They are both the same thing...Sort of. A hacker is a person who is proficient with computers and/or programming to an elite level where they know all of the in's and out's of a system. There is NO illegality involved with being a hacker. A cracker is a hacker who uses their proficiency for personal gains outside of the law. EX: stealing data, changing bank accounts, distributing viruses etc. What the hacker does with their knowledge of systems within the definition of the law is what defines them as a hacker vs a cracker. It's then safe to say that all crackers are hackers, but not all hackers are crackers. This is an important distinction. The term cracker and hacker are used interchangeably (albeit incorrectly) largely due to the ignorance of the general populace, especially the media.
Only when authorised to do so. Unauthorised entry is known as cracking rather than hacking, however we typically use the terms white-hat hacking and black-hat hacking to differentiate between lawful hacking and unlawful cracking.
"Cracking" refers to the act of bypassing or removing copy protection from programs (ex.: a serial key generator). "Ethical hacking" refers to people who try to break into systems with the sole purpose of finding and reporting security flaws to the system owner/administrator.
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WikiAnswers will not provide information on how to hack or crack any websites, user accounts, email accounts, computers, servers, or anything else for that matter. Although there is great controversy whether hacking is legal or illegal, or the difference between hacking and cracking, we cannot provide information or resources for either. However, there is a difference between hacking servers or accounts that do not belong to you and using hacks for games (as in cheat codes or trainers for your characters). This is a catch-all for questions about hacking or cracking stuff other than games. This is not a debate between ethical hacking vs. illegal breaking and entering. Use the discussion page for that.
In the modern slang, it basically means the same thing. Sometimes cracking is used to describe illegal decompilation (hacking) of software.
WikiAnswers will not provide information on how to hack or crack any websites, user accounts, email accounts, computers, servers, or anything else for that matter. Although there is great controversy whether hacking is legal or illegal, or the difference between hacking and cracking, we cannot provide information or resources for either. However, there is a difference between hacking servers or accounts that do not belong to you and using hacks for games (as in cheat codes or trainers for your characters). This is a catch-all for questions about hacking or cracking stuff other than games. This is not a debate between ethical hacking vs. illegal breaking and entering. Use the discussion page for that. There are severe consequences including prison and very large law suits for when you get caught if you start hacking.
WikiAnswers will not provide information on how to hack or crack any websites, user accounts, email accounts, computers, servers, or anything else for that matter. Although there is great controversy whether hacking is legal or illegal, or the difference between hacking and cracking, we cannot provide information or resources for either. However, there is a difference between hacking servers or accounts that do not belong to you and using hacks for games (as in cheat codes or trainers for your characters). This is a catch-all for questions about hacking or cracking stuff other than games. This is not a debate between ethical hacking vs. illegal breaking and entering. Use the discussion page for that. There are severe consequences including prison and very large law suits for when you get caught if you start hacking.
WikiAnswers will not provide information on how to hack or crack any websites, user accounts, email accounts, computers, servers, or anything else for that matter. Although there is great controversy whether hacking is legal or illegal, or the difference between hacking and cracking, we cannot provide information or resources for either. However, there is a difference between hacking servers or accounts that do not belong to you and using hacks for games (as in cheat codes or trainers for your characters). This is a catch-all for questions about hacking or cracking stuff other than games. This is not a debate between ethical hacking vs. illegal breaking and entering. Use the discussion page for that. There are severe consequences including prison and very large law suits for when you get caught if you start hacking.
All I can tell you is that the issue is fraught with hype. A lot of people make a lot of money by making out that computer hacking ('cracking') is a bigger problem than it really is. 'hacking' and 'cracking' are two different things. Technically it would be impossible to be arrested for 'hacking' because hacking is completely legal. 'Cracking' is illegal.
Thermal CRacking is caused by heat while catalytic cracking is not caused by heat
hacking and cracking
WikiAnswers will not provide information on how to hack or crack any websites, user accounts, email accounts, computers, servers, or anything else for that matter. Although there is great controversy whether hacking is legal or illegal, or the difference between hacking and cracking, we cannot provide information or resources for either. However, there is a difference between hacking servers or accounts that do not belong to you and using hacks for games (as in cheat codes or trainers for your characters). This is a catch-all for questions about hacking or cracking stuff other than games. This is not a debate between ethical hacking vs. illegal breaking and entering. Use the discussion page for that. There are severe consequences including prison and very large law suits for when you get caught if you start hacking.