Many of the world’s original hackers were computer hobbyists, programmers and students during the 60’s. Originally, the term hacker described individuals with advanced programming skills. Hackers used these programming skills to test the limits and capabilities of early systems. These early hackers were also involved in the development of early computer games. Many of these games included wizards and wizardry.

As the hacking culture evolved, it incorporated the lexicon of these games into the culture itself. Even the outside world began to project the image of powerful wizards upon this misunderstood hacking culture. Books such as Where Wizards Stay up Late: The Origins of The Internet published in 1996 added to the mystique of the hacking culture. The image and lexicon stuck. Many hacking groups today embrace this imagery. One of the most infamous hacker groups goes by the name Legion of Doom. It is important to understand the cyber culture in order to understand the criminals of the cyber world and their motivations.

Sun Tzu was a Chinese philosopher and warrior in the sixth century BC. Sun Tzu wrote the book titled, The Art of War, which is a classic work about the strategies available to defeat the enemy. His book has given guidance to tacticians throughout the ages. One of Sun Tzu’s guiding principles was to know your opponent. While he was specifically referring to war, much of his advice translates to other aspects of life, including the challenges of cybersecurity. This chapter begins by explaining the structure of the cybersecurity world and the reason it continues to grow.

This chapter discusses the role of cyber criminals and their motivations. Finally, the chapter explains how to become a cybersecurity specialist. These cybersecurity specialists help defeat the cyber criminals that threaten the cyber world.