HACKERS

Man is the only animal that stores wealth. Prehistoric men stored bones because they used them as weapons. Later, men stored salt because they used it as currency, and even later they stored gold, silver and precious stones. In our present time, information is the most valuable commodity.

In the past, people used to store goods and there was always someone trying to steal them.

Today there are people who steal information from computers. They are called hackers. Most hackers are young, male and love computers. All they need is a computer and a telephone line. They use the telephone line to connect their computers to other computers.

Good hackers can enter even well-protected systems. They can transfer large amounts of money from one bank to another. They can get free air tickets, and use someone else's credit card number to buy anything.

Hackers steal infomation for fun. Many others sell information to organized crime gangs.

More companies use computers everyday, so there will be even more computer crimes in the future.

(Adapted from Série Aquarius, level 2, Ed. Moderna)

THEY in line refers to