This book provides an in-depth exploration of the phenomenon of hacking from a multidisciplinary perspective that addresses the social and technological aspects of this unique activity as well as its impact.

What defines the social world of hackers? How do individuals utilize hacking techniques against corporations, governments, and the general public? And what motivates them to do so? This book traces the origins of hacking from the 1950s to today and provides an in-depth exploration of the ways in which hackers define themselves, the application of malicious and ethical hacking techniques, and how hackers' activities are directly tied to the evolution of the technologies we use every day.

Rather than presenting an overly technical discussion of the phenomenon of hacking, this work examines the culture of hackers and the technologies they exploit in an easy-to-understand format. Additionally, the book documents how hacking can be applied to engage in various forms of cybercrime, ranging from the creation of malicious software to the theft of sensitive information and fraud—acts that can have devastating effects upon our modern information society.

Thomas J. Holt, PhD, is associate professor in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. His published work includes Crime On-Line: Correlates, Causes, and Context and Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism, Second Edition.

Bernadette H. Schell, PhD, is vice-provost at Laurentian University in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. She was formerly Founding Dean of Business and Information Technology at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Her published work includes The Hacking of America: Who's Doing It, Why, and How and Corporate Hacking and Technology-Driven Crime: Social Dynamics and Implications.