Read the text. Find out the meanings of the words and phrases in bold. Try to guess the answer to the questions before you read the next parts of the text

1. Who is a hacker?

2. Is every skilled programmer – hacker?

3. Do the words “geek” and “anorak” have positive or negative meanings?

4. What are the purposes for hacking?

A hacker is a person who attempts to gain unauthorised access to a Network system. They are often young teenagers although they are usually fairly skilled programmers (people who write computer programs). Sometimes, the type of person who becomes a hacker is referred to as a 'geek' (an expert lacking in social skills), or as an 'anorak' (a slang term for an eccentric, socially inept person with little or no fashion sense and having an obsessive interest in a hobby or subject). Although 'geek' was originally a derogatory term it is now used in computing to mean a dedicated expert. Although it is illegal, people become hackers for different reasons including: making money, criminal purposes, or to expose political information. But often people hack (break into a computer system) just because it is an exciting challenge. Parents are often unaware that their children are hacking into computer systems although they usually receive very large telephone bills. Young hackers are often caught by boasting about their successes to their friends.

5. Why do hackers hide their real names?

6. How do hackers exchange ideas?

Since hacking (attempting to gain unauthorised access to a network system) is illegal, hackers want to keep their true identity secret but they often like to call themselves by special names such as 'the Analyser'. The Internet has made hacking more common and hackers are found throughout the world. They sometimes form hacking groups or teams that work together and exchange ideas. These groups also like to be known by names such as 'Hackers Unite'.

7. What are the most popular aims of hackers’ attacks?

8. How are hackers portrayed in the cinema?

9. Who are most hacks done by?

Hackers like to attack and penetrate computer systems belonging to large, important organisations such as the Pentagon's computer systems, computer provided by the Microsoft Corporation. In fact, hackers compete with each other to be the first to hack into really powerful systems. Often, breaking into a system is done gradually, with the hacker gaining entry to a system then planting passwords in the system, allowing them to gain access to the system more easily in the future.

When a hacker gains access to a system they don't usually break into the system using the Internet and steal all the data on the system, as is often portrayed in the cinema. In fact, most hacks (break-ins) are done by company staff misusing the company network system.

10. What do hackers usually do to computer systems?

11. What do hackers do to websites?

Hackers have been known to do a variety of things to computer systems, including:

1. Downloading files (copying files from a server computer) and leaking confidential information. Posting information is the term used for making information available to a large number of users in a newsgroup (an Internet discussion group that uses a restricted area on a server computer to display messages about a common interest) or on a bulletin board (an electronic noticeboard system that enables users to display messages for other users to read).

2. Exposing email (electronic mail) correspondence managed by well known email services, causing the service to be shut down while the exposed weakness in the system is repaired.

3. Programming email server computers to reroute email (send to a different email address than the one it was originally sent to).

4. Hijacking websites by redirecting the Webaddress (URL) to point to another website.

5. Defacing websites by changing the text and graphics on the webpages, sometimes leaving very rude messages on the system.

6. Blackmailing the owners of websites by threatening to damage their systems by doing something like releasing a virus (a program that can reproduce itself and is written with the purpose of causing damage or causing a computer to behave in an unusual way) onto their system, although such a threat often turns out to be nothing more than a hoax.

12. How can companies use hackers’ skills?

13. Who is a “white hat hacker”?

Sometimes, young hackers put their experience and knowledge to good use when they become older. Many former hackers have been hired by large companies as securityexperts. They are employed to test out the company systems by trying to hack into them to find any weaknesses in the systems. Cyberspace is the combination of all the data on all the computer networks throughout the world, accessed using the Internet. A person who uses their skills to make cyberspace safer is referred to as a 'white hat' hacker.

14. What are the ways to hack a computer system?

A computer system can be hacked (broken into) in various ways including:

a. guessing somebody's password (secret code used to control access to a network system);

b. finding a bug (a fault in a system) that allows certain passwords to access information they are not supposed to access;

c. phoning a company, pretending to be a company employee and asking for a password. People tend to be too trusting.

15. What do you need to log in a system?

16. What are the most common usernames?

Connecting to a computer network involves logging in (sometimes referred to as logging on) by typing a username or ID (identification username) and a password. Usernames that are often used on networks systems include 'guest', 'demo' and 'help'.

17. What do you need to do to avoid hacking?

18. What is a secure password?

To avoid a computer system being hacked into, the people managing the system must work hard to keep ahead of the hackers. There are different ways of avoiding being hacked into including:

a. installing a firewall (a combination of hardware and software used to control the data going into and out of a network);

b. using a callbacksystem (a system that automatically disconnects a telephone line after receiving a call and then dials the telephone number of the system that made the call, to reconnect the line. It is used in remote access systems to make sure that connections can only be made from permitted telephone numbers.);

c. having really secure passwords (secret codes used to control access to a network system) – don't use common names or dictionary words;

d. auditing the system regularly (checking the system regularly using event logs to find failed access attempts).

19. How dangerous is it to use a credit card on the Internet?

20. What can you do to avoid credit card theft?

Some people do not like to give out their credit card numbers on the Internet. Hackers have been known to get databases (applications programs used for storing information so that it can be easily searched and sorted) of credit card numbers by hacking computer systems. However, in the opinion of the ex-hackers, using your credit card on the Internet is no more dangerous than giving your credit card number on the telephone or throwing away a credit card receipt. There are various things you can do to avoid credit card theft on the Internet including:

a. using a separate credit card for Internet purchases having a small credit limit on the credit card you use;

b. buying a pre-paid charge card for small purchases.

In the future, smartcards (plastic cards containing a processor and memory chip that can be used to store large amounts of confidential data) will be used instead of credit cards. This will require smartcardreaders (devices used for reading smart cards) to be attached to computers.

6. Read the text again and discuss the answered questions. Were you right in your guesses?

7. Give Russian equivalents to the following words and phrases:

A. To gain unauthorised access to, fairly skilled programmers, 'geek', socially inept person, obsessive interest, derogatory term, dedicated expert, it is illegal, different reasons, making money, criminal purposes, to expose political information, break into a computer system, exciting challenge, unaware, large telephone bills, boasting about their successes, keep their true identity secret, more common, throughout the world, exchange ideas, 'Hackers Unite', penetrate computer systems, belong to large important organizations, Pentagon's computer systems, provided by, compete with each other, powerful systems, gradually, gaining entry to a system, planting passwords, more easily, steal all the data on the system, portrayed in the cinema, in fact, to hack, a hack, to misuse, downloading files, leaking confidential information, posting information, making information available, restricted area, server computer, display messages, bulletin board, enables users, causing the service to be shut down, exposed weakness, reroute email, hijacking websites, defacing websites, rude messages.

B. Blackmail, owners of websites, threaten, to damage the system, release a virus, cause damage, hoax, hired by large companies, security expert, employed to test out the systems, to find weaknesses in the systems, to make cyberspace safer, in various ways, guess somebody's password, find a bug, a fault in a system, to access information, pretend to be a company employee, most common usernames, log in, log on, username, avoid hacking, to avoid, work hard, to keep ahead of, installing a firewall, callback system, disconnect a telephone line, receive a call, dial the telephone number, remote access systems, secure password, common names, dictionary words, to use a credit card, credit card theft, databases, in the opinion of the ex-hackers, credit card receipt, Internet purchases, small credit limit, pre-paid charge card, memory chip, to store large amounts of confidential data, smart card reader.

8. Give English equivalents to the following words and phrases:

А. Хакер, бывший хакер (2), получить несанкционированный доступ к сети, опытный программист, компьютерный фанатик (2), взломать компьютерную систему, преданный своему делу эксперт, оскорбительный термин, зарабатывать деньги, криминальные цели, захватывающая сложная задача, телефонные счета на большую сумму, похвастаться успехом перед друзьями, скрывать свое истинное лицо, по всему миру, обмениваться идеями, союз хакеров, атаки хакеров, отражены в кино, принадлежит большой компании, соревнуются друг с другом, мощная система, постепенно, проникнуть в компьютерную систему, украсть все данные системы, загрузить файл, утечка конфиденциальной информации, размещение информации, доска объявлений (2), разоблаченные слабости, перенаправить электронную почту, несанкционированно использовать интернет сайты.

В. Портить / повреждать интернет сайты, шантажировать владельцев интернет сайтов, угрожать, повредить / причинить ущерб, обман, эксперт по компьютерной безопасности, киберпространство, угадать пароль, дефект системы (2), притвориться сотрудником компании, войти в систему (2), имя пользователя (2), работать усердно, оставаться впереди хакеров, избегать, установить межсетевой экран, система ответного звонка, система удаленного доступа, набрать телефонный номер, разрешенные телефонные номера, надежный пароль, регулярный аудит системы, неудачная попытка доступа, номер кредитной карты, получить базу данных, по мнению бывшего хакера, опасно, квитанция, покупки через интернет, маленький кредитный лимит, карточка с предоплатой, большое количество конфиденциальной информации, вместо, устройство для считывания карт.