white hat hacker/ethical hacker -- is an individual who uses hacking skills to identify security
vulnerabilities in hardware, software or networks. However, unlike black hat hackers -- or malicious
hackers -- white hat hackers respect the rule of law as it applies to hacking. Many white hat hackers
are former black hat hackers. The terms come from old Western movies, where heroes often wore
white hats and the bad guys wore black hats.
Black hat hackers are malicious hackers, sometimes called crackers. Black hats lack ethics, sometimes
violate laws, and break into computer systems with malicious intent, and they may violate the
confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an organization's systems and data.
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.
Redhat hacker-A hacker who acts as a digital activist or a vigilante and uses their hacking knowledge
to convey a message. Their reasons for hacking might be political, social, religious, or ideological.
Hacktivists are groups of criminals who unite to carry out cyber attacks in support of political causes.
Hacktivists typically target entire industries but sometimes attack specific organizations who they feel
don't align with their political views or practices. Wiki leaks is an example.
A script kiddie, also known as a skid, by definition, is an individual with little to no technical expertise
using pre-existing automated tools or scripts to launch attacks on computer systems or networks.In
some cases, script kiddie attacks can have devastating real-life consequences and could even lead to
jail time. For example, a 15-year-old script kiddie used a DoS attack to hack the telephone company
TalkTalk in 2015. This attack led to a data breach, and eventually the arrest of the 15-year-old boy.
Yellow hat hackers use various hacking tools to hijack social media accounts for malicious purposes,
such as embarrassing a brand, distributing malware, getting revenge on a person, or misusing
personal information.
Blue hat hackers, also known as ethical hackers or good hackers, are the antithesis of black hats. They
use their skills for good rather than malicious purposes and are often employed by businesses or
governments to uncover potential security vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks.
Green hat hackers are types of hackers who learn the ropes of hacking. They are slightly different
from the Script Kiddies due to their intention. The intent is to strive and learn to become full-fledged
hackers. They are looking for opportunities to learn from experienced hackers.
Malicious insider or Whistleblower-These types of hackers include individuals working in an
organization who can expose confidential information. The intent behind the exposure might be a
personal grudge against the organization, or the individual might have come across illegal activities
within the organization. The reason for exposure defines the intent behind the exposure. These
individuals are known as whistleblowers.
