Cambridge Dictionary Under Pressure to Change Definition of the Word Hacker

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Nasher

Campaigners including cyber security companies and language and digital activists have urged Cambridge Dictionary of the Cambridge University Press, to change its definition of the word hacker, so the term ‘illegally’ is removed from the definition.

The current definition of the word sees it describe a hacker as “a person who is skilled in the use of computer systems, often one who illegally obtains access to private computer systems”.

But cyber security companies have called for the wording to be changed to reflect the difference between hackers and cyber criminals. They argue that that many hackers do positive work to improve cyber security practices and systems around the world, unlike cyber criminals who use the internet as a platform to commit crime.