Hacking, Hackers and Types!

Hello readers, long time it has been since by last blog on Cyber Security: A Brief Introduction. This blog is second in the series of Cyber Security. If you haven’t read my first blog, I recommend you to have a read from here,

Cyber Security: A Brief Introduction

In this article, I’ll clear the notion about some terms such as Hacking, Ethical Hacking, Types of Hackers, etc.

In day-to-day routine, we almost everyday got to hear about cyber incidents that happens with Organizations and other IT Sector or Non-IT Sector company. These companies face adversaries like cyber criminals to protect the valuable and sensitive information of it’s clients or public. Such cyber criminals which aims to destroy sensitive information, degrade company’s reputation are infamously know as Hackers or should I say Black Hat Hackers. But you must be thinking now that if these Black Hat Hackers are there then aren’t there any good hackers which tries their best to secure or protect organizations from such attacks, my answer is YES, they are known as White Hat Hackers.

Let’s first know what is a Hacking, “is an art in which threat actor gains malicious or unauthorized access of system, can read, write and execute files of which he/she has no access to, can further do something malicious”.

Let’s also have a look on Ethical Hacking, “is an authorized practice of bypassing system security to identify potential data breaches and threats in a network”.

Now that we know what hacking is, let’s look at different types of hackers:

1. White Hat Hacker: These types of hackers hack into organization’s system with legal permission to test the security of systems, network or software. They discover loopholes and vulnerabilities detected in system, network or software and report them to company so that company will patch them as soon as possible.
2. Black Hat Hacker: These types of hackers illegally hack into organization’s system to get unauthorized access to system, network and software as well as can damage systems and can do something more malicious. They steal data, sensitive information for their own gains.
3. Grey Hat Hacker: The Gray hat hacker falls in between the black hat hackers and white hat hackers. They are not certified, hackers. These types of hackers work with either good or bad intentions. The hacking might be for their gain. The intention behind hacking decides the type of hacker.
4. Script Kiddies: These types of hackers are amateurs in field of hacking. They use scripts of other fellow hackers in attempt to hack system. They want to gain attention from their peers.
5. Green Hat Hacker: These types of hackers who’re learning the ropes of hacking. The intent is to strive and learn to become full-fledged hackers. They are looking for opportunities to learn from experienced hackers.
6. Blue Hat Hacker: These types of hackers are similar to Script Kiddies. The intent to learn is missing. They use hacking as a weapon to gain popularity among their fellow beings. They use hacking to settle scores with their adversaries. They are dangerous due to the intent behind the hacking rather than their knowledge.
7. Red Hat Hacker: These types of hackers are synonymous with Eagle-Eyed Hackers and are similar to White Hat Hackers. The red hat hackers intend to stop the attack of black hat hackers. They are quite ruthless while dealing with black hat hackers or counteracting with malware. The red hat hackers continue to attack and may end up having to replace the entire system set up.

These all types described above broadly referred to in Cyber Security world.

Now, let’s look at 3 other types of hackers work in different capabilities:

8. State/Nation Sponsored Hacker: These types of hackers are appointed by government to gain information about other countries. The sensitive information aids to be on top of every situation but also to avoid upcoming danger. They report only to their governments.

9. Hacktivist: These types of hackers intend to hack government websites. These can be an individual or a bunch of nameless hackers whose intent is to gain access to government websites and networks. The data gained from government files accessed are used for personal, political or social gain.

10. Malicious Insider or Whistleblower: These types of hackers include individual working in an organization who can expose confidential information. The intent behind the exposure might be a personal grudge with the organization or the individual might have come across the illegal activities within the organization.

Conclusion

There is a stack of information all over the internet and it is upto an individual of what they want to become. The intent behind hacking is what sets the hackers apart.

Hope this article will bring you a light about Hacking and Hackers. Thanks for reading till the last. See you soon, later ;).