Hacking

Hacking is the practice of subverting the security, authorization, countermeasures, or interface limitations of a computer in order to gain access to certain functionality, data, modules, or systems.

Computers can be hacked by skilled users through the tools in a hacking kit.

Computer security

Hacking is not required to access unsecured systems, which grant anyone who can access the computer unfettered permission to view data or activate its connected functionality.

It is often trivial to determine whether a user's access to a computer is unsecured. However, most computers gate some or all access behind three layers of security:

Authorization

A user account exists on the computer and is granted certain permissions to access data or modules in the system.

Security key

An authorized user verifies their identity through possession of a physical object, such as a keycard. The security object might also be biometric, such as a user's palm print or retina, or another computer.

Password

Most passwords are long strings of characters entered using a keyboard, but they can easily be the user's unique voiceprint, a telepathic command, or a song or riddle.

A hacker's goal is to either subvert these layers or acquire the keys or passwords necessary to gain that user's intended level of access, though this might not grant access over all parts of a system. Administrative users with root access to a computer can easily modify what a user has permission to access and revoke existing access, or can require new keys or passwords if they detect that they are used fraudulently.

Less powerful workstations or devices connected to a more powerful computer might be hackable, but even root access over the less powerful device does not grant elevated access over the more powerful device.

Goals and rewards

Successful hackers can gain access to valuable secure data modules, manipulate complex devices managed by control modules, unlock doors, disable traps, deactivate countermeasures or other computer modules, or even gain root access over that computer. Hacking can also create a user interface to a computer that does not have one built in.

Dangers and obstacles

Countermeasures installed in a computer can alert administrators or security personnel, activate weapons or robotic sentries, install viruses in the hacker's system, or even produce harmful electrical shocks to creatures near the physical computer. Firewalls block access to certain modules, and failed attempts to hack a computer or module can trigger extended lockouts or wipe secure data modules.

Hacking starships

See also: Starship

Many starships rely on computers, and hacking a starship's computer can grant access to many of its systems or bypass biometric locks, though notably its self-destruct system is not vulnerable to hacking. Starship computers can be upgraded to harden them against hacking attempts and add countermeasures.

Magical hacking

This section describes the use of magic in computer hacking. For magic hacks that exploit and empower magical spells and abilities, see the technomancer.

Magic can ease or complicate hacking in numerous ways. For instance, spells like hold portal can interfere with attempts to hack a door or window with a computer-controlled lock. A computer can be trapped in a way that cursehacks nearby items when activated and infects them with a magical virus.