Over the last two decades, the tech industry has revolutionized to a greater extent with the innovation of various tools to assist people in their work. As new technologies emerge, so does the variety and number of different types of hackers. While some hackers choose to target specific people, others go after larger organizations, like the Pentagon or other governments.
And sure, hacking has always been a problem since businesses and individuals leverage various devices, including computers, smartphones, and many other internet-enabled devices. Though technological advancements are boon to humans, they come with a significant threat of getting hacked.
As the ways of hacking computing devices are evolving, so do the types of hackers. Now, you might be curious in knowing what are the types of hackers. Well, in this blog post, we shall introduce you to the types of computer hackers that one should be aware of. Prior to it, let us have a brief discussion of what exactly hacking is.
What Is Hacking & Why Are Hackers A Significant Threat?
Hacking is a practice of accessing networks, computers, smartphones , and tablets unauthorizedly and illegally to harm or destroy them, steal user data, files, and records, or interfere with data-related operations.
However, hacking isn't always bad. Though it is always considered illegal, there is legal or ethical hacking as well, which takes place legitly or with permission. One who performs hacking legitimately is called an ethical hacker. Organizations and companies hire ethical hackers to make sure that their IT infrastructure remains protected from potential cyber threats .
The concern of hacking has become crucial for many since information now has the key to shifting the balance of power in conflict. We ordinary citizens are collateral damage in this chess game between hackers since all nations are power-hungry for information.
Fast forward, a good managed WordPress hosting provider with robust security and automated backups sure accounts for better protection; otherwise, you would have to set up all firewalls, SSL certificates, and server snapshots yourself. What else should you consider before taking on this obligation?
14 Types of Hackers You Should Be Aware of
The ability of computers to store vast amounts of data has ushered in an era of knowledge and information. As a result, there are now more and more hackers looking to take advantage of the security vulnerabilities of computing devices for their own gain.
Let's now shed light on the types of hackers in computer security as well as the various hacker tactics and assaults.
1. White Hat Hackers (Authorized Hackers)
Some of the world's top hackers are white hat hackers, frequently referred to as ethical hackers . They are experts in anything cybersecurity-related and leverage their skills to identify the security spots in networks and systems before hackers can exploit them.
These kinds of hackers frequently work for the state or cybersecurity companies. Their main goal is to assist organizations and government agencies in finding and fixing cybersecurity flaws to avoid malicious attacks and, in turn, confidential data loss.
2. Black Hat Hackers (Criminal Hackers)
Black hats are criminal hackers or cybercriminals as they exploit the security flaws of a system with malicious intent. They access systems or networks without permission. The primary goal of black-hat hackers is to harm a particular individual or organization by stealing data, compromising their systems, and manipulating important files. The stolen information is frequently either utilized for extortion, personal gain, or black market sales.
3. Gray Hat Hackers (Just-For-Fun Hackers)
Gray hat hackers are the combination of both black hat hackers and white hat hackers. this means that gray hat hackers hack systems or networks for their fun but do not have any malicious or wrong intent. Generally, they perform hacking activities only for fun and to identify security loopholes in systems or networks. But they do it without permission.
If a hacker's goal is to make money, they are said to be gray hat hackers. The distinction is that they have no desire to commit theft or offer assistance to anybody.
4. Green Hat Hackers (Hackers-in-Training)
In the field of hacking, green hat hackers are considered amateurs. They are still getting their feet wet and have not yet mastered the art of hacking. They generally break into low-end systems owned by other people and are not yet interested in bigger fish.
They frequently imitate other sorts of hackers in an effort to pick up tips from them and boost their cybersecurity skills. The only motive of green hat hackers is to learn to perform cyberattacks the same way block hat hackers carry out and turn out to be full-fledged ethical hackers.
5. The Script Kids (Ametuer Hackers)
Amateur hackers are novices in the field of cybersecurity . They attempt to access various systems, websites, and/or networks by using scripts created by others. They don't fully understand the processes, and their major motivation is to attract the attention of their peers. DoS or DDoS attacks are an illustration (Distributed Denial of Service).
6. Blue Hat Hackers
A subset of hackers known as "Blue Hat" use a similar tactic to "Script Kiddies." There is not enough desire to study. When they want to acquire favor with other members of their species, they employ hacking as a weapon. They resort to hacking in order to resolve their disputes with their enemies. Blue Hat hackers are hazardous due to their motivations rather than their hacking prowess.
7. Red Hat Hackers
Red hat hackers are analogous to white hat hackers. Despite having comparable goals, white and red hat hackers use quite different approaches. They go by the name Eagle-Eyed Hackers as well. Although they try to combat black hat hackers, their methods may be rather brutal. They keep up their attacks nonstop.
8. Government-Sponsored Hackers ( International Threat Prevention)
State or nation-sponsored hackers are individuals hired by the state to offer cybersecurity and steal sensitive data from other nations to maintain their position of power or avert any threat to their nation. They work for the government and are well compensated.
9. Hacktivists (Politically Motivated Hackers)
There are many different kinds of hacking. Hacktivists are known to be the most politically engaged ones among all. They solely target government websites to acquire private information and sell it to the winning bidder on the black market. Another intent of hacktivists to hack government systems or networks is to highlight alarming social causes. They are hacker activists, sometimes known as hacktivists, because they have a political stance.
10. Malicious Insiders (Whistleblower)
Malicious insiders or Whistleblowers hackers intend to release sensitive information about an organization or company in which they are employed. The disclosure may have been made specifically with a personal grudge against the corporation in mind. The intent behind the exposure is determined by the cause.
11. Cryptojackers (Cryptocurrency Mining Hackers)
These are the hackers that exploit a network’s security spots to hack into systems to steal computer resources, which serve as a way to mine cryptocurrencies. They do it by spreading infectious viruses across the web called malware. Specifically, they insert malicious code into the victim’s system without their knowledge. Later, they use the victim’s system to mine cryptocurrencies.
12. Elite Hackers
Elite hackers are among the most skilled hackers in the world of cyber criminals. They are the ones who discover various cutting-edge hacking attacks or new ways to hack systems or networks. In a nutshell, elite hackers are the innovators of the hacking world.
13. Gaming Hackers
As the gaming industry has been booming, it has its own category of hackers called gaming hackers. Professional and elite gamers invest a lot in high-performance gaming hardware and gain gaming credits. Meanwhile, gaming hackers perform attacks to steal a competitor’s credit caches. They also attempt denial-of-service (DoS) attacks to take their counterparts out of the game.
14. Botnet Hackers
They are the hackers who create bots to perform attacks on multiple devices (as many as possible). Typically, they target the Internet of Things (IoT), routers, and cameras. Bots can be used by the one who developed them, and other hackers can purchase them.
Conclusion
This was all about the types of hackers. On the Internet, information is widely available. Individuals with a keen mind can pick things up quickly and adjust. Yet, what distinguishes hackers is their motivation for hacking.
Hackers are hazardous because they exploit their expertise to hurt people, governments, or for personal gain. Their assaults can take many different forms depending on the company. The degree and kind of the assault depend on how successfully the hackers can exploit the security mechanism, making it extremely difficult for businesses and governments to maintain constant cybersecurity.
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