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GUIDE TO (mostly) HARMLESS HACKING
Beginners' Series #1
So you want to be
a harmless hacker?
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"You mean you can hack without breaking the law?"
That was the voice of a high school freshman. He had me on
the phone because his father had just taken away his computer.
His offense? Cracking into my Internet account. The boy had hoped
to impress me with how "kewl" he was. But before
I realized he had gotten in, a sysadmin at my ISP had spotted
the kid's harmless explorations and had alerted the parents.
Now the boy wanted my help in getting back on line.
I told the kid that I sympathized with his father. What if
the sysadmin and I had been major grouches? This kid could have
wound up in juvenile detention. Now I don't agree with putting
harmless hackers in jail, and I would never have testified
against him. But that's what some people do to folks who go snooping
in other people's computer accounts -- even when the culprit
does no harm. This boy needs to learn how to keep out of trouble!
Hacking is the most exhilarating game on the planet. But it
stops being fun when you end up in a cell with a roommate named
"Spike." But hacking doesn't have to mean breaking
laws. In this series of Guides we teach safe hacking so that
you don't have to keep looking back over your shoulders for narcs
and cops.
What we're talking about is hacking as a healthy recreation,
and as a free education that can qualify you to get a high paying
job. In fact, many network systems administrators, computer scientists
and computer security experts first learned their professions,
not in some college program, but from the hacker culture. And
you may be surprised to discover that ultimately the Internet
is safeguarded not by law enforcement agencies, not by giant
corporations, but by a worldwide network of, yes, hackers.
You, too, can become one of us.
And -- hacking can be surprisingly easy. Heck, if I can do
it, anyone can!
Regardless of why you want to be a hacker, it is definitely
a way to have fun, impress your friends, and get dates. If you
are a female hacker you become totally irresistible to men. Take
my word for it!;^D
These Guides to (mostly) Harmless Hacking can be your gateway
into this world. After reading just a few of these Guides you
will be able to pull off stunts that will be legal, phun, and
will impress the heck out of your friends.
These Guides can equip you to become one of the vigilantes
that keeps the Internet from being destroyed by bad guys. Especially
spammers. Heh, heh, heh. You can also learn how to keep the bad
guys from messing with your Internet account, email, and personal
computer. You'll learn not to be frightened by silly hoaxes that
pranksters use to keep the average Internet user in a tizzy.
If you hang in with us through a year or so, you can learn
enough and meet the people on our email list and IRC channel
who can help you to become truly elite.
However, before you plunge into the hacker subculture, be
prepared for that hacker attitude. You have been warned.
So...welcome to the adventure of hacking!
More Beginners' Guide #1--->>
