How do hackers get inside computers?

Question

I read a book recently about hackers and it really made me wonder.
How do they get in your computer?
Will you know that they are there if they do?
Can they link a computer to yours and put viruses in it and stuff?

A note to all answerers;
i have never actually HAD a hacker inside my computer, i just want to know in case i ever DO. Thanks =)

Answer 1

They get in through vulnerabilities in software or through open ports.
You won't always know. They can operate invisibly and leave no traces.
They can certainly link your computer to another and dump plenty of junk in yours.
Unless you're a high profile figure, your computer won't personally be attacked. It's more likely that a worm, a program that performs automated attacks against known vulnerabilities in computers, will try to get inside and deposit viruses or spyware.

Answer 2

To answer you question, it would really take some time and undestanding of a lot of things. But I will take a very common appoach to this. There are many ways a hacker could get into your computer, but first you must understand that you already have the media biased approach of what a hacker is. A hacker is a person that will get something to work, regardless of the situation. If it were not for hackers, half if not all of the security, software and awareness you have today would not be available.

But again to answer you question, do you want a physical approach or a web based approach?

If I can sit at your computer, I can break it. Simple programs that will interupt the post will allow me to overwrite the admin account, or re-enable the guest account where I can escalate my priviledge and own your box.

If you have an internet connection, you have an ip address, that address is a gateway of wonders. I can scan it to see what ports you have open, thus exploiting your set up.

If I want once I have gotten in, I can send tools to your pc that will open ports of my choosing for tunneled trafic between your pc and another which I have taken.

All in all, things are possible, in order to fully understand, go to a book store or website and read read read. Learn your TCP/Ip stack inside and out, get familure with founstone, astalavista, and 1600. Though you want to make sure you don't take advantage of the knowledge you learn because there is always somebody smarter our there and people tend to get upset when a newbie tries to show off.

Answer 3

They basically use software that's often sadly freely available on the Internet. Things that administrators use the hacker can use for there own purpose a hacker firstly scans systems for vulnerabilities in systems such as patches not being applied to say windows, then they will usually plant a Trojan/virus/key logger onto the system and gain any passwords and user names possible. once they have this some will just sit and watch the computer others will try and get your on line bank details and have a spending spree at your expense. Other hackers will go all out to trash your system or website. These are also known as a black hat hackers, not all hackers are bad though as some are called white hat hackers they are ethical hackers who find the flaws but work with security company's to help protect peoples computers and fix flaws they find.

Answer 4

Hackers and crackers are usually highly intelligent social misfits who tend to have a strong curiosity and often have an anarchist or, at very least, anti-authoritarian bent. They see the Internet as a playground and they tend to believe information should be free. Sometimes they are described as digital joy riders.

In an interview on SafeMode.org, one hacker—who used the nickname xentric—explained why he hacks:

"It’s just that feeling when you finally get something done. You put lots of effort into some hacks and I feel a rush of excitement whenever I succeed in doing something. What is the incentive that keeps (me) doing it? Curiosity..."

It’s safe to say that the vast number of people who try to gain illegal access to computers are young men. Many high-profile hackers are in their 20s and 30s. However, many are simply teenagers who have access to publicly available hacking tools that can be downloaded easily from the Internet.

There’s a hierarchy in the hacker community. High-status crackers write their own tools and develop their own break-in mechanisms to gain access to computers. Lower down on the hacker food chain are script kiddies. These electronic intruders use freely distributed tools designed by others to engage in computer vandalism, break-ins, or electronic theft.

Answer 5

If youre computter has compromised you could notice it doing weird and wonderful & unusual issues to steer away from maximum hackers from gaining accsess on your computer I advise you utilize a firewall. yet a firewall does no longer mean which you're one hundred% risk-free by using fact a sturdy hacker can likely locate techniques via your firewall. yet merely considering you have a firewall that does no longer mean youre risk-free against viruses which may additionally reason hacker like consequences ocasionally I quite advise you get an antivirus application with a firewall for many suitable risk-free practices. and additionally the project defined on your question isn't brought about via a hacker or virus.

Answer 6

Social engineering this technique circumvents technological security measures by manipulating clueless people to disclose crucial authentication information to the Hacker to get into the system he or she desires.

Detailed knowledge and research of the target system software vulnerabilities/weakness as well as the security measures used to protect it.

Physical access to the computer this is the attacker sitting
at his/her target machine rather than trying to get in remotely e.g. he/she works at the place or simply walked in saw no one was there found the password for the computer under the
keyboard of say the guy who went to lunch and pokes around in his system finds whatever is he's looking for then leaves the office quietly he may access the system remotely later.

Remote vulnerability and security holes in the target systems
operating system and software.

Insider:

This is someone who helps the attacker get in the system
and tells him or her what they needs to know about the target.

Answer 7

They get through using loop holes in the operating system. You will not know if they have been "silent Burglary" unless they change your files or can leave you a message !!

Best way is to make sure your operating system is patched and you have some sort of firewall protection to stop people hacking your PC. The most effective way is not to broadcast your IP address so no one will know who ur and not to download stuff that ur not sure about the contents.

Answer 8

Same as somebody gets into your house. A security lapse. Your Internet connection to the outside world is an open door. Like locks on doors, your firewall is.

Not any good if a Trojan on the inside is hiding inside your house/computer and unlocks the door from the inside.

Answer 9

there are many many ways and i am not going to teach u any!!:)
(at least on a public forum)
but i will teach you some signs to know presence of hackers or spyware and some protection methods:
i am assuming you have your own computer and you are the administrator.
1>>go to run and type msconfig and go to startup option,just make a note of all the programs that start with windows!! usually u will find media players,messengers,firewall,anti virus etc but also spywares and viruses!!u can keep them if u want or disable every single program from startup except may be your firewall !
2>>go to my computers>>control panel>>appearance and themes >>folder options>view --now check "show all hidden folders"
uncheck>>hide extensions to file types
>>hide system files
using step no 2 will show you almost every single file on your computer which are usually hidden!!and u may manually search and delete unwanted files,spywares,viruses etc
extreme caution: use this step only after through research and proper knowledge or u may accidentally delete system files.
3>>go to run and type regedit and search for registries of files u have deleted,u may use any reg cleaner program to search for registries!after finding them delete them!! be careful with this step also.
4>>if u are a system administrator and if u cannot access run,task manager,or regedit , these are sure shot signs of a virus and trozans!
5>>when downloading any file from internet be extremely cautious
step no 2 would already have enabled you to see file extensions!!
now suppose u have got some pics movie or music files,ppt,or word file as an attachment in your mail .just try to notice if it has any .exe extension!!! now why would a jpeg file or music file will have an .exe extension??? so there might be a spy ware along with them!!
6>>always use firewall especially licensed version and which make you invisible and provides u intrusion detection!
7>>go to control panel>>network connections and right click on your LAN and properties>>uncheck file and printer sharing!!
8>> try to learn about ports,ip adresses and tcp commands(very easy )>>these will help u to know about various things like which of your ports are being used by which ip adresses etc.
9>>disable remote desktop from control panel>>services
buy a genuine windows and get it regularly updated
avoid using cyber cafes for sensitive information or online trading!
avoid buying cracked software
10>>use 14 character password(mixed with numbers,alphabets,special characters) for your system and e-mail
11>> use java script blocking extensions for your browser,(u may allow for trusted sites)
12>>do not blindly click on every link you see on a web page or in your e-mail,clicking itself may trigger virus or spyware installation!
13>> do not open or reply unknown e-mails especially with attachments or which are totally blank and the ones with gibberish headers!!
14>>some good and free softwares which u can use
:: spybotsearch n destroy
lavasoft ad aware
avira anti virus
spywareblaster
yahooantispy
reg seeker
ccleaner

Answer 10

they are programers

i will send u a pic

this is the first way

or they will send u a link to any web page where they already programed the script to get inside your computer

get your ip automatically paste trojans into your pc which works as a server for them and many more its a long story