Hacking Glossary

A comprehensive guide to hacking terms and concepts

Hacktivism
Concept

The use of technology to promote a political agenda or a social change through hacking.

Defacement
Technique

The act of changing the visual appearance of a website or webpage without authorization.

Phreaking
Historical

The study and experimentation with telecommunication systems, often to exploit them.

BBS (Bulletin Board System)
Historical

An early form of online community where users could exchange messages, files, and play games.

Backdoor
Technique

A method of bypassing normal authentication in a computer system, securing illegal remote access.

Zero-day Exploit
Technique

An attack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability in a computer application or system.

White Hat
Concept

An ethical computer hacker, or a computer security expert, who specializes in penetration testing.

Black Hat
Concept

A hacker who violates computer security for personal gain or maliciousness.

SQL Injection
Technique

A code injection technique used to attack data-driven applications, inserting malicious SQL statements.

DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)
Technique

An attack where multiple compromised systems are used to target a single system, causing a denial of service.

Ethical Hacking
Concept

The practice of testing and evaluating the security of computer systems, networks, or web applications to find vulnerabilities.

Penetration Testing
Technique

A simulated cyber attack against a computer system to check for exploitable vulnerabilities.

Social Engineering
Technique

The psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information.

Cryptography
Concept

The practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adversaries.

Malware
Concept

Software that is specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system.

Firewall
Concept

A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)
Technique

A service that allows users to create a secure, encrypted connection to another network over the Internet.

Botnet
Concept

A network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners' knowledge.

Ransomware
Concept

A type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Technique

An extra layer of security that requires not only a password and username but also something that only the user has on them.