Yes, I am called a super Hacker - everytime anybody watches me play golf!!!
Basically, IMO "hacker" is a general term for anybody using something for something other than what it was intended. Like say...making your Xbox read DVDRs!
but you are probably thinking about the more criminal types that get all the media attention for taking control of other people's machines, defacing websites, or stealing the top secret government plans for the Lazy Irritating Noobie Computer Destroyer (me and Dude are big contributers to them!
)
Yes a lot of it is relatively simple stuff that is overlooked by the server operator and hackers simply look for open ports and sloppy password security. You would crap your pants if you knew just how easy it can be to outright guess some passwords. You know how many are birthdays, anniversaries, pets name, kids or wifes name, or phone numbers people always use?? I see these lame passwords on a lot of computers I fix and it's shocking how simple most of them are.