hacker en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /hækə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /hækəɹ/ (General-American)
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From Late Middle English hackere, hakker, hakkere (“one who cuts wood, woodchopper, woodcutter; (rare) tool for cutting wood”), from hakken, hacke (“to cut (something) with a chopping action, hack; to make a chopping action”) + -er(e) (suffix forming agent nouns). Hakken is derived from Old English *haccian (“to hack”), from Proto-West Germanic *hakkōn (“to chop, hack”), from Proto-Germanic *hakkōną (“to chop, hack”), from Proto-Indo-European *keg-, *keng- (“to be sharp; a handle; a hook; a peg”). The English word may be analysed as hack (“to chop or cut down in a rough manner”) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns).
Meanings
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Someone who hacks.
In 2022, hackers leaked unreleased footage from its next iteration of GTA.
2023 December 4, Ramishah Maruf, “GTA 6 leak: ‘Grand Theft Auto’ trailer reveals game’s release date”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 12 Dec 2023:A hacker hacked into his computer account yesterday.
I'm a computer crook, the Willie Sutton of hackers. I break into computer systems for fun—and profit. To me, the Apple is the forbidden fruit.
1986 April, Curtis Slepian, “The April Papers”, in R. Wayne Schmittberger, editor, Games, volume 10, number 4 (number 74 overall), New York, N.Y.: Playboy Enterprises, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 15:Cris “Space Rogue” Thomas, another ex-L0pht member who testified alongside Zatko that day, said that L0pht would do everything it could to get companies to collaboratively fix software issues the hacker group found.
2022 October 17, Sean Lyngaas, Clare Duffy, “How a 51-year-old celebrity hacker upended one of the world’s most influential social networks”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 11 Nov 2022:Typically, one hacker will annoy another; the offended party replies by launching a denial-of-service attack against the offender.
2007, “Category 5—Illustrative Crosscutting Problem-focused Research Areas”, in Seymour E. Goodman, Herbert S. Lin, editors, Toward a Safer and More Secure Cyberspace, Washington, D.C.: Committee on Improving Cybersecurity Research in the United States, National Research Council, →ISBN, part II (An Illustrative Research Agenda), page 205:
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Someone who hacks. ▸ One who cuts with heavy or rough blows.
[O]ne good hacker, being a luſty labourer, vvill at good eaſe hacke or cut more then halfe an Acre of ground in a day; […]
1625, Gervase Markham, “Of the Ordering, Tilling, and Dressing of All Sorts of Plaine Barren Clayes, whether They be Simple or Compounded”, in Markhams Farwell to Husbandry or, The Inriching of All Sorts of Barren and Sterile Grounds in Our Kingdome, […], revised edition, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Roger Iackson, […], →OCLC, page 5:In January or February the "hacker," with his keen-bladed ax, begins the round which ends the season. […] His task is to cut the "boxes" in which the thick gum of the wounded tree will collect. A box is a wide incision about six inches deep, a wedge shaped cut in the tree, […] About a quart of sap is taken from each box by means of the trowel-shaped scoop used by the dipper, and then the hacker comes along and starts the flow afresh by wounding the tree again.
1895 January 18, Chicago Record, quotee, “Making turpentine: An extensive industry in certain southern states”, in Edward D. Baldwin, editor, The Newton Graphic, volume XXIII, number 14, Newton, Mass.: Edward D. Baldwin, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 5, column 4:
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Someone who hacks. ▸ One who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity, especially (sports, originally and chiefly golf), a sport such as golf or tennis.
And then Billy was a middle-aged optometrist again, playing hacker’s golf this time—on a blazing summer Sunday morning.
1969 March 31, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., chapter 4, in Slaughterhouse-Five […] (A Seymour Lawrence Book), New York, N.Y.: Delacorte Press, →OCLC, page 79:Everybody likes to second‐guess computers, including who seed the pros. Nothing could have better exposed the vulnerability of the computer seeding than the spectacle of clay‐court experts looking like weekend hackers on grass.
1979 July 2, “Reflection on the Seedings Fills Pause at Wimbledon”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 27 Feb 2024:a tennis hacker
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(dated) Someone who hacks. ▸ One who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer.
While most hackers are people who simply love playing with computers and who break security measures in a network only for fun or to point out flaws, there is a malicious subset of hackers known as "crackers," who intrude on computer networks to cause damage, commit fraud, or steal data.
1995 May 22, Joe Chidley, “Cracking the Net”, in Maclean’s, volume 108, Toronto, Ont.: Maclean-Hunter Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, pages 54–56; quoted in “Bibliography”, in Suzanne Elizabeth Kender, editor, Crime in America (The Reference Shelf; volume 68, number 5), New York, N.Y.: H[alsey] W[illiam] Wilson Company, 1996, →ISBN, page 197:A hacker starts with nothing but a dream and a floppy disk and presently finds himself in a business that's doubled and trebled. Three "diskzines" – magazines on floppy disks – started cheaply by entrepreneurs who placed ads in obscure computer journals […]
1984, Venture: For Entrepreneurial Business Owners and Investors, volume 6, part 1, New York, N.Y.: Venture Magazine, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 142:The Electrical Engineering Department, J. McKenzie in particular, for allowing me to use the PDP-1 computer to do the extensive computations, draw graphs, and even type this thesis. In this connection Charles Landau did some of the programming, Luella Thompson did most of the typing, and W. B. Ackermann helped when the machine would not cooperate. Many other computer hackers also willingly offered advice.
1968 September, Rory [Jack] Thompson; Louis N[orberg] Howard, thesis supervisor, “Acknowledgments”, in Instabilities of Some Time-dependent Flows (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation), Cambridge, Mass.: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, →OCLC, archived from the original on 23 Sep 2015, page 107:
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(broadly, dated) Someone who hacks. ▸ One who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer. ▸ One who applies a novel method, shortcut, skill, or trick to something to increase ease, efficiency, or productivity.
growth hacker
food hacker
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(qualifier:computer security) Someone who hacks. ▸ One who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems.
a phone hacker
- (obsolete) Someone who hacks. ▸ Synonym of hackster (“a violent bully or ruffian; also, an assassin, a murderer”).
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Something that hacks; a device or tool for hacking; specifically, an axe used for cutting tree branches or wood.
When the dipping is thus over, the next work is to "chip" or scarify the tree immediately over the box, […] This is done by an instrument usually called a "hacker," sometimes "shave." Its form is somewhat like a "round shave," narrowing at the cutting place to the diameter of an inch, with a shank, to be fixed securely into a strong, heavy handle of about two feet in length, while the faces of the trees are low, but the handle is made longer as years advance the faces higher.
1846 July, John Macleod, “The Tar and Turpentine Business of North Carolina”, in John S. Skinner, editor, The Monthly Journal of Agriculture, […], volume II, number 1, New York, N.Y.: Greeley & McElrath, […], published 1847, →OCLC, page 15:Thomas Limbrick, who was only nine years of age, said he lived with his mother when Deborah was beat: that his mother throwed her down all along with her hands; and then against a wall, and kicked her in the belly: that afterwards she picked her up, and beat her with the hacker on the side of the head; wiped the blood off with a dish-clout, and took her up to bed after she was dead.
1825, Andrew Knapp, William Baldwin, “Hannah Limbrick, Executed for Murder”, in The Newgate Calendar; […], volume III, London: J. Robins and Co., […], →OCLC, page 231, column 1:George C. Howard, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S. / grindstone hacker. / Report.—Commended for the contrivance of an instrument, called a "hacker," that is used in trimming grindstones. This hacker turns with the stone, and is drawn across in a slide rest, and fulfills its important function satisfactorily.
1877, “Reports on Awards. Group XXI. [Machine Tools,—Wood, Metal, and Stone.]”, in Francis A[masa] Walker, editor, United States Centennial Commission. International Exhibition, 1876. Reports and Awards. Group XXI, Philadelphia, Pa.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott & Co., →OCLC, paragraph 23, page 13:
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(UK, regional) Something that hacks; a device or tool for hacking; specifically, an axe used for cutting tree branches or wood. ▸ A fork-shaped tool used to harvest root vegetables.
Hack. […] To loosen the earth round potatoes, preparatory to earthing them up. This is done with a ‘tater-hacker,’ an old three-grained garden-fork, which by bending down the tines or ‘grains’ at right angles to the handle has been converted into something resembling a rake, but used as a hoe.
1893, George Edward Dartnell, Edward Hungerford Goddard, “Hack”, in A Glossary of Words Used in the County of Wiltshire, London: […] [F]or the English Dialect Society by Henry Frowde, […], →OCLC, page 72:The upper half of each swede-turnip had been eaten off by the live-stock, and it was the business of the two women to grab up the lower or earthy half of the root with a hooked fork called a hacker, that it might be eaten also.
1891, Thomas Hardy, chapter XLIII, in Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume III, London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC, phase the fifth (The Woman Pays), page 44:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hackers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
bodyhacker · hackerish · wallhacker · cyberhacker · pedestrian hacker · biohacker · hax0r · kernel hacker · nuthacker · hackerproof · growth hacker · hackerspace · hackerazzi · antihacker · hackerdom · nonhacker · hackerism · anti-hacker · civic hacker · lifehacker
Hyponyms
aimbotter · aimbotter · aimbotter · aimbotter · aimbotter · aimbotter · aimbotter
Relateds
Synonyms
slasher · cutter · hackster · black hat · cracker
Translations (124)
sh kraker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fr fouineur (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fr pirate informatique (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · nn hackar (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · nb datasnoker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · pt hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · is tölvurefur (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · tr bilgisayar korsanı (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ur ہیکر (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · tg хакер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · it pirata informatica (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · he האקר (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · vi tin tặc (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · es jáquer (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · hi हैकर (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · mi mūrere (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · fi hakkeri (one who applies a novel method, etc., to something to increase ease, efficiency, or productivity) · ar قُرْصَان (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · is hjakkari (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ab апрограммазҟазаҩ (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fr hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ru ха́кер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · nn datasnokar (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fo teldusníkur (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · mr हॅकर (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · id peretas (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · da hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · sq hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ar مُخْتَرِق (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · tg рахнагар (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fi tumpula (one who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity) · ru взло́мщик (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · kk хакер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · pl hakerka (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · sk heker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fr hackeur (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · es hácker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · nb hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · he קראקר (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ka ჰაკერი (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · mk ха́кер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · uz haker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · es jacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · cmn 黑客 (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ko 해커 (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · vi hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · acw هَكَر (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · is tölvuþrjótur (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · eo kodumulo (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · ar هَاكِر (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fi hakkeri (someone who cheats or gains an unfair advantage in a video game by means of a disallowed modification to the game) · ru компью́терщица (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · es pirata informático (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ru программи́стка (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · ka ხაკერი (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · is hakkari (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · mk програме́р (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · it pirata informatico (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · mk ха́кер (someone who cheats or gains an unfair advantage in a video game by means of a disallowed modification to the game) · fi hakkuri (something that hacks; device or tool for hacking) · my ဟက်ကာ (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · cy haciwr (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ky хакер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · sh hȁker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · pl haker (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · lv hakeris (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fi koodari (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · ru ха́кер (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · is tölvuhakkari (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · it principiante (one who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity) · km អ្នកលួចចូល (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · es hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · sv hackare (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · mk ха́кер (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · es cacharrero (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · yue 黑客 (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · la effractarius electronicus (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · de Hackerin (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · lt hakeris (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · mk мо́тика (fork-shaped tool used to harvest root vegetables) · fr fouineuse (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fr hackeuse (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ru программи́ст (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · be ха́кер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · bg ха́кер (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · it smanettone (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · pl haker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · hu hekker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · sw mdukuzi (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fi hakkeri (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · et häkker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · tr çökertici (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · hu hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ga haiceálaí (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · bn হ্যাকার (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ru компью́терщик (one who is expert at programming and solving problems with a computer) · fr pirate (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · nn datasnok (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ja ハッカー (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fi hakku (fork-shaped tool used to harvest root vegetables) · fi tumpelo (one who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity) · sh ха̏кер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · th แฮ็กเกอร์ (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fi vesuri (something that hacks; device or tool for hacking) · nb datasnok (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ms penggodam (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fi hakkaaja (one who cuts with heavy or rough blows) · fi tietomurtautuja (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · bg ха́кер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · el χάκερ (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · az haker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · sv hackare (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fa رخنهگر (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · de Hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · lv urķis (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · lv urķis (something that hacks; device or tool for hacking) · hy հաքեր (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · sh кракер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · ro hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · cmn 駭客 /骇客 (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · uk ха́кер (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · cs hacker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · sl heker (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems) · fa هکر (one who uses a computer to gain unauthorized access to data stored in, or to carry out malicious attacks on, computer networks or computer systems)