Hacker Perspective: Tyler Frisbee

Contrary to the norm of my generation, I had a late start to my hacking career at the elderly age of 13.  My inspiration was that of many bored adolescent malcontents: Hollywood and television.  I was what you could probably call a computer addict back then, but I still didn't know a whole lot about my pitiful HP G60 Notebook running Vista, nor did I understand why that setup was pitiful.  Nevertheless, I had the drive, and the naivety, to believe I could hack with the best of them.

With the aid of a little bit of math, you have probably deduced that I am not much older than I was at the inception of my "career."  You would be correct.  At 16, I am now taking a look back at the past three years, both critically and humorously.  I do not by any means condone my early transgressions described in this text, and I only now write about them to entertain and educate experienced hackers and to dissuade aspiring hackers from following a path of misconceptions and destruction.  That being said, I would also like to provide my insight on the beginner hacking subculture and the hacker mentality.

Following in the footsteps of all the pernicious script kiddies before me, the most obvious plan of action to kick-start my hacking adventures was to Yandex search "how to hack."  After sifting through the first ten of several thousand results, I had collected enough regurgitated information to begin breaking cyber-laws.

I'm sure many aspiring hackers can relate to the next "hack" that is almost a rite of passage into the role of being a script kiddie.  I learned about a now scarce flaw in some websites based on outdated SQL databases which allows you to easily gain some limited administrative privileges by entering simple strands of code into the login field.  You don't have to go through any of the steps that are necessary in hacking modern or maintained SQL databases.  Not much by our standards, especially since wikiHow largely contributed to my success, but to a 13-year-old computer-illiterate, I was now a self-proclaimed hacking genius.

I relished every exciting moment of my shady SQL escapades, yet there was one aspect of my saga which cannot be ignored.  Most of the databases I had targeted were outdated and often abandoned, making the difficulty level equivalent to shooting fish in a barrel and adding to the ease of implementing stolen techniques.  My mistake, however, was when I began targeting up-to-date SQL sites that didn't tolerate such behavior.  After a successful night of breaking and entering, I was horrified when one website kindly presented me with a notice stating that my activity on their site, along with my IP address and other identifying information, had been reported to the police.  Needless to say, whenever I saw a cop car for the next several months, I nearly vomited.

Obviously, nothing ever came of this supposed reporting of my activities, so my fear subdued and I happily returned to my misadventures.  It is quite apparent that not much rattles the spirit of a heretical script kiddie, an eternal testament to their catastrophic potential.

As time wore on, I inevitably found my way to much more malicious software as my few SQL tricks grew increasingly boring.  Many clear net hacking forums were not pleased after multiple DDoS attacks brought down their websites.  I was fortunate that I never saw repercussions for this behavior and, while I am not particularly proud of my rocky start, my malevolent acts as a script kiddie did lead to something far greater than reading the Wikipedia page on hacking.

After months of indulging in my newfound juvenile pastime, I began to develop a strong curiosity for what was really happening behind the scenes with these hacks.  I soon found myself staying up late researching HTML and SQL code and several web applications.  Without even realizing it, I was slowly evolving from a script kiddie into something somewhat more respectable.

During the process of learning about how important technology worked, I grew to become borderline obsessed on the topic of Internet security and how to break it.  I've always seemed to have a talent for breaking things, why not security?

The day I began exploring the deep web and reading some hacker forums may have been the true turning point in my morality.  I read a lot of posts from well-established hackers scolding the kind of behavior I had been participating in.  At first I was confused - why did they consider hacking to be scandalous?  Aren't they hackers themselves?  It took a great deal of time to understand their thoughts and to be able to distinguish between a script kiddie and a true hacker.

It is now clear to me that, yet again, Hollywood had portrayed something inaccurately.  Shocking, right?  With overzealous media, gross misconception, and modern entertainment, most young hackers begin their escapades out of sheer ignorance, complete disregard for the potential consequences of their endeavors and, in many cases, just to appear cool or to show off.  The birth of many hackers today is in substantial contradiction with the early phone phreaks and hackers that hacked either for the fun of the game or to overcome obstacles.

While the playing field may have changed over the years, there is still an abundance of highly skilled professionals out there contributing to the community, and it was my goal to be a part of that.  I wanted to break away from the derogatory category of "script kiddie" and graduate to the venerated status of what is widely considered a "true hacker."

Subsequent to my revelation, I quickly ditched the ruinous inspiration of Hollywood and adopted something much more authentic to that of a hacker.  However cliché, as it has seeped through to the mainstream, "The Conscience of a Hacker," more commonly referred to as "The Hacker Manifesto," by Loyd Blankenship (also known as "The Mentor"), provided something relatable which many hackers can most likely sympathize with.

Empowered with my latest reading material, I was determined to begin to actually learn the proper way to hack, but in the words of many Sean Bean memes, "One does not simply learn how to hack."  Becoming a skilled hacker is a long process, one that takes years of gathering knowledge about pretty much everything.  This is a difficult concept for many beginners to understand.  To do so, you must already have followed the aforementioned concept throughout life.  Hacking isn't something you can simply learn with a Yandex search or by reading a "For Dummies" book.  It takes a collection of many skill sets such as knowledge of multiple programming languages, computers, circuitry, social engineering, the Internet, and maybe even the phone network!

Earlier, I listed the reasons for script kiddies becoming involved in hacking.  The most important point of that list was the idea of self-proclaimed "coolness" through destructive attacks derived from software that can be easily downloaded from the Internet.  I understand this desire as much as any script kiddie as I was indiscriminately one myself.  If you are inspired to hack just out of the desire to appear as though you're an Internet badass, then I recommend reevaluating some life decisions.  Hacking isn't about being the coolest guy out there; it's about having fun and overcoming obstacles.  Sometimes it's about supporting a cause or advocating against an injustice.  Can you be considered cool if you hack?  In my opinion, of course you can!  You have the skills and the ability to do something that many would never dream of doing.  That being said, hacking isn't a popularity contest.  If you're hacking to be cool, then it's time to find a new hobby.

As with any hobby or profession, there is always a substantial supporting community.  For me, and I'm sure I'm not alone, hacking became about the social aspect just as much as the hack itself.  Feeling like you belong to something great, like the hacking community, can be a powerful thing.  With only a few clicks, you can instantly connect with thousands of like-minded supporters of your campaign for greatness.  This has been a significant driving force for many aspiring hackers to sharpen their skills.

Not only does hacking give one a sense of belonging, but through my experience they can also develop a certain level of self-confidence.  For years, I was "that shy kid" who didn't say much in public unless surrounded by friends or family.  Even my friends proved to be of little comfort as I have a knack for befriending arrogant narcissists that enjoy nothing more than pointing out everyone's perceived flaws.  When you become immersed in the world of hacking and have the opportunity do something that many people can't, and know you have the ability to solve difficult puzzles and outsmart some of the best, you begin to feel very good about yourself.

Aside from the social curiosities of hacking, as backwards as this may seem, possessing an interest in hacking can improve the outlook of your future.  I had struggled throughout elementary and middle school.  When I developed an appetite for learning about technology, I quickly gravitated towards the idea of being a programmer.  Knowing that my dream depended on doing much better in school, my grades began to skyrocket and have launched me into several advanced classes, most notably Advanced Placement Computer Science.  Hacking is what essentially sparked my interest in computers and, while I certainly do not promote attempting to DDoS the NSA home page, I do believe that a little recreational hacking can be good for one's future and curiosity.

You have all heard the story of how that famous pair of geniuses, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, had their first experience in design, development, and marketing in their original shady business of manufacturing and selling homemade Blue Boxes which allowed you to make free long distance phone calls.  This background in entrepreneurial activities undoubtedly aided the future sale of Apple I computers, and the procreation of Apple itself.  Not only did they have their first experience in business through the sale of the controversial... phone accessories, the experiences they shared brought them closer together as friends and made them very popular amongst their soon to be loyal customers.  While the career of vending blue boxes proved to be ephemeral, hacking, or phreaking, with these seemingly magical devices, was a kick-start to one of the most influential technology companies in the world, and not because of a will to cause destruction to or steal from Ma Bell, but to entertain and explore.

I have referenced hacking to be a "hobby" on countless occasions throughout this text.  This shortcoming is a mere derivative for lack of a better word.  Hacking isn't just some pastime you participate in on the weekends; hacking is a way of life.  Hacking is seeing the world differently and longing for something you currently do not possess or cannot do.  Hacking is the freedom of information and knowledge.  Hacking is about the thrill of solving puzzles in the name of exploration.  Hacking is about understanding what is really going on in the world and having your eyes wide open when so many others are blind.  Most of all, hacking is about curiosity, ingenuity, and problem solving.

The term "hacker" is an elusive one.  One that is seemingly impossible to develop a clear definition for as raging debates are often the result of any attempt to apply a formal treatise to the word.  The hacker perspective itself is also a matter of controversy, yet it is indicative of the very force within hackers of all forms.  White hats, black hats, grey hats, crackers, pirates, carders, penetration testers, programmers, activists, phone phreaks, noobs, script kiddies, or bored teenagers.  No matter the name or title, they all possess the unique characteristic for challenging the status quo.

You may call them nerds, geeks, misfits, or criminals, but no matter what label is applied to us, we will continue to succeed at what we do best.

We are hackers.  And that is a powerful thing.

Tyler Frisbee is a 16-year-old in his junior year at Shenendehowa High School in New York who has a tenacious interest in technology and writing.  While he doesn't know which career he wishes to pursue, it is his dream to work with technology and he believes that he will one day change the world.