Analysis of 250,000 Hacker Conversations 111
Orome1 writes "Imperva released a report (PDF) analyzing the content and activities of an online hacker forum with nearly 220,000 registered members, although many are dormant. The forum is used by hackers for training, communications, collaboration, recruitment, commerce and even social interaction. Commercially, this forum serves as a marketplace for selling of stolen data and attack software. The chat rooms are filled with technical subjects ranging from advice on attack planning to solicitations for help with specific campaigns."
Re:The word 'hacker' (Score:5, Informative)
you're using it wrong.
I've pretty much given up on it. You can't blame /., it's the Medi-uh who have tarred Hackers with by association with Crackers and criminals.
You start explaining the difference between the two to anyone and they'll think you're some kinda weirdo. You're in luck if their eyes simply glaze over rather than they go call DHS and report you as some sort of undesirable.
Re:The word 'hacker' (Score:3, Informative)
Umm, you're quite mistaken. It's a much more general racial slur that's often directed at any white person or people, regardless of where they come from and regardless of their opinions of other races.
It's quite often used in predominantly black and Hispanic areas of cities like N.Y.C, L.A. and D.C., where it's often directed at white police officers, white public school teachers, white social workers, and other white people who are often among the most tolerant and supportive of other races.
Re:No, they aren't. (Score:5, Informative)
The term "hacker" was coined long before computers and had nothing to do with sabotage or bypassing computer security.
Indeed. Unfortunately, the way language works, the popular usage gets dibs. See Oxford's and how they update it every year.