At some point in our lives, whether or not it's been within RuneScape, we've had some sort of unwelcome intruder come into our computers, gather important/sensitive information, and then leave our computer in disarray. More often than not, they're seen as malicious and also seen as the evil doers of the Internet. Well let me tell you all that this is simply not true. Here in this article, I will shed some light on some common misconceptions about what a hacker is, does and how it affects you and me while we play RuneScape.

There's one misconception that floats around a serious bit when it comes to hackers - people believe that they don't understand how their system works. Merriam-Webster defines a hacker as “an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer”. Since most every computer uses programs, a hacker could be seen as the 37-year old that helped build a particular mainframe, or a 15-year old that was able to insert an SQL query into a form, both poisoning the form and gaining unrestricted access to a site. Both are knowledgeable experts in their respective field, and each one also knows how a system (or in the case of SQL, a database language) is supposed to behave. What they do with that knowledge in all respects, determines where they stand as either a good or bad hacker. However, in RuneScape, a hacker is always seen as bad. The reasoning behind this is that it was a 'hacker' which compromised their in-game account, or was posting on the forums, or managed to get into their system somehow, upload a keylogger and take their credentials.

It is a fallacy, and a very big one at that, to assume that a hacker can magically get into your computer, or even compromise Jagex's server. Most people typically have antivirus on their computers, and a firewall or two (Windows come standard with its own firewall, and Vista has Windows Defender). Unless there is a lapse of security between the the firewall and antivirus, it is uncommon for any form of virus or keylogger to get through. There are also certain operating systems, which are UNIX based (such as Linux or Mac OS X) which are typically immune to Windows-based viruses and keyloggers, but that's not to say that they don't exist on those operating system platforms. Even so, between the operating system, the antivirus programs and firewalls, you have yourself, the end user. 9 times out of 10, the major problem behind account security lies with you. When it comes to RuneScape, downloading unsafe and untrusted 3rd party clients, visiting sites which sell RuneScape gold, or sites that offer you player moderator status are but a few of the major faults that people seem to not realize when taking into account how secure their system is. There are also other anomalies, such as a person playing on a public computer, virus-infected computer, or playing at an insecure wireless hub, common of that in cafés and airports.

What I'm about to tell you all here is simply preaching to the choir, but you must take account security into your own hands. No one, not even Jagex, can do that for you. Their methods of warning users about the perils of hackers and malicious attempts on your computer come in forms as light as the recommending of only using their personal web-client, which runs with Internet Explorer and using Firefox to play, to measures as extreme as blocking out your entire password should you type it up in one sentence. Jagex also warns their users to not download things they don't trust, and to never condone or download autominers or any programs of that sort. However, ultimately, at the end of the day, what you do with your machine is your choice, and the consequences of it are those that you should also weather on your own.

When it is all said and done, you cannot blame anyone but yourself for what happens to your machine, your account, or your hard work. I have some advice for those people who are actually worried about their safety online:

1. Don't give out credentials similar to that of your recovery passwords. This in of itself is just a bad idea, and no one can use this knowledge to “get to know you better”.

2. Don't click on dodgy links that you find anywhere that have to do with hacks, scams, or anything of the sort.

3. Keep your system up-to-date by receiving patches and security updates from either Microsoft, Apple, or one of the Linux communities.

4. Keep your antivirus up-to-date by receiving patches from the antivirus company.

5. If you don't trust the computer or you don't trust its security, don't use it.

6. Last but certainly not least, under no circumstances should anyone, not even your closest friend, know any little tidbit of your passwords. I've heard horror stories that have happened when real-life friends stole items from their friends' accounts. Regardless if you know them in real life, the damage can frequently be done in a matter of minutes, which can take months to reverse, and leave a once beautiful friendship in shambles.

Stay safe during the summer!