TYPES OF HACKERS

Hacking often refers to the unauthorized intrusion into a network or computer; normally carried out by one or more “Hackers.” However, a hacker can be anyone. They can work solo or be employed by an organization that has the motive to disrupt something. They look to alter security systems to achieve their goal, which differs from the actual purpose of the system.

There are also many organizations who hire hackers as a part of their staff. These hackers use their skills to find flaws, vulnerable areas, and weak spots in the organization’s security system. This is done to find and fix the weaknesses and prevent malicious hackers from breaking in the security system.

Types of Hackers :

• White Hat Hackers
• Black Hat Hackers
• Gray Hat Hackers

White Hat Hackers

White-hat hackers, considered to be the good guys, working with organizations to strengthen the security of a system. A white hat has permission to engage the targets and to compromise them within the prescribed rules of engagement.

White-hat hackers are often referred to as ethical hackers. This individual specializes in ethical hacking tools, techniques, and methodologies to secure an organization’s information systems.

These are the guys that are actually using their professional experience to help organizations and companies from malicious activities and bad hackers.White Hat Hackers use their skills for defensive purposes.

White Hat Hackers get permission from the original owner for protecting their system from malicious activities.

Unlike black-hat hackers, ethical hackers exploit security networks and look for backdoors when they are legally permitted to do so. White-hat hackers always disclose every vulnerability they find in the company’s security system so that it can be fixed before they are being exploited by malicious actors.

Some Fortune 50 companies like Facebook, Microsoft, and Google also use white-hat hackers.

Black Hat Hackers

A black-hat hacker is an individual who attempts to gain unauthorized entry into a system or network to exploit them for malicious reasons. The black-hat hacker does not have any permission or authority to compromise their targets. They try to inflict damage by compromising security systems, altering functions of websites and networks, or shutting down systems. They often do so to steal or gain access to passwords, financial information, and other personal data.

These are the guys that are looking to take advantage of their skill to use it for illegal purposes. They break into systems without getting permission to avail privileges of authorized users. They are bad guys who use their knowledge in destructive ways rather than constructive.

Grey Hat Hackers

Grey Hat Hackers behave offensive and defensive both depending on the situation. They are self-proclaimed ethical hackers who do hacking for curiosity purposes.

Grey hats exploit networks and computer systems in the way that black hats do, but do so without any malicious intent, disclosing all loopholes and vulnerabilities to law enforcement agencies or intelligence agencies.

Usually, grey-hat hackers surf the net and hack into computer systems to notify the administrator or the owner that their system/network contains one or more vulnerabilities that must be fixed immediately. Grey hats may also extort the hacked, offering to correct the defect for a nominal fee.

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