Don’t panic with the Hitchhiker’s Guide to Hacking infographic

Everyone has heard of the term “hacking,” but what exactly is it, where does the term come from, and what different types of computer activity does it encompass?

The security software specialists at Norton have put out a new interactive infographic seeking to inform the layperson of the history and ramifications of hacking in a few short minutes and, for the most part, they’ve succeeded at it.

The most amusing feature of this educational infographic is how it pays tribute to and borrows from the imagery and aesthetic of Douglas Adams‘ seminal Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy franchise.

It starts with a brief yet interesting and information-packed history of exactly what hacking is and where it came from.

Then it breezes through a quick survey of how hacking has been portrayed in popular media in films ranging from War Games to The Matrix.

Then it explains, easily, the different kinds of black hat hacking (i.e., malicious or harmful hacking) that can affect everyday people like you and me via our computers, smartphones and other devices. And it further goes on to suggest several measure to take to protect yourself from such criminal activity as much as possible.

Implementing these measures may be a small hassle, but they’re not anywhere near the hassle you’d have to deal with if you become a victim of things like phishing and pharming. After spending just a few minutes going through this infographic, I resolved to put a few of its practical tips into action right away.

Many thanks to the folks at Norton for putting together this useful info. And just remember, whatever you do, Don’t Panic!