Bad actors in the cyber threat world don’t have to be professional. A specific category exists where hackers are not experts, yet effective at compromising and stealing your data. The group of hackers I’m referring to is known as Script Kiddies, and they are far from professional yet quite resourceful. In this article, I will share who they are and why they are effective at what they do.
Script Kiddies originated in the mid-1990s as grammar school, high school, and college students. They would download a tool, not care how it worked, as long as they could significantly damage a computer or a network environment. The typical Script Kiddie will download free tools and scripts to penetrate known weaknesses of a computer and other network security.
Script Kiddies today have access to many free tools to breach computers and network security. Like all Bad actors, they have a purpose: to troll neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances, and even their clients. The attribute that makes these people a challenge is they use these tools without knowledge or regard for what they may or may not do.
More advanced Script Kiddies use payloaders and tool kits to disseminate viruses and other harmful malware. This group of hackers is known for defacing their peers’ websites and social media posts because of the thrill they get from doing it. In addition to this extreme adrenaline, they also frequently enjoy the boost their reputation gets from it.
This group of hackers does not have the skills to understand what viruses and malware attacks do or know how they work. Since they are novices in this field, it is common to find traces of their actions easily.
Another common type of hacking that Script Kiddies do is Social Engineering. Social Engineering is when they send emails to get people to click on links containing malware and other backdoors to people’s data. They can easily then use these links to lure victims to fake sites to enter their real PI (Personal Information) and, you guessed it, exploit them.
It sounds like this might be a problem, but you have not heard the worst part about how they use Social Engineering to stalk their victims. What is
Staking is a word that means someone who is persistently monitoring and following someone and their activities online or offline. Stalking is a crime that refers to monitoring and tracking a person willfully and repeatedly.
Many times a child receives a new computer as a gift and then watches some videos which taunt them to becoming this kind of person to commit these acts. The videos harp on the fact that you will be the kool kid with so many friends. You might ask how they emerge now that you know who they are. Another tactic the videos use is to have them imagine what it will feel like with all that adrenaline and power.
Before long, the child has downloaded some hack tools and scripts, starts playing with them, and your Script Kiddie mentally behavior is born. Another reason they turnabout is because they become addicted to a game but can’t get to the next level. They talk to their friends, become bored with where they are and will do anything to get to the next level. Then they figure out ways to cheat the video game and get to the next level.
Since Script Kiddies cause people to continue because of the thrill it gives, the challenge is how it changes their lives. As per Mr. Dr. Nuccitelli, the critical thing to note is ODDOR (Offline Defense Dictates Online Response). Script Kiddies often stop because of technical challenges but often become driven online because of the environment they face daily.
Thus, in summary, Script Kiddies don’t have to be kids but anyone who is new to computers and wants to cause damage with free utilities and other scripts. Know what your kids are doing, and become involved in their lives, show them great times and they won’t be looking for other outlets to find that. In short, ensuring you have a healthy personality in real life will make a person more accountable for what you do online.