Mini hackers not so smart

BOFFINS say that cases of teenage hackers are on the up, and unfortunately for them, they’re not the sharpest tools in the box.

Experts have noted that teenagers flogging details such as credit card information are becoming regular visitors to online forums.

However, although they may have just about worked out how to hack, they’re not very good at covering their tracks – so many of them are extremely likely to get caught.

Chris Boyd, director of malware research at Face Time Security said, "I see kids of 11 and 12 sharing credit card details and asking for hacks."

Most of these youngsters get into hacking by looking for cracks for their favourite computer games, Boyd notes that, "Some are quite crude, some are clever and some are stupid."

The latter adjective is the most fitting when we consider that some of these hackers are daft enough to actually film themselves hacking and then posting the evidence on Youtube.

These innocent criminals have dangerously inflated egos, as they sign themselves onto video sharing sites with the same alias they use for hacking – could they be more obvious?

Boyd explains that, "They are obsessed with making videos of what they are doing."

Graham Robb, of the Youth Justice Board, said, "If they get a criminal record it stays with them… a Criminal Record Bureau check will throw that up and it could prevent access to jobs."

So, for all you kids out there - yes you can hack, well done, now learn how to cover it up before you end up joining the unemployed. µ

L'Inq
Beeb