Great explanation of the origins of the words “hack” and “hacker” and how journalists are ruining them. With so much in the news lately about “phone hacking” and other security breaches people could start to develop serious misconceptions about what hacking involves (if they haven’t already). As the article puts it, “typing the default password “1111” into the voicemail box of a murdered girl is not hacking” and way back when at MIT, a hack used to mean “a feat of technical skill.” Spreading hysteria about technology and security isn’t going to make people safer. It will probably make people more fearful about using and understanding these tools though, preventing them from recognizing true breaches of privacy and security when they happen. Understanding of technology and security and the true meaning of the word “hack” are at the core of what we are doing at The Hacktory.
