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Computers are now more vulnerable to hacking than ever before. A decade or so ago, hacking would just be a pigment of science fiction, and back then it was. Internet technology has reached new heights and is now available to almost anybody and anybody is vulnerable.

“Hacker” is a jargon that is used to denote a person who practices illegal computer cracking or even ethical hacking. The Media has depicted the Hacker as a villain who is able to illegally access computer systems. Some Hackers work on the principle that breaking into another person’s computer is bad but not necessarily illegal. Hacking is found to be an academic idea in origin. It is recognized that writing a program and sharing the result is alright as long as the said program is voluntarily offered up for review and that information shared should be free. “Academic Hackers” do not use the word “hacker” that has been popularized by the mass media instead they prefer the term “Cracker.”

It was common belief that Hacking was an impossible feat left only to a professional, or someone who has an extensive knowledge of computer programs and the internet. Ten to Twenty years ago, that statement would have been relevant because computer access during those times were minimal. At present, after the rapid surge of computer use and the expanding web, vulnerability to Hacking has increased and the need for Web Security has never been greater.

At first, most computer programs vigilantly required the use of passwords in granting access. Computer companies noticed that the practice proved to be taxing and a lot of people demanded customer support to help them with their lost passwords. Gradually, the use of passwords in accessing files was decreased and the scope of network connection expanded. Now most of the time, you only have to log on initially and you will not be bothered with more security checks while you are logged on.

Computer Networking was implemented to increase the ease of file sharing. In this scenario, one computer would have access to the files stored in another. This is alright when you know the individual who can view your files and that you can control what files you can share. With the above mentioned lax in network security and increased internet availability; computers have now become more vulnerable to Hacking by an outside source. Vulnerability to hacking is not only relevant to computer in a Network. As long as a PC has a connection to the internet, it is deemed vulnerable to Hacking attempts.

All is not lost. There are ways that you can defend yourself and your computer against hacking. One way is with the use of reliable firewall programs that prevent unauthorized access. Another is by configuring your computer set up, changing the default settings so that you have more control over your files.