Hacker Hats

Happy Friday All!

How about a life hack? No…no, the real thing.

Let’s get technical again and talk about the types of hackers you may hear mentioned in the news or otherwise.

Hackers are not all bad guys trying to steal your identity or gain access to your computer. Hackers are those interested in the hardware, software, and inner workings of systems. They could be compared to mechanics that love to take apart a car, see all the parts with their functions, and put it back together. There are many that work as ethical hackers that test systems to make an enterprise aware of weaknesses in their information systems. You may have heard about penetration testers attempting to breach your company’s network.

Hackers fall into many groups but the main classifications we can focus on today are black hats, gray hats, and white hats. The activities and motivations for hacking further explain whether they are good or bad. Are they a state sponsored hacker employed by a government to spy or launch attacks on enemy nations? Are they a cyber terrorist with hostile intent attempting to harm others? Are they a good guy sharpening their skills each day to try to protect others? We can classify hackers into groups to understand these motives and prevent unauthorized access to our systems.

Black hats are hackers with great skill and understanding of programming, networks, and devices which they use for criminal purpose. The popularity of Bitcoin mining has led to cryptojacking where hijackers can use a victim’s resources to secretly mine cryptocurrency for their gain. Hacking attempts sometimes target prominent figures for blackmail, support the activities of organized crime, or steal funds/data directly from others.

Gray hats are hackers seeking to sharpen their skills by testing systems, conduct research on vulnerabilities, and reverse engineer software. These hackers fall into a gray area as they do not get permission to conduct their activities. They may stumble upon a weakness and alert an enterprise for a reward or recognition. In some cases, they hack to prove they can overcome obstacles or to force vendors to issue a security patch.

White hats are hackers with strong understanding of networks, devices, and programming focused on testing systems, identifying vulnerabilities, and providing services to enterprises. White hats often conduct penetration testing, collect evidence, and provide formal reports on where security flaws can be found.

Interested in becoming a hacker? There are plenty of resources on the web, the best place to start is with learning all the programming, networking, and system skills you can.

I hope you enjoyed a bit of information about hackers and will consider tuning in again.

Thanks for reading, we really appreciate all the support.

P.F.