You’ve the entire world of hacking in your thoughts, but where do you even begin? Even if you have no prior experience in technology, you can still pursue a career in hacking. We’ve put up a convenient, thorough handbook that will assist you in learning the principles of coding, developing a hacker mentality, honing your new trade, and learning “how to be a hacker?”
You’ll be one step closer to realising all of your hacking aspirations in only a few minutes!
1. What Is A Hacker?
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To understand how to be a hacker, one must first know who a hacker is.
Hacker is an individual who employs personal computer, networking, or other abilities to solve a technological issue is known as a hacker.
The phrase may also be used to describe someone who utilizes their skills to get into systems or networks without authorization in order to conduct crimes.
For example, a hacker may use someone else’s data to steal their identities and cause harm, or they might take the network offline and regularly hold it captive in return for a compensation.
The term “hacker” has a long history of causing controversy and is occasionally used to describe those who attack technological issues with great ability and originality.
However, the phrase is also frequently used to describe those who employ this expertise dishonestly or illegally.
The term “hacker” initially appeared in the 1960s to designate a programmer or anyone who, in a time when computers’ capabilities were severely confined, could improve the performance of computer code by removing extra machine code instructions from a programme.
Over time, it has changed to describe someone who has a basic knowledge of technology, networking, programming language, or computers.
2. How To Be A Hacker?
The field of hacking is really promising. While receiving some good information on how to be a hacker, you can continue studying indefinitely without becoming bored or doing the same thing over.
So exactly how to be a hacker? What should you do first? What actions are necessary, and what need to be avoided?
2.1 Learning Basic Skills Of Hacking
As of right now, you know a little bit about hackers—what a hacker is, who the hackers are. Let us learn how to be a hacker now and about different networking tools.
Maintaining large software archive sites is one of the functions of a master hacker attitude.
Every computer programmer in the world of computers today — even a novice — aspires to become a good hacker. Why not, then? They aspire to work as hackers.
The ability to hack is what gives you freedom in the digital world. It implies that once you become a good hacker, everything is possible, including evil things. Therefore, you must complete the stages listed below to become a master hacker.
Let us dig into the hacking concepts via these steps that describe the basic knowledge and computer abilities needed to become a hacker and explain why these hacking concepts and computer skills are necessary.
2.1.1. Run A Linux-Like Operating System
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The operating systems used on the Internet are UNIX and UNIX-like platforms. While learning to use the Internet is possible without prior UNIX basic knowledge, becoming a good hacker is not.
This is the main reason why UNIX is still quite prevalent in today’s whole hacker culture. The most well-known UNIX-like operating system is Linux, which you may use on a single computer simultaneously with Microsoft Windows.
Find a local Linux user group to assist you with installation or download Linux online.
- Booting up a live USB or CD, a distribution that runs fully off a CD or USB without altering your hard drive, is an excellent method to dip your toes in the water. A means of exploring the options without taking any immediate action.
- FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and DragonFly BSD are the most widely used *BSD operating systems. Like Linux, they are all open source. It’s crucial to keep in mind that they are BSD and not Linux.
- Darwin may be downloaded on a personal machine from open source apple and is completely free and open source. Because the system’s foundation is UNIX and macOS is so well-liked, many people have migrated Linux apps to it. With a package manager like homebrew, fink, or MacPorts, you may obtain such applications. Alternately, you could simply run macOS and Linux together on a Mac.
- You can even use an operating system like Open Indiana, which is built on the Solaris operating system’s open source version before it was purchased by Oracle and made closed source, if you want to become very specialised.
- Nevertheless, there are several ports of Linux programmes. Simply utilising macOS, BSD, or Linux would probably be preferable because of how much more widely used they are and how many more apps are available for them.
2.1.2. Programming Language-Basic Hacking Skills
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To learn how to be a hacker, you must learn the primary and fundamental talent of all computer hackers, which is programming. No one can become a hacker if they don’t know how to code or how to write code.
You may instruct the computer to run your software by programming. You can only communicate with your computer through your software or code since you can’t speak to it directly. With the aid of your software, you may instruct the computer to perform whatever action you choose.
Therefore, you cannot assign any task to a computer without understanding computer programming or knowing how to create code. In order to instruct the computer, you can develop your own code with the aid of computer programming.The primary and fundamental talent of all computer hackers is programming.
C, Java (first programming language), C++, Python, C#, Objective-C programming, and more assembly language are among the many that are accessible.
But for hackers, C is the top-recommended programming language. C is closely related to C++. Since hackers frequently utilise the C programming language, you may also select it to develop into a skilled hacker. We advise you to use C since it is as quick as assembly, it is directly tied to UNIX based operating system, and hackers frequently use it. All hackers use C as their primary programming language, roughly. C programming is used exclusively in the creation of UNIX.
There are other operating systems but having a working grasp of UNIX commands is a prerequisite for C programming. Learn C programming, or review what you already know if you have. You may examine several C programming examples on this page to brush up on the C programming language.
2.1.3. Write HTML
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Take HTML writing classes (using World Wide Web). Another crucial ability for being a hacker is HTML. You cannot become an internet hacker if you do not know HTML.
HTML is the language of Internet Web pages. After learning to write HTML, you will be able to recognise how web pages are created, how the web pages function, and how the input forms that need users to submit their information function. This implies that you will have access to information on every website on the internet.
So you must understand HTML if you want to become a hacker. Straightforward and simple to learn HTML. Since HTML explains how web pages are created, you will love learning it. Additionally, you may create your own web sites.
Learning the fundamentals of HyperText Mark-Up Language (HTML) and progressively honing your skills are imperative if you have no programming experience. The photos, images, and design elements you view when you visit a website are all programmed using HTML. Set out to learn how to create a simple home page for a project and progress from there.
- Open the page source information in your browser to look at an example of HTML. In Firefox, navigate to Web Developer > Page Source and spend some time studying the code.
- In a basic word processing program, you may create HTML documents and save them as “yourCoolFileName.HTML” files that you can upload to a browser to see how your work is being translated.
2.1.4. Networking-Wireless Hacking Skills
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Another crucial ability that aids in answering your how to be a hacker question, is networking. So, if you want to become a skilled hacker, understand wireless technology.
There are several wireless technologies that may be researched. But in order to become a hacker, you must get familiar with several of the most used wireless technologies, which are mentioned below:
- Routers and switches with DHCP NAT
- DNS, MAC addressing, VLANs, ARP, Subnetting, IPv4/IPv6, Public vs. Private IP, and OSI model
To become a skilled hacker, learn all the wireless devices listed above. You can begin wireless hacking if you have mastered all of the aforementioned wireless technology subjects plus a programming language like C.
In light of the fact that knowing wireless technologies will enable you to hack routers, wifi, wireless signals, and many other things, they are also a necessary skill for becoming an accomplished hacker.
Any router that has a lot of connected users might potentially have its internet speed hacked. You can fulfil tasks by stealing internet speed from additional users.
2.1.5. PHP-Information Hacking Over Server
Before we explain how PHP aids in how to be a hacker, we should point out that it is robust enough to power both the largest blogging platform on the internet, WordPress, and the largest social networking site in the world, Facebook.
To become a hacker and interact with servers online, learn PHP. PHP may also assist you in connecting data from input forms to databases to store and retrieve information, which will aid you in becoming an email account hacker among other things.
You must get a foundational understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript before beginning to study PHP. But prior to learning PHP, you must have some familiarity of HTML. You must understand PHP in order to become a hacker or to steal data from online databases.
Hackers use PHP to carry out their attacks. Since PHP aids hackers in managing user access, it also aids hackers in adding, deleting, altering, and updating data in the MySQL database. However, the majority of the time, hackers utilised PHP to access database data in hacker culture today.
The majority of user-related items on the internet may be hacked with the aid of PHP. So, you must learn PHP if you want to become a proficient hacker. PHP is an easy language to learn. PHP will be fun for you to learn.
It is a core language which is pretty strongly unix centered.
2.1.6. Python
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Python is therefore a crucial computer subject to learn in order to become a hacker. Additionally, Python is a serious programming language that is quick and straightforward to learn.
Knowing Python is also necessary to become a hacker. Like PHP, Python is a scripting language and is not just a toy. An object-oriented programming language is Python. Python also allows for database access, which enables hackers to access data stored in web applications.
Python is a good choice for new programmers. Given that its programme structure is straightforward and well thought out, any beginning programmer with no prior programming experience may begin studying Python to aid in becoming a hacker.
Hackers frequently use Python as well. Since it also offers database access, which enables hackers to access the database and steal data.
Python’s code structure is straightforward and thoughtfully created so that any beginning programmer can start learning, therefore you will like studying it.
3. Computer Systems Fundamental
Since learning the basics of computers is the first step in obtaining a state, having this information is necessary, but we believe you already do. You must lean programming languages to become an ethical hacker.
However, you must learn about some computer hardware that is necessary for hacking purposes, such as learning about some chips like bladeRF, LF/MF/HF/VHF Transverter, and others. These chips assist hackers in understanding the inner workings of computers so that they can alter them, but they are not required.
Learn web development and different networking tools in order to understand hacking projects.
After studying the principles of each of the aforementioned areas, you can gain these additional information on how to be a hacker.
4. What Categories Of Hackers Exist?
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In the past, informal classifications of hackers into five primary categories were made by the security community using allusions to the colour of their hats and the hacker values. In order to reflect cultural shifts, some of these terminology have been replaced. The knowledge of how to be a hacker is not sufficient, you have to be aware of different categories of hackers.
4.1. Ethical Hacker
Ethical hacking is the best one among hacker culture and has almost as much respect as the cyber police. Cyber Security is their main concern.
White hat hacker, also known as approved or ethical hackers, aim to act in the public’s best interest rather than to cause trouble. The corporation employed a large number of ethical hackers to try to get into its networks in order to uncover and disclose security flaws.
The security companies then assist their clients in reducing security breaches before malicious hacker culture may take advantage of them.
4.2. Black Hat Hacker
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Threat actors, sometimes referred to as unauthorised hackers or “black hat hacker,” purposefully acquire unauthorised access to networks and systems with malign intentions.
This involves stealing data, dispersing malware or making money through ransomware, harming systems through vandalism or other means, sometimes in an effort to acquire celebrity.
They are a threat to cyber security.
Threat actors may also participate in other unlawful activities, including stealing information, identity theft, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Threat actors are criminals by definition since they breach laws prohibiting unauthorised access to systems.
Hackers distrust blatant ego reaches a kind of fame that is dangerous.
4.3. Gray Hat Hackers
Gray hat hackers straddle the line between danger actors and ethical hackers. Whereas the two groups’ motivations may be similar, grey hats are more likely than ethical hackers to get unauthorised access to systems, while threat actors are more likely to refrain from causing unneeded harm to the systems they attack.
Gray hat hackers may volunteer to repair vulnerabilities they have found via their own unauthorised actions rather than utilising their expertise to exploit flaws for illicit profit, even if they aren’t generally — or primarily — motivated by money.
4.4. Red Hat Hackers
Red hat hackers, often known as vigilante or eagle-eyed hackers, resemble ethical hackers. Red hat hackers want to curb threat actors’ unethical assaults.
Red hat hackers may have similar goals as ethical hackers, but they employ different techniques since they may go to extreme lengths. Red hat hackers frequently launch cyberattacks on threat actors’ systems.
Hacking is a social weapon used by blue hat hackers, commonly referred to as vengeful hackers. It is frequently employed as a tool for vengeance against a person, an employer, or another company.
4.5. Blue Hat Hackers
Blue hat hackers are those that publish private and sensitive information online in an effort to harm people’s reputations or try to get unauthorised access to email and social media accounts.
4.6. Script Kids
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Script Kids are novice, amateur hackers who make an effort to employ pre-written scripts in their hacking operations. These are frequently amateur hackers who don’t do much harm.
4.7. Hacktivists
Organizations of hackers known as hacktivists utilise cyberattacks to bring about politically motivated change. The goal is to draw attention to anything that the hacktivist thinks may be an ethical or human rights violation.
Attacks using hacktivism may try to make private chats, photos, or other material public in an effort to disclose proof of wrongdoing by compromising cyber security.
5. Adopting Hacking Attitudes
Hacking attitude also matters for the things, how to be a hacker.So, get an idea about a hacking attitude.
5.1. Be Imaginative
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Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, and learned how to be a hacker, you may begin to think creatively. Hackers combine the qualities of artists, philosophers, and engineers. They support individual liberty and shared accountability.
There are countless intriguing issues in the world that need to be resolved. Problem-solving, programming languages, honouring their abilities, and using their brains are distinct joys for hackers.
Outside of hacking, hackers have a wide range of intellectual and cultural interests. The distinctions between “play,” “work,” “science,” and “art” frequently dissolve or meld together in the minds of real hackers.
Check out science fiction conventions. Attend science fiction events to meet hackers in person.
Think about learning a martial art. Martial arts seem to demand a certain level of mental focus that is strikingly comparable to what hackers do. The martial arts that place more emphasis on mental focus, calm awareness, and control than on physical toughness, strength, or agility are the ones that are most hacker-like. For hackers, tai chi is a useful martial art.
5.2. Develop A Passion To Solve Problems
Never should an issue need to be solved twice. Imagine it as a community where everyone’s time is valuable to hackers. Hackers consider revealing information to be a moral obligation. Make your solutions public when you find a solution to a problem so that everyone may benefit.
You don’t have to think that you have to give out all of your creative work, but the hackers who do tend to garner the highest respect from their peers. It is consistent with hacker ethics to sell enough of it to cover your expenses for computers, rent, and food.
Read earlier works by The Mentor like “The Jargon File” or “Hacker Manifesto.” The technical aspects might be outdated, but the attitude and spirit are still relevant today.
5.3. Recognize Authority And Challenge It
The enemy of the hacker is monotony, drudgery, and authoritarian personalities that stifle information freedom via restriction and secrecy. Working in isolation prevents hackers from hacking.
Accepting hacking as a way of life entails rejecting what are considered to be “normal” conceptions of employment and property and opting to fight for equality and general knowledge instead.
5.4. Acquire Knowledge
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Anyone who frequents Reddit may create an absurd cyberpunk identity and pretend to be a hacker. The Internet, on the other hand, prioritizes expertise above ego and posture and acts as a tremendous equalizer.
Instead of emulating the superficial elements we associate with “hacking” in popular culture, spend time honing your trade rather than your appearance.
5.5. Be A Tester
Help test and debug open-source software. Any open-source author worth their weight in rubies would agree that excellent beta-testers (who understand how to explain symptoms, location issues accurately, can put up with flaws in a hasty release, and are willing to use a few basic diagnostic algorithms) are priceless.
Be a helpful beta-tester by looking for a software that interests you that is currently being developed. From aiding in testing programes to aiding in their debugging to aiding in their modification, there is a logical progression.
This will help you learn a lot and get the respect of others who can later assist you.
5.6. Put Forth Informative Content
It’s also a good idea to compile and organize fascinating and valuable material into web pages or other documents, such as FAQ lists, and make those resources accessible.
Nearly as much respect is given to open-source writers as to those who maintain important technical FAQs.
5.7. Write Open-Source Software
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Write programming languages that other hackers will find entertaining or helpful, and then make the software sources available to the whole hacker community.
The most adored demigods in hackerdom are those who have created powerful programmes that satisfy public needs and have made them freely available so that everyone now utilises them.
5.8. Help Keeps The Infrastructure Working
The hacker community is operated by volunteers. In order to keep it running, a lot of tedious labour must be done, such as managing mailing lists, moderating newsgroups, maintaining big software archive sites, and creating RFCs and other technical standards.
People who are good at this type of work are respected greatly since everyone understands that it takes a lot of time and is not nearly as entertaining as playing with code. Doing them demonstrates commitment.
5.9. Bolster The Hacker Culture
You won’t be in a position to accomplish it until you’ve been around for a long and established a name for yourself in one of the four aforementioned areas. Although the hacker community doesn’t precisely have leaders, it does have cultural icons, tribal elders, historians, and advocates. You may develop into one of these with enough time spent in the trenches.
Visibly pursuing this type of popularity is risky because hackers dislike tribe leaders who display overt ego. You need to position yourself such that it falls into your lap rather than working for it, and then be modest and grateful about your position.
Summary
Everybody wants to know how to be a hacker. It implies that in the domain of computer systems security, hackers are unrestrained.
Write some open source code to aid hackers in expanding their understanding of the hacking world. Begin programming languages and application debugging, which also aids hackers in identifying software and application vulnerabilities. Join forums where hackers are already active with programming languages and offer to help someone with an issue.
Present yourself online to discover people that are having issues in order to become a successful and modern hacker.
Your hacking skills will grow as you work on their difficulties, and eventually, you’ll be an advanced hacker. Thus, it takes time to become a hacker. Write your native language as well to be among very able writers.
As we’ve already stated, learning how to be a hacker is a skill that takes more than one night to master. Continuous practice will help you learn more and get you to the point where you’ll be recognized as a hacker.
We advise you to seek a profession as an ethical hacker as a consequence. As we already mentioned, a white hat hacker is similar to a police officer or member of the military in the realm of computer security who assists the government in apprehending black hat hackers.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
