This kind of thing has been going on since someone null modem cable connected two computers together, probably before that even.
The debate is almost carbon copy today what it was 20 years ago; One person is fed up with the ability to cheat, tired of not being able to get to elite levels and feels that the majority of those at that level either play all day long in internet cafes or they are cheating. Then someone else thinks it's not a problem, denies it even exists, can't imagine why anyone would want to. Then you have the "work around them" folks who think there's nothing you can do about it so just run run away when you think you've detected one. Still others don't want to even hear about it because it's about time at least one decent online game comes out that you don't have to hear constant whining about cheaters.
Many moons ago it was suspected that people could have infinite ammo, but the consensus was no, that cannot happen because the game developers made it so you cannot. But you could. Then it was suspected that someone must be using an automatic aiming device, an aimbot.. but no, that doesn't really exist. But it does. Then it was suspected that people were using wall hacks to see through and even walk through walls. But that also cannot happen, yet it was happening and still is.
So yeah, there are probably people who are farming credits however they can, and will likely build a ton of them and sell the account to someone who doesn't want to work to get there. They may have multiple accounts all doing the same thing. Anywhere there's a con-test there's a con-artist. There are people who do nothing all day but scheme up new ways to exploit systems and programs to make money. These are the same types that would steal something from the bed of truck and sell it online, except they are more intelligent. Maybe they've grown tired of playing the game already, or maybe they are so hooked on it that they want to be instant ubergod and nuke everything off the entire galaxy map.
Either way, that's why there are private groups and solo and such. It sucks that you cannot play PvP without occasionally encountering that demon, but it's a fact and most people just play around it and complain to each other about it and start threads about it. Others chose to play solo or in private groups, but those last two are missing a crucial element of the game in unexpected encounters that aren't AI controlled, like someone coming to your rescue for no reason or maybe hovering around your landing pad just to see your ship. You won't see the NPCs do anything "new", but human players are unpredictable, except cheaters... they are very predictable.