Hackers. Faceless people who deface government Web sites, who can peek into your computer without you knowing. What are they like? Forbes India asked Akash Mahajan, a Certified Ethical Hacker, for a few insights into the shadowy world.

Hackers — the good guys — are different from crackers, who have nefarious goals. Does it bug you that everyone uses the term ‘hacker’ for both?

It used to. Then I realised that while some can’t be bothered, most people just don’t know the difference. A hacker is simply someone who finds a novel way of doing something. When people site has been “hacked,” the correct term is usually “defaced.”

How do you become a hacker or a cracker? Can anyone learn??

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