When you hear "hacker," what comes to mind? Is it the popularized image of an unknown hooded figure stealing identities from an eerie basement? The truth is that hacking, just like technology, has transformed into a wildly scary and yet, also extremely intriguing subject that continues to evolve. But how did hackers come about?
It all began at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1959 as a group of students in the Tech Model Railroad Club tested the limits of their model train sets. The club members broke into the high-tech system that controls the trains to modify their functions and control the lanes and switches. These computer wizards called themselves hackers, but the event proved to be a harmless attempt to explore and improve the limits of the existing program.
Today, hacking is synonymous with illegally accessing a system or device. Hackers gain access through various tactics, ranging from technical, like viruses or malware, to social engineering, a method involving psychological tricks that get the victim to click on an attachment or share personal data with the hacker.
