While there is an advancement in the world through technology and everything is getting computerized, there is also a significant problem that is surfacing. And that problem is hacking.
Every individual who uses smart devices or computers is always worried that one day they will wake up to find that their device has been hacked.
Have you ever heard of the term “script kiddies”? If not, then this article is going to educate you on this topic. And if you have, then this article aims to make you understand the concept a bit more clearly.
So keep scrolling…
What Are Script Kiddies?
Script kiddies is a derogatory term that is used to refer to immature hackers who do not have the knowledge of the tools that they are using. They hack into the computer system only to troll or to have fun.
The script kiddies, or skids, rely on the scripts that are written by other programs to hack into the system of your computer. They find the easiest routes to fulfill their intent. They will not invest time or money to learn about the skill of hacking, unlike experienced hackers.
Wait…So Who Formed Them?
The term, as I have already mentioned, was coined by experienced hackers.
It first appeared on the blogs by the hackers and the internet relay chats during the mid-90s. It was used to describe those people who installed tools without knowing their capability or how they were to put them to use.
The term k0deZ kiddies were used in 1993 on the message board on the internet called the Yabbs.
In 1996, the name script kiddie was first used under the comments section of Unix exploit. Again, in 1998, Phrack, a hacking zine, used the phrase “script kiddie behavior” in an article. And that is how it has been going till now.
It was also recently used in the T.V. series Mr. Robot very recently.
There are various phishing attacks and methods that are used by a script kiddie to break into your computer system. Some methods that are used are Website defacement, Denial of service, and social engineering. Of this, the last one is the most common method that is used by the script kiddies.
The term Social engineering is often referred to as describing a wide range of activities that are malicious in nature. These activities are accomplished through several human interactions.
Individuals may manipulate the users psychologically to trick the users of the computer system or the smart devices into giving away their sensitive and confidential information. This is something that a script kiddie will take the help of.
The script kiddies turn to the users to grant them access to the system. They easily learn how HTML works and create fake profiles that may look convincing to many users. These fake websites may ask the users to put in their login details.
And that is all that the script kiddies need. Once they have access to your details, they can easily get into your system to hack your data.
That is the reason why you may find people advising you not to indulge in those creepy emails that you find in your mailbox.
Hackers Vs. Script Kiddies: What Is The Difference?
While both the terms are indicated towards the people who hack into the system and exploit the data of the users, there is a difference between these two categories of people.
The hackers and the script kiddies differ from each other on the basis of their skills, intent, and their level of experience.
While the hackers (white, black, and gray hat hackers) exploit the computer data of an individual, being aware of the consequences as well as several high-quality techniques that they use, the script kiddies are simply doing it for fun. Their intent is to troll the security system.
A script kiddie enjoys the quantity of the data that has been hacked. On the other hand, an experienced hacker focuses on the quality of the data hacked.
The hackers will try to leave no trace behind after their work is done. However, that is not the case with the script kiddies. They will break into the system to increase the count of the data they have hacked.
The script kiddies do not fit into the category of hackers because they lack experience and their methods are unethical. They also lack the competence that an experienced hacker may have.
So Should You Be Worried?
After reading this article, if you think that you should not worry about these amateur script kiddies around, then you are mistaken. Do not make the assumption that these beginners will not be able to get into your system.
The script kiddies are quite capable of causing trouble and a lot of damage to your system despite not being that experienced in the field. They are capable of manipulating the data of the users with the help of some engineering techniques.
Make sure that your system is protected with strong and proactive cybersecurity. Only then will you be able to save your personal and confidential data from getting hacked.
Frequently Asked Questions
The black hat hackers are considered to be the harmful hackers who hack or exploit the computer system just for fun. They practice unethical hacking and do not take the permission of the authority before hacking into their computer system.
The term ‘script kiddie’ was coined by ethical and experienced computer hackers to refer to amateur hackers. They are the unskilled individuals who try to take the help of data scripts to hack the computer system.
They are not interested in learning the tools that they are exploiting. Rather, they simply exploit the ones that are easily available.
Script kiddies are the beginners in the world of hacking. On the other hand, the term hacker is used to mean the ones who are experienced in the field of hacking.
While the hackers are interested in learning the tools that they are exploiting, a script kiddie only exploits the security that is easily available. However, this does not mean that script kiddies do not mean that they are not harmful or dangerous to the security of the computer system.
Wrapping It Up!
The term “script kiddies” was coined by experienced hackers to refer to amateur hackers for beginners in the world of hacking. They are the newbies in the field. However, if you think that you do not need to be careful regarding them, then you should reconsider.
Even if they lack the experience, they are good enough to get through the weaknesses of the computer system. They can use powerful techniques with little understanding of their actions and the consequences they pose. This is one of the main reasons why they are condemned by experienced hackers.
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