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Question

How can I get better at hacking?

Tyrone Showers
Technologist
Tyrone Showers is a Technologist and the Co-owner of Taliferro Group, an IT consulting company based in Seattle, Washington. With over 35 years of professional experience, he specializes in API Design, e-Commerce, Operational Efficiency, and website development. He has a B.S. in Computer Science from DeVry Institute of Technology.

Tyrone Showers

Technologist

Expert Answer

Developing hacking skills necessitates extensive trial and error. The most effective approach involves delving into the complexities of web technologies and protocols. Gaining a profound understanding of web protocols such as HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 can offer distinctive insights into potential security vulnerabilities. Acquiring proficiency in hacking involves grasping the construction of APIs and recognizing common security oversights to uncover vulnerabilities. For a comprehensive approach, engaging in competitions like Capture the Flag (CTF), specifically centered on web security, can be exceptionally advantageous.

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Question

Can I hack using the command prompt?

Community Answer

You can, but command prompt is not the best option. Consider Linux terminal instead as you could use and install tools that could help. Perhaps even consider running Linux as a bootable USB or virtual machine.

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Question

Why are you telling people how to do something that could be illegal? We have a bad enough hacking problem as it is.

Community Answer

Not all hacking is illegal. The writer is trusting that the people with this information will not do anything illegal. Also, hacking isn't always a "problem." FBI hackers help the US gather new helpful information each day.

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Question

How many programming languages do I need to learn to be able to hack?

Community Answer

Sure, you can code malware in Ruby, password cracker in Python, buffer overflows in C, but you need to understand the logic behind it. The logic is all yours and that is what is important. So, forget about learning coding, first learn how to think logically to exploit the gaps, insecurities and lazy errors.

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What do you do if you're a beginner?

Community Answer

Do you know how to code? If not, start with that. Otherwise, read blogs about hackers, try to find a new bug in the software.

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Question

I forgot my Mac computer password, how do I hack my way in?

Community Answer

On a Mac (OS X 10.7+), hold down Command + R on startup to enter Recovery Mode. There will be a screen that says "OS X Utilities". Go up to the Utilities toolbar and click on "Terminal". Type in "resetpassword" and a screen will come up saying which hard drive the user whose password you want to reset is on. Just select your internal hard drive then select the account you want to change. Type in a new password (write it down!) and confirm it. Just restart your computer and you should be able to login to your account with the password you created. If your Mac is running Snow Leopard or below, just use the restore disk that came with your computer.

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Question

Is there any quick and easy way of doing this?

Community Answer

Not unless you want to be what hackers refer to as "script kiddies." Sure you can use scripts and automated programs, but that will only get you so far. This may seem daunting but you get out whatever effort you put in.

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Question

What if you don't know any coding or anything specific? How will I know if someone is hacking into you?

Community Answer

Notice any changes. Look for new suspicious files and check your browser history. Also consider running your antivirus.

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Question

Can I learn programming languages on the web?

Community Answer

Yes. You can try an app called Sololearn or go to codeacedemy or khanacedemy or W3schools online.

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Question

Do I need books to learn programming languages?

Community Answer

Instead of books, you can use websites like Sololearn or W3schools.

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Question

How long will it take to become a simple hacker?

Community Answer

It depends on your determination and skill. It could take between a few months and a few years.

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Question

What do I do to get started hacking?

Community Answer

Learn how to code, as well as the logic behind it all. The article lists good initial programming language(s) to learn.

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Question

Are ones and zeros hacking too?

Community Answer

No. They are binary code, the PC's language. .Exe and .bin files are 1's and 0's also: they pose as a symbol file only if you open them.

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Question

Which software can I use for hacking?

Community Answer

There is no particular software to hack. If you need to ask about software to hack, you shouldn't hack.

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Question

How will I know if I've been hacked?

Community Answer

Your computer will be acting strange, and some things will seem different. If you suspect anything, do a full scan if you have a firewall to get rid of any viruses that the hacker may have placed.

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Question

If you help someone else with hacking, is it illegal?

Community Answer

It could be. It depends upon what you are hacking.

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Question

Will any programming language work for hacking?

Community Answer

No, You can't use HTML or Go for hacking. You need a full programming language that can be used for various computer tasks such as Python or C++. These are fully multipurpose languages that source code of machines are written one. Hence, these are the best to start with.

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Question

What if I don't know much about computers, where should I start?

Community Answer

Learn about the basics of computers, then learn a computer language. You would also need to learn about a typing style in order to type quickly.

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Question

How can you hack a big-time corporation?

Community Answer

If you are trying to crowd-source this answer, you do not have the skills necessary to pull something like that off.

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Question

If I was caught hacking illegally, would I get jailed?

Community Answer

Yes, if you are found guilty of committing a crime, you may go to jail.

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Question

What if I get caught by your parents?

Community Answer

Explain to them why you are hacking and promise not to do it again.

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Question

Can I actually ask someone to hack for me, free of charge?

Olwethu47

Community Answer

Well if he/she offers to do it for free then you can, but in most cases you have to pay.

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Question

How can I 'hack' into my own computer for practice?

Community Answer

I would setup a target VM on my local machine and then I would install the service I would need to practice against like a web server service, Database server, Network firewall, or a specific OS. This is where the research becomes so important.

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Question

I forgot my Chrome Book/Chrome OS password. How do I hack my way in?

Community Answer

Hold command + R to go into recovery mode. From there, enter the terminal app and type "resetpassword".

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Question

How much would I make as a hacker?

Community Answer

If you're a white hat hacker (hack for good and not bad), many businesses hire them to test their defenses or as part of the IT security staff, at a very decent pay.

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Question

Is hacking into someone's social media account illegal?

Community Answer

Yes, it is illegal to hack into someone's personal account without their permission.

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Question

What age do you have to be to hack?

Community Answer

Your age doesn't matter as much as your coding and programming skills do. If you are a really good programmer, you can hack!

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Question

How would I hack an account on an iPhone app?

Community Answer

You could just download any apps or files that would change the account progress, game save, or whatever you want. You could also just jailbreak your iPhone.

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Question

Can I hack mobile games from a phone?

Community Answer

Yes, mobile games can be hacked from a phone.

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Question

If a white hat hacker is hired to hack a system, but fails, is he paid or not?

Community Answer

Yes, White hat hackers are hired to test system security so if they fail they've proved the system is secure.

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