Script kiddie
Template:Computer hacking In programming and hacking culture, a script kiddie or skiddie<ref name="Reg01"/> (also known as skid and script bunny,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the term script kitty<ref>Baldwin, Clare; Christie, Jim (July 9, 2009). "Cyber attacks may not have come from North Korea". San Francisco; Reuters.com. This quote was incorrectly transcribed as "Kitty" as opposed to "Kiddie".</ref> is not valid in this context) is an unskilled individual who uses scripts or programs developed by others to attack computer systems and networks and deface websites. It is generally assumed that script kiddies are juveniles who lack the ability to write sophisticated programs or exploits on their own and that their objective is to try to impress their friends or gain credit in computer-enthusiast communities.<ref name="zdnet">Template:Cite web</ref> However, the term does not relate to the actual age of the participant. The term is generally considered to be pejorative.
Characteristics
In a Carnegie Mellon report prepared for the U.S. Department of Defense in 2005, script kiddies are defined as
"The more immature but unfortunately often just as dangerous exploiter of security lapses on the Internet. The typical script kiddy uses existing and frequently well known and easy-to-find techniques and programs or scripts to search for and exploit weaknesses in other computers on the Internet—often randomly and with little regard or perhaps even understanding of the potentially harmful consequences.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Script kiddies have at their disposal a large number of effective, easily downloadable programs capable of breaching computers and networks.<ref name="zdnet"/> Such programs have included remote denial-of-service WinNuke,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> trojans, Back Orifice, NetBus, Sub7,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and ProRat, vulnerability scanner/injector kit Metasploit,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and often software intended for legitimate security auditing.<ref name="Rodriguez">Template:Cite web</ref> A survey of college students in 2010, supported by the UK's Association of Chief Police Officers, indicated a high level of interest in beginning hacking: "23% of 'uni' students have hacked into IT systems [...] 32% thought hacking was 'cool' [...] 28% considered it to be easy."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Script kiddies vandalize websites both for the thrill of it and to increase their reputation among their peers.<ref name="zdnet"/> Some more malicious script kiddies have used virus toolkits to create and propagate the Anna Kournikova and Love Bug viruses.<ref name="Reg01">Template:Cite web</ref> Script kiddies lack, or are only developing, programming skills sufficient to understand the effects and side effects of their actions. As a result, they leave significant traces which lead to their detection, or directly attack companies which have detection and countermeasures already in place, or in recent cases, leave automatic crash reporting turned on.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
- Black hat hacker
- Exploit (computer security)
- Hacker (computer security)
- Lamer
- List of convicted computer criminals
References
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