Personally, the thought of this topic really make my heart race in thought. For hours, I was speechless, dumb and silent while engaging my mind in a detailed thinking section before I gathered the momentum with which I would love to discuss this topic or rather give an answer to this amazing question “Should my kids hack”. Before, I delve into answering this question I would love to take you through some basic hacking information in other for you to have a better understanding of the term hack, hacking, hacker, ethical hacker and cracker. Etc.

Hack is indeed the act of hacking.

Hacking as an information technology based term could mean the process through which a skilled programmer by passes a set down system, process and procedures in other to gain access into restricted wells of information.

Hacker is a skilled programmer who has a technical adeptness and takes delight in solving problems and overcoming limits.

Ethical Hackers they solve security and privacy related issues via test running the level of security of a set down application, program, web platform, web server, database etc.

In doing this, they simply hack into these platforms in other to recommend their findings and clearly informing the authorities of the loop holes so notice in other for the relevant authorities to tighten up the security level in these areas.

It is wise to note that in a case of ethical hacking project, there must be signed documentation to that regard in other for the ethical hacker to commence his fact finding mission.

Non Ethical Hacker / Crackers – these are persons that breaks into a network solely for nefarious activities and without due approval from the relevant authorities.

This singular act is term cyber crime and it is punishable by law.

Personally, I will like to approach this question by stating a few facts. With over 97% of human endeavors solely dependent on information technology, it is now mandatory that we all have a keen knowledge of this amazing information technology skill in other to be duly informed of ways through which our privacy might be compromised as well to secure them. With this in mind, I will personally advice my kids to learn hacking and become a licensed ethical hacker in other for them to hack for the sole purpose of better securing their clients as well as with due approvals from relevant authorities.

Starting point to learning Hacking:

Hacking like any other Information Technology based skills has it’s own rudiments and to become an ethical hacker, you could start your journey by learning simple programming languages like pythons, C++, HTML, Perl, LISP, Java, Django, CakePHP,  RubyOnRails Etc.