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10 years back there were fewer computers, lesser penetration of information technology in the society and definitely restricted access to internet or other resources that could possibly used for this sinister purpose. But those who did know how to do it did it because in those days, companies were more concerned about making profits rather than assessing security of their IT infrastructure. These geeks' had intimate knowledge of the systems and exploited vulnerabilities to their advantage. There were lame hackers also called Script Kiddies', who used to replicate the exploits used by these established hackers and gain unauthorized access or cause damage. But now, the world is a very different place for the hacker. For today his success is entirely dependent on how ignorant the administrator, the IT department or the software support supplier is, which is highly unlikely.

Security couldn't be more overemphasized in today's world. We have all sorts of security arrangements in place everywhere. Most companies build software with security as their core concern. Home users have never been as concerned about security as they are now. Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Antivirus solutions have never had it so profitable. Most operating systems are almost over engineered for security. The world's most popular operating system series- Windows is no exception. But incidents on windows are far more reported as these operating systems are widely available and more accessible, the most common incident being the buffer overflow exploit.

Statistically, we find that cases of hacking or successful attempts or incidents have gone down drastically, especially so in the 21st century. As the penetration of computers increased, the software companies have changed their attitude towards security and have realized that security is integral to their survivability and profitability. This has lead to the boom in the security industry. Companies like Symantec, ESET, CheckPoint, and Computer Associates have been spearheading this boom. These days, it is highly unlikely to find a computer without an antivirus or firewall solution. Today, the home user is very concerned about how safe his data is or how secure his wireless home network is. Companies have massively engineered their networks and VPNs to prevent any security lapses. All this leave absolutely no room for script kiddies to use their muscle.

Having said this, it should also be noted that hacking and intrusion incidents do happen and succeed every now and then. But now, hacking can only performed by those with a very good knowledge of the systems and their vulnerabilities. Unless they are very good with their tools, it is difficult for them to succeed. Moreover, laws pertaining to hacking and cyber crime have been tightened and federal agencies have stepped up their vigil on such violations making all the more difficult for the determined to succeed and for the offender to escape. Therefore, I personally feel that even though the spread of internet access has been phenomenal and hacking tutorials freely available, it's highly unlikely the kids would succeed at anything they do in line with the tutorials and hence I feel they are less likely to cause any damage.

Learn more about this author, Ashwin Krishna Gopal.
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