Honestly this has got me baffled for some days now, Categorically i can't make assertion if a modem is hacked or cracked. I know if i ask 80% of nairalanders They'd tell me yes you "CRACK" a modem and not "HACK" it. This has been a long used term by myself also but have come to reason it using some this illustration.

When a pc get compromised, I mean Hijacked by hackers. We use Term "Hack". Yes you hear something like " Oh my God, My Pc has been hacked. Basically a PC runs on an Operating System When your PC gets hijacked, definitely you've fall for a vulnerable page or downloads Relating this to a modem , a modem runs on Firmware " Just like OS running on a PC (Composed of hardwares) for the modem to work " ... You only try to Unlock / Bypass the firmware to be able to use the modem with other ISP by a means of unlocking the firmware With different means. Using algo code and ripping off with coded Apps, So if this could be done and relating things up with the illustration given above. Why would you Crack instead of Hack ?



I'm subjected to be corrected but as an IT guy,Using the correct term as the right place in the right moment is a good choice for me.



I look forward to more verdicts....

Contrary to widespread myth, cracking does not usually involve some mysterious leap of hackerly brilliance, but rather persistence and the dogged repetition of a handful of fairly well-known tricks that exploit common weaknesses in the security of target systems. Accordingly, most crackers are only mediocre hackers. These two terms should not be confused with each others. Hackers generally deplore cracking.

Both the activities are carried on with different objectives. In hacking, the attempt is to create something while in cracking the primary motive is to destroy something.

In conclusion Hacking entails changing a network system while cracking Involves changing a software or another OS so it's safe to say..

"Cracking of A Modem" since the step doesn't really require a large know-how or skill. Just a large amount of perseverance is required.

Moving away from the topic..

It's better to be an hacker than a cracker