We’re all familiar with how hackers are displayed in movies. Brooding criminals in hoodies, frantically hammering lines of code into a computer in order to break through complex security systems.

We know that, in real life, too, hackers are a major threat to our safety.

But what exactly is hacking?

You’re probably used to getting plenty of junk mail delivered to your physical mailbox.

Fliers you don’t want, coupons you don’t need, and endless catalogs show up on a daily basis.

In the last thirty years or so, as the Internet and email have become more prominent, spammers have realized that it’s often cheaper and more effective to peddle their wares online.

The Internet has opened up unlimited possibilities for us to consume information and connect with the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, it’s also opened up plenty of back doors for criminals.

Cybercrime is a relatively new phenomenon, and it refers to any crime carried out by someone using a computer or electronic device, especially over the Internet.