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Hacker types

Hacker

An individual who uses their computer and technical skills to gain access to systems and networks.
🤗 A common theory is that a hacker meant initially anyone who possessed skills and knowledge and determination to solve problems in a creative way.
- There are arguments against it never was a benign term and the malicious connotations of the word were a later perversion is untrue.

📝 Uses knowledge and skills to discover and exploit security vulnerabilities for financial gain or other malicious reasons
Bad guys
No regard of law & regulations etc.
Activities include stealing personal and financial information or shutting down websites and networks
E.g. bank robbing

Also known as ethical hackers
📝 Uses knowledge and skills to improve a system's security by discovering vulnerabilities before black hats do.
Will not break laws and regulations
Scope is determined by the client
E.g.
- Publish vulnerabilities
- Do penetration tests
- ❗Participate in bounty programs to claim rewards.
  - Benefiting financially from hack is not illegal

Also known as white hat hacking
Performed by security specialists to help companies identify vulnerabilities in their networks and systems.
- Helps them analyzing and strengthening their system and network security
- Allows for creating preventive measures that should prevent any future security breaches as well as protect data and information stored in the system.
Difference from black-hat hacking:
- Hacking with permission of system owner
- They remain compliant to the law
- Purpose is to prevent hackers from breaking into systems and networks.
Flow
1. Find vulnerabilities
2. Assess problems & threats about them
3. Offer solutions e.g. you can do to fix this
4. Inform within the company
Ethical hackers should ask themselves when evaluating a system: (also companies asks often "why would we fix it?" in three questions)
- What is it that an attacker can see on this network/system?
- What could the attacker do with that knowledge?
- Are there any traces of attempted attacks on the system/network?

Also known as grayhat, gray hat, gray-hat, grey hat, greyhat or grey-hat hackers.
📝 Might break laws, regulations and ethical standards but do not have explicitly malicious indent.
Middleground; Not as bad as black, not as ethical as white hackers.

📝 Perform attacks for a cause despite the risk of being caught and prosecuted.
E.g. they'll know for sure that they'll get caught but they still attempt the hack for a "cause".

📝 Inexperienced hackers who don't have enough knowledge or skills to perform hacks on their own
- Instead, they use tools and scripts developed by more experienced hackers.
Dangerous because running the closed-sourced tools on one's own system is a big risk.