Profiling Hackers
White Hats. Black Hats. Hacktivists. Hackers run the gamut of human nature: good, bad, indifferent or scary. Hackers manipulate programs to push the limits of technology, and, whatever their purpose, they raise awareness to find and fix security flaws. While hackers have become the topic of...
White Hat Hacker
A white hat is an ethical security hacker. Ethical hacking is a term meant to imply a broader category than just penetration testing. Under the owner's consent, white-hat hackers aim to identify any vulnerabilities or security issues the current system has.
Grey Hat Hacker
A grey hat is a computer hacker or computer security expert who may sometimes violate laws or typical ethical standards, but usually does not have the malicious intent typical of a black hat hacker. The term came into use in the late 1990s, and was derived from the concepts of "white hat" and "black hat" hackers.
Black Hat Hacker
A black hat is a computer hacker who violates laws or ethical standards for nefarious purposes, such as cybercrime, cyberwarfare, or malice. These acts can range from piracy to identity theft. A Black hat is often referred to as a "cracker".