Script kiddie: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Unskilled malicious hacker}}

{{Computer hacking}}

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A '''script kiddie''' or '''skiddie''', occasionally ''script bunny'', or "Hackforums Skid" ''script-running juvenile (SRJ)'' or similar, is a derogatory term used to describe those who use [[scripting language|script]]s or programs developed by others to attack computer systems and networks.

Well known skids are CATMAN,echo.phyber,flAmingw0rm, iarkey, TsGh Sniper, garrett, rez, januszeal, ian, kaeroseen, luna, Necrobilly, Boxxy, and TheGame. A very large skid known as xNull also exists, but poses as a non skid, other ego Untide.<ref name="zdnet">{{cite web| last=Lemos| first=Robert| url=http://www.zdnet.com/news/script-kiddies-the-nets-cybergangs/96163| publisher=[[ZDNet]]| title=Script kiddies: The Net's cybergangs| accessdate=2007-04-24}}</ref>

A '''script kiddie''', '''skript kiddie''', '''skiddie''', '''kiddie''', or '''skid''' is a pejorative for an unskilled individual who uses malicious scripts or programs developed by others or [[Large_language_model|LLMs]].

==Examples==

Script kiddies are often able to exploit vulnerable systems and strike with moderate success. Some of the most infamous examples include:

==Characteristics==

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The term script kiddie was first used in 1988.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Arifgoğlu |first=Saliha Figen |title=Information security, privacy issues and an application |date=1988 |publisher=Middle East Technical University |type=Master's thesis }}</ref>

*In 1999, [[NetBus]] was used to discredit a law student studying at the [[Lund University]] in [[Sweden]]. [[Child pornography]] was uploaded onto his computer from an unidentified ___location. He was later acquitted of charges in 2004 when it was discovered that [[NetBus]] had been used to control his computer.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.expressen.se/1.153215 | title=Offer för porrkupp |language=Swedish |publisher= [[Expressen]]| date=November 28, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://blogs.iium.edu.my/jaiz/2008/03/31/script_kiddie/ | title=All About Script Kiddie |publisher= ERM Blog| date=March 31, 2008}}</ref>

In a Carnegie Mellon report prepared for the [[United States Department of Defense|US Department of Defense]] in 2000, script kiddies are defined as <blockquote>The more immature but unfortunately often just as dangerous exploiter of security lapses on the Internet. The typical script kiddy uses existing and frequently well known and easy-to-find techniques and programs or scripts to search for and exploit weaknesses in other computers on the Internet—often randomly and with little regard or perhaps even understanding of the potentially harmful consequences.<ref>{{cite report|publisher=[[Carnegie Mellon University]]|doi=10.1184/R1/6583673.v1|title=Security Quality Requirements Engineering (SQUARE) Methodology|author1=Mead, Nancy R.|author2=Hough, Eric|author3=Stehney, Theodore R.|date=31 October 2005|url=https://kilthub.cmu.edu/articles/journal_contribution/Security_Quality_Requirements_Engineering_SQUARE_Methodology/6583673/1}}</ref></blockquote>

*[[Jeffrey Lee Parson]], a.k.a. T33kid, was an 18-year-old high school student from Minnesota who was responsible for spreading a variant of the infamous [[Blaster (computer worm)|Blaster computer worm]]. Parson only modified the original Blaster worm, already prevalent, using a [[hex editor]] to add his screen name to the existing executable, and then attached another existing backdoor, Lithium, and posted it on his website. By making this subtle modification, the new executable was considered a variant, and authorities were able to trace the name back to him. The program was part of a DoS attack against computers using the [[Microsoft Windows]] operating system. The attack took the form of a [[SYN flood]] which caused only minimal damage. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web| last=Lagorio| first=Christine| title=Prison Time For Teen Virus Guru| url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/28/tech/main670176.shtml| publisher=[[CBS News]]| accessdate=2008-12-22}}</ref>

Script kiddies typically have at least one or more effective and easily downloadable programs capable of breaching computers and networks.<ref name="zdnet">{{cite news| last=Lemos| first=Robert| date=July 12, 2000 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/script-kiddies-the-nets-cybergangs/ <!--http://www.zdnet.com/news/script-kiddies-the-nets-cybergangs/96163-->| work=[[ZDNet]]| title=Script kiddies: The Net's cybergangs| access-date=2007-04-24}}</ref>

Script kiddies vandalize websites both for the thrill of it and to increase their reputation among their peers.<ref name="zdnet"/> Some more malicious script kiddies have used virus toolkits to create and propagate the [[Anna Kournikova (computer virus)|Anna Kournikova]] and [[ILOVEYOU|Love Bug]] viruses.<ref name="Reg01">{{cite web|author=Leyden, John|date=February 21, 2001|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/02/21/virus_toolkits_are_skiddie_menace/|title=Virus toolkits are s'kiddie menace |website=[[The Register]]}}</ref>

Script kiddies lack, or are only developing, programming skills sufficient to understand the effects and side effects of their actions. As a result, they leave significant traces which lead to their detection, or directly attack companies which have detection and countermeasures already in place, or in some cases, leave automatic crash reporting turned on.<ref>{{cite web|author=Taylor, Josh |date=August 26, 2010|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/hackers-accidentally-give-microsoft-their-code/ |title=Hackers accidentally give Microsoft their code|publisher=ZDNet.com.au|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120160424/http://www.zdnet.com.au/hackers-accidentally-give-microsoft-their-code-339305548.htm?omnRef=NULL |archive-date=January 20, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Ms. Smith|date=August 28, 2010|url=http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/65571 |title=Error Reporting Oops: Microsoft, Meter Maids and Malicious Code|work=Privacy and Security Fanatic|publisher=[[Network World]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816064753/https://www.csoonline.com/article/2227020/error-reporting-oops--microsoft--meter-maids-and-malicious-code.html|archive-date=August 16, 2022}}</ref>

Although script kiddie attacks might become increasingly more effective in the future, researchers have noted that other models, like the language model, can also be used to enhance protection against the improved script kiddie attacks. This continuous back and forth improvement suggests that the competition between cyber attackers and defenders will continue to increase.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Moskal |first1=Stephen |title=LLMs Killed the Script Kiddie: How Agents Supported by Large Language Models Change the Landscape of Network Threat Testing |date=2023-10-10 |arxiv=2310.06936 |last2=Laney |first2=Sam |last3=Hemberg |first3=Erik |last4=O'Reilly |first4=Una-May}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Black hat hacker]]

* [[Computer security]]

* [[Exploit (computer security)]]

* [[Hacker (computer security)]]

* [[Hacker (computing)Hacktivism]]

* [[Black hatLamer]]

* [[List of convicted computer criminals]]

* [[Luser]]

* [[Noob]]

==Related Books==

* [[Web shell]], a tool that script kiddies frequently use

* {{cite book | last = Tapeworm | first = | title = 1337 h4x0r h4ndb00k | year = 2005 | isbn = 0672327279 | publisher = Sams Publishing }}

==References==

{{Reflistreflist|30em}}

==Further reading==

* {{cite journal |author=Samuel Chng, Han Yu Lu, Ayush Kumar, David Yau |date=Mar 2022 |title=Hacker types, motivations and strategies: A comprehensive framework |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S245195882200001X |journal=Computers in Human Behavior Reports |volume=5 |issn=2451-9588 |pages= |doi= |access-date=27 Jan 2022}}

* {{cite book | last = Tapeworm | firsttitle = 1337 h4x0r h4ndb00k | titleurl = 1337https://archive.org/details/1337h4x0rh4ndb000000tape h4x0r| h4ndb00kurl-access = registration | year = 2005 | isbn = 06723272790-672-32727-9 | publisher = Sams Publishing }}

* ''The Art of Intrusion: The Real Stories Behind the Exploits of Hackers, Intruders and Deceivers'' (2005) {{ISBN|978-0471782667}}

==External links==

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180721180838/http://old.honeynet.org/papers/enemy/ Honeynet.org - Know Your Enemy (ScriptEssay Kiddieabout Essayscript kiddies)] preserved at [[Internet Archive]]

* [https://deepminds.science/cracking-hacker-mindset/ Cracking the Hacker Mindset] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816063250/https://deepminds.science/cracking-hacker-mindset/ |date=2018-08-16 }}

*[http://www.zdnet.com/news/script-kiddies-the-nets-cybergangs/96163 ZDNet - Script kiddies: The Net's cybergangs]

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[[Category:ComputingHacker culture]]

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