White, grey or black hat hackers
Posted by: Timothy Weaver on 05/02/2015 08:38 AM
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White hat, grey hat, or black hat? Is there really a difference?
The difference is in motivation and whether or not they are breaking the law.
A black hatter has extensive knowledge about breaking into computer networks and bypassing security protocols. They are primarily interested in stealing info for financial gain. They also seek to modify or destroy data as well by implanting malware.
A white hat hacker is working within the legal system. He or she has permission to test networks for vulnerabilities. Also known as “ethical hackers,” white hat hackers can sometimes be paid employees or contractors working for companies as security specialists that attempt to find security holes via hacking.
A grey hat hacker is a little of both. Grey hat hackers will look for vulnerabilities in a system without the owner’s permission or knowledge. Usually they will contact the owners and offer to divulge the flaw for a small fee. If they are refused, they will then publish the flaw on the net.
This type of hacking is still considered illegal because the hacker did not receive permission from the owner prior to attempting to attack the system.
Hacking has a negative connotation, but without white hat hackers, we would be seeing a lot more activity involving cybercriminals exploiting vulnerabilities and collecting sensitive data than there is now.
Source: Norton
The difference is in motivation and whether or not they are breaking the law.A black hatter has extensive knowledge about breaking into computer networks and bypassing security protocols. They are primarily interested in stealing info for financial gain. They also seek to modify or destroy data as well by implanting malware.
A white hat hacker is working within the legal system. He or she has permission to test networks for vulnerabilities. Also known as “ethical hackers,” white hat hackers can sometimes be paid employees or contractors working for companies as security specialists that attempt to find security holes via hacking.
A grey hat hacker is a little of both. Grey hat hackers will look for vulnerabilities in a system without the owner’s permission or knowledge. Usually they will contact the owners and offer to divulge the flaw for a small fee. If they are refused, they will then publish the flaw on the net.
This type of hacking is still considered illegal because the hacker did not receive permission from the owner prior to attempting to attack the system.
Hacking has a negative connotation, but without white hat hackers, we would be seeing a lot more activity involving cybercriminals exploiting vulnerabilities and collecting sensitive data than there is now.
Source: Norton
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