understand the difference so i dont have peoples telling me what a hacker IS

i
want to become a hacker
i hate
crackers

[saltpro15]

well then, join blackhat-forums, just google that

start reading, enjoy prison

[Sniper4Life]

god saltpro...dont be so skeptical...like seriously...are you even reading what im writing?
I
WOULDNT
EVER
HACK*
not even a little RPG game on the internet

*i wouldnt hack according to what YOU and the general public think is hacking

[Sniper4Life]

i dont plan on doing anything illegal

now if i dont do anything illegal...why would i go to jail?

[Tony]

saltpro15 @ Sat May 09, 2009 6:58 pm wrote:

Decompiling code into a source readable by humans is impossible...

Maybe you simply haven't tried hard enough?

also, what about whitehat? More commonly known as "Security Researches", such as the guys profiling the latest worm threatening to wreak havoc on the internet. Those are important positions to fill.

For the most part, the only difference between blackhat and whitehat is who signs your paycheque. The concept of morals and ethics mentioned is often what influences the decision as to who to take that paycheque from.

[saltpro15]

trust me, doing ANYTHING, ANYTHING at all that could involve hacking or circumventing security in any way is enough to get you imprisoned. I'm banned from my school network because I broke the admin, logged into netSupport and started remote-controlling screens. hilarious yes. stupid yes.

If you really are interested... pm me. but I caution you, it's a slippery slope.

and Tony, that was you who told me decompiling code into the source was impossible :p maybe I misunderstood

and yes, white-hat security researching is an option, it's somewhat boring though. I found this great site once that was set up simply for you to hack it, and it got more and more difficult every tine you did it. I lost the url through I believe there is actually a university course that teaches security researching and hacking techniques, I think it was at the University of Arizona, or maybe Arkansas, something like that :p
It's been a while since I was involved with this...

[Sniper4Life]

im sure ive got a decent level of self control to stop myself from doing that

and yes
hilarious

[Prabhakar Ragde]

The good kind of hacking:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html

[Sniper4Life]

lol haha ragde i read that article ^^

yes
the good kind of hacking

[Tony]

@saltpro15 -- your bad experience came from a bad decision. Whitehat does have some limitations (ad hoc "security probing" is a very gray area), but there is so much to the field; I wouldn't say it's boring.

Re: decompiling code -- it's a topic for a separate discussion. You could start a new topic if you are interested.

[Sniper4Life]

could you explain black hat to me?
from what i read its somewhat the same as whitehat except its unauthorized
i knew whitehat excisted but nvr black hat...so could you explain it a bit?

[Tony]

I think you got it. The idea behind hats is that the skills required are the same, and a hacker can choose to wear one "hat" or another, to decide what side of the game they will play on.

Blackhat is typically associated with "evil" -- breaking systems for personal gain.

Whitehat is typically associated with "good" -- breaking system to make them stronger.

[saltpro15]

blackhat is pretty much anything that could get you in trouble
like accessing secure information (passwords,credit card #'s, nuclear launch codes (if you're really l33t >.>)
or stuff like packet injection
DoS'ing

you don't want to to do those

btw! found that link, enjoy
not really hacking, but it does get challenging after a while
p.s. look at the source if you're stuck

http://www.hackertest.net