The term "hacker," or its Turkish equivalent "bilgisayar korsanı," has evolved over time to take on multiple meanings and has been evaluated in various societal, technological, and cultural contexts. It first entered the literature in the 1960s, associated with a group of programmers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who pushed the boundaries of software and hardware. Initially, the term was used to describe individuals with technical knowledge who enjoyed problem-solving and were interested in developing systems.

Over time, this meaning expanded and became shaped around two primary models: the crime-focused/protective model and the liberationist model. In the crime-focused model, hackers are associated with illegal activities such as unauthorized access, data breaches, and system damage; in contrast, in the liberationist model, hackers are seen as part of efforts to free information, develop software, and advocate for digital freedom of expression.

This divergence in meaning has also led to the definitional ambiguity of hacking. In technology-oriented circles, a hacker is often seen as a pioneering software developer, while in media content, they are frequently equated with cybercriminals. This conflict makes it difficult for the concept of a hacker to acquire a fixed and objective meaning in public perception.

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Historical Process

The historical development of the hacker concept is an important part of technology history. The works carried out by members of MIT's Tech Model Railroad Club to push the limits of computer systems laid the foundation for the term "hack." These efforts progressed within an ethical framework based on principles like open access to information and software sharing. This approach has been defined as the "open academic model" and has formed the basis of the open-source software movement today.

Since the 1980s, the term hacker has become associated with crime in public discourse, especially in media presentations, where hackers are portrayed as individuals who infiltrate bank systems, steal information, or carry out digital attacks. During this period, hackers were often separated from the term "cracker," which referred to individuals violating system security.

Hacker Culture and Its Representation in Türkiye

Hacker culture is not only a technical expertise but also a form of specific social subculture. This culture is shaped by values such as the right to access information, protecting privacy, and supporting decentralized structures. In Türkiye, this culture has developed since the 2000s. Turkish hackers, like their global counterparts, are generally young individuals with technical knowledge who organize in a non-hierarchical structure among themselves.

Research conducted in Türkiye shows that most hackers carry out activities as protests, aiming to highlight gaps by gaining unauthorized access to some systems. A significant portion of participants considers these actions as interventions for a cause, rather than crimes.

Types of Hackers

In literature, hackers are divided into various types based on their functions and ethical approaches:

• White Hat Hacker: Ethical hackers who operate within a legal framework, identifying security vulnerabilities in systems with permission. They often take on roles like cybersecurity consulting.
• Black Hat Hacker: Malicious individuals who gain unauthorized access to systems, steal information, or cause harm.
• Grey Hat Hacker: Individuals who move between the two extremes, sometimes gaining unauthorized access but without any financial gain.

Hacktivism and Ethical Hacking

Hacktivism involves cyber actions carried out for a specific political or social cause. Hackers involved in such activities typically seek to draw attention to injustices or deliver anti-censorship messages. Common methods in these activities include disabling websites (DDoS attacks), data leaks, and spreading messages. However, such actions often lead to legal and ethical debates.

Ethical hacking, on the other hand, refers to work done with the system owner's permission to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Ethical hackers play a role in testing systems and developing defenses against malicious attackers.

Hacking involves not only technical knowledge but also an ethical understanding. Steven Levy’s "Hacker Ethics," defined in 1984, summarizes this understanding with six key principles:

1. Access to information should be free.
2. Questioning authority and supporting decentralization is essential.
3. Hackers should be judged based on their technical skills, and other criteria are secondary.
4. Computers should be seen as tools to improve people's lives.
5. Art and beauty should be sought in code writing.
6. Creating with computers is fun.

This ethical framework has influenced not only individual computer use but also areas like the free software movement, open-source code, and digital freedom of expression.

Media Representation of Hackers

Media representations of hackers are often centered around crime. Headlines in the media frequently associate hackers with terms like "attack," "cracking," and "gangs," which causes public perception of hackers to often form in a negative context. This type of portrayal overshadows the multifaceted nature of hacking.

Famous Hacker Cases

Worldwide hacker cases have emphasized the importance of digital security. Notably, the 2021 ransomware attacks on Kaseya and Colonial Pipeline revealed how vulnerable critical infrastructures are to cyber threats. These events show that hacker actions can have not only digital but also economic and social impacts.

Legal Regulations

Hacking activities are evaluated both ethically and legally. In Türkiye, hacker activities are regulated under Articles 243 and 245 of the Turkish Penal Code. These articles cover unauthorized access to information systems, tampering with or blocking data, and fraud through systems.

In the United States, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) of 1986 criminalizes unauthorized access to computer systems at the federal level. In the European Union, actions related to hacking are directly regulated under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which covers unauthorized processing of personal data and the misuse of system vulnerabilities. These regulations define the boundaries of hacking activities while also introducing discussions on digital rights and privacy.

The concept of a hacker is a multifaceted phenomenon, both historically and conceptually. Shaped by technical expertise, ethical discussions, social movements, and media representations, this field has a cultural dynamic that deeply influences the structure of the information society and cybersecurity awareness. Hacking should be regarded not only as illegal digital interventions but also as a significant component of technological transformation, freedom of expression, and access to information.