New guy

[deadeye]

Okay, so I'm new. I've recently looked into this hacker business. I looked around a few sites, trying to gain some basic knowledge, but haven't found much. I've started to brush up on my HTML, but I'm a little lost as to what to do after. Could someone tell me what I need to learn/do after this?

[Necrix]

Hacking isn't really a set path. And..nowadays, it's a pretty vague term and there are many kinds of hacking.

It all depends on what exactly you're interested in.

[deadeye]

Well, I'm mostly interested in programming. I'm also interested in learning how things work, why they work, and figuring out what I can do with it. That's pretty much the best way I can word it. Sorry if it's a bit too unspecific.

[Gogeta70]

Programming is a broad subject in itself, but for web-based programming, try html, javascript, css, php, perl, asp, etc.

Else, go html, javascript, C, C++, python, etc.

Then, once you've got a good grasp on programming and windows API, go for assembly. This way, you can decompile a program and crack it with no trouble at all.

If you're interested in computer hardware, find an old family computer, and ask your parents if you can play around with it. That's what i did, and my parents didn't object at all. However, you may be older than me, so this is only an if. Otherwise, grab an old computer and open it up, try and identify all the parts. Oh, and and once you have a basic understanding of computer hardware, read this paper my friend wrote here.

[bad_brain]

yeah, a 2nd computer for testing is always good.....and it's also a good opportunity to learn about networking. and because Linux is king in networking I would recommend to install Linux on the 2nd box. Linux seems pretty complicated if you're coming from Windows but it isn't, it simply forces you to learn and you have a lot more possibilities than with win systems.
I recommend Debian, it's very good for all professional stuff like servers but at the same time it's still easy to install and it's very well documented:
http://www.debian.org/ (get the 2 DVDs, else you would have to use 14 CDs)

[deadeye]

Hmm....I do have 2 more computers. But, one is dead from a virus. The other is fine (I think) but, I'm without a power cord, mouse, and keyboard. But I guess I could buy those at Best Buy or something.

I have a pretty good understanding of computer hardware. I've taken apart and put back together my old ones, so that's not much of a problem.

I'm already learning HTML, and I guess I'll go to javascript from there.

Thanks for all the help!

[LaBlueGirl]

css is good b/c you can do more to your site and it simplifies a lot of the html so it doesn't become redundant.
(i.e.: you can specify in one block how you want all your links to behave and give it a class in the HTML body)

I'm still reading up on css and I'll be moving to javascript within the next 30 days or so.

You can get the stuff you need for about 40 bucks from Best Buy. (but could be less).

If the other is dead from a virus, can't you just reformat it?
Or, it could be salvaged. I know of at least one person here who can do it...

I recommend Linux, too. Although I will always say SuSe is best
You'll have to get comfortable with shell commands, but it is really worth it.

Good luck.

LBG

[pseudo_opcode]

Well you will start learning 'hacking' actually when you already have learnt all this thoroughly:-

1.HTML, javascript, php, perl, python(any one of the last three)
2.One high level language such as c, c++, java etc(including network programming, Objected oriented programming is not that important)
3.A low level language, like Assembly
4.Deep knowledge of Networking, protocols, network layers(also topology and abstraction would be helpful)

Once you learn all this and start to understand how things work only then you will be able to find any flaws, bugs, holes etc.

I am not trying to scare you but just telling ya what all you need to know if you want to do things which are not meant to..

Also its not like that you should know everything mentioned above to be a hacker and on the other hand its not like that once you know all this you will be called hacker, coz hacking is creativity not a technique

[d10b]

Okay, so I'm new. I've recently looked into this hacker business. I looked around a few sites, trying to gain some basic knowledge, but haven't found much. I've started to brush up on my HTML, but I'm a little lost as to what to do after. Could someone tell me what I need to learn/do after this?

You need to learn to figure out what you want. Your public library has a computer section with reference books... there you'll also find nonfiction books about actual hackers. History, actual events, etc.

If you've looked around a few sites and haven't found much you don't have what it takes.

Read "The Cuckoo's Egg" by Clifford Stoll. Google "Kevin Mitnick" and stop by a magazine shop and pickup a copy of 2600 magazine. Also stop by textfiles.com for weeks of reading material.