Hacker vs. Cracker

[Paul Harm]

The most common designation for an unskilled cracker/hacker that I've heard
is a "script kiddie", and is used mostly by hackers/crackers to deride
unskilled hackers/crackers.  The first time I came into contact with this
term was around the release of the SATAN security testing program, which
was in 1995.

The "script" in this, doesn't actually refer to a virus, but to a small
program (a "script") written by someone else to exploit a security flaw in
a particular piece of software.  Often this involves no changes whatsoever
to the program.  Hence the "kiddie"--even a child can break into a system
using someone else's script.

I've only seen "scripter" used in the sense of "one who writes small
programs for web sites."

Paul

At 06:46 PM 5/11/00 -0500, you wrote:
>I think "cracker" is used in the sense of "safecracker."  I've heard it
>frequently enough.
>A cracker has cracked the code of a particular file format, for instance.
>
>
>Hacker -- Let's see...there's "political hack," and the like, but hackers
>have more talent than that.  There's "hack" in the sense of "chop" --
>you've hacked your way in --  and "hack" in the sense of "to do something
>over and over" -- a taxicab driver is a "hack"  and then there's "hacking
>at the keyboard."
>
>Just yesterday I heard "scripter," which refers to someone who takes
>someone else's virus, makes only minor changes, and sends it out as his
>own work.  There needs to be a better term than that.

--
Paul Harm
Technology Innovator, Off the Page Productions
+1.412.488.9801.x16