Hijacking may refer to:
* In property
** Aircraft hijacking or 'skyjacking'
** Carjacking
** Credit card hijacking
** Phone hijacking

* In internet technology
** IP hijacking
** Page hijacking
** Reverse domain hijacking or Domain hijacking
** Session hijacking
** Thread hijacking

* Other
** In information technology, the term "hijacking" is used when spyware or a virus alters a computer program so that whenever that program is being used, it performs tasks set by the creator of the virus or spyware in addition to its normal duties.

Etymology

There are two folk etymologies:-
*That it arose from someone wanting a lift on a truck calling "Hi, Jack" (the exclamation plus the name), until this was used often as a trick by robbers.
*That it comes from seamen who were robbed by prostitutes in former centuries in London. Prostitutes would call out "Hi, Jack" to passing sailors. Instead of receiving the services they expected, some sailors were instead robbed by an accomplice.

See also

* highjacking (on Wiktionary), the forcible robbery from, or seizure of, a vehicle in transit.
* Piracy is sometimes termed 'hijacking'

Derived usages, including tradenames

* HijackThis, abbreviated HJT, a popular freeware spyware removal tool for Microsoft Windows
* Hijaak is or was a screen capture package for PC-type computers.
* Hy-Jak is or was a trade name for a type of stacking stillage storage system.
* Hy-Jak, a brand of device used to move cars in repair garages: "high" + "jack (mechanical)"
* Lojack, a device to assist in the recovery of stolen cars.

Category:Crimes