Hacking has gone from “phreaking”- hacking phone systems to “cracking”-breaking into networks for fun and fame and over the past 5 years criminal hackers from all over the world are targeting huge databases full of credit card numbers. But hacking is also becoming part of popular culture. The “scriptkiddie” from back in the day is the 9 year old today who is just very intelligent, anxious and doesn’t k now anything other than technology.

Police say a nine year old boy hacked the county school system to change teachers’ and staff members’ passwords, change or delete course content, and change course enrollment. “The boy did not intend to do any serious damage, and didn’t, so the police withdrew and are allowing the school district to handle the half-grown hacker.”

“He’s a very intelligent 9-year-old,” said the police, “with no criminal intent.” Someone give that boy a lollipop.

Meanwhile a study in New York City points “to one out of 6 city teens have tried hacking. Roughly 39 percent of the New York City teens said they think hacking is “cool,” and about 16 percent admitted to trying it. Seven percent reported they hacked for money, and 6 percent said they viewed it as a viable career.”

I know some are going to look at this study and slam me for even acknowledging it. However in my own informal pole I’m seeing the same thing. Heck I have a 4 year old that’s in the process of hacking my network. “Da-da, did you install spyware on my laptop?” “Yes, but that’s beside the point!”

Most kids know more about technology than their parents which makes a ripe situation for the kid heading down a rabbit hole and the parents unable to pull him out. How can mom or dad prevent the kid from doing something bad if they don’t understand it themselves? The solution? Up your technology and security vocabulary. And install spyware on your kids PC, you might learn something.

1. Get a credit freeze and follow the steps for your particular state. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases, it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name. This makes your Social Security number useless to a potential identity thief.

2. Invest in Intelius identity theft protection and prevention. Not all forms of identity theft can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk. (Disclosures)

Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Speaker discussing criminal hackers on Fox News.

Tags: expert, identity, intelius, speaker, theft

0 members like this

Comment

You need to be a member of Geeks to add comments!

Join Geeks

Comment by Mihkel N. on May 1, 2010 at 1:28am: I hope that kid doesn't keep screwing other rest of his life. He's only 9 and he's already hacking. If no-one guides him to the right road (I don't say he's bad), he could become the "hacker-of-the-year" in 10 years. And response to @JonathanPDX - About that toy gun, even if it stays on record NO-ONE normal person will consider it a crime when they are (for instance) hiring him - Hirer: "Yes he brought a 4" toy gun to school. No, it's a total no no." It's not like that.
I even remember bringing a gun toy myself but to kindergarten, yes I got a lesson of not bringing a toy gun to kindergarten never, lol. But I didn't got it on my record.

Comment by YOGESH PAWAR on April 30, 2010 at 10:46pm: This is exactly what i read in the newspapers this morning

Comment by Justen on April 30, 2010 at 9:43am: Heheh, I think I was 12 or 13 the first time I hacked school computers. I only did it to wipe out all the nanny software in the computer lab (it wouldn't let me visit nintendo.com for chrissakes!). High five to that kid, though he needs to learn to hack for fun, not to cause damage. It's a good way to start out a career - I'd take a teen-hacker-cum-adult-computer-geek over some cubicle drone in a corporate monkeysuit sporting a master's in comp-sci any day. Like many other hands-on skills, book knowledge is nothing compared to practical application, and starting at 9 is going to mean this kid has 13 years of real life experience by the time his peers graduate from college. Good for him, hope he keeps it up.

Comment by JonathanPDX on April 30, 2010 at 8:23am: Lucky kid...if he had been here in Portland, he would have been screwed for life, especially if the School District had been left in charge of the case. They suspended a little kid for bringing a 4" toy gun to school (part of a G.I. Joe), and that will stay on his record.

RSS

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service