What is a hacker?
According to the definition of the website “Security Insider”, a hacker is nothing more than a “technically experienced person in the hardware and software environment”. The reason why this term has such negative connotations is primarily because so many hackers use their skills to harm other people and enrich themselves. This need not be. Hackers have enough knowledge to be able to support companies in particular on their way to improved internet security.
Can hackers really only cause harm?
The word “hacker” evokes negative associations for most of us. That’s no wonder, because we’re constantly hearing about the damage they can cause with their attacks. But there are actually hackers who contribute to computer security. They are called “white hat hackers” or “ethical hackers” and they primarily help companies in the fight against cyber crime.
White hat vs. black hat hackers
The title could also be called Good vs. Evil, because the two groups of people can be divided into these categories.
A white hat hacker who finds a security vulnerability will alert the company he works for and give them tips on how best to respond. A black hat hacker will use the vulnerability in the system to gain unauthorized access and, if necessary, change various functions.
In summary, one can say that the former group is committed to improved Internet protection and security, while the latter is interested in obtaining personal data in order to enrich themselves.
Why do so many people contact white hat hackers?
Strictly speaking, white hat hackers also use their knowledge to harm companies. However, they do this for a different reason than black hat hackers. They want to use their skills to find security gaps and see what opportunities this could create for truly criminal hackers. Instead of obtaining confidential information about this vulnerability, they bring it to the attention of the company’s IT department and suggest solutions to fix the problem.
Companies that hire a white hat hacker primarily want to test how secure their information systems actually are. If truly professional white hat hackers are at work, this brings many advantages for companies because their websites work better, they have less downtime and they do not have to use their resources for damage control measures if a real hacker attack does occur.
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How do white-hat hackers work?
Professional hackers working for companies look for weaknesses in the information system using methods that criminal hackers would also use. They try to hack into company networks, carry out extensive malware scans and also test the extent to which employees are susceptible to social engineering. In short: white hat hackers work in the same way as black hat hackers, but with the difference that they want to help companies instead of harming them.
Other types of hackers
· Grey Hat Hacker
Grey-hat hackers do not necessarily adhere to rules, but interpret them more flexibly than white-hat hackers. They often hack into networks out of pure curiosity and without authorisation. However, they are not comparable to black hat hackers, because even if they find security gaps, they do not exploit them for criminal purposes. Instead, grey-hat hackers often contact companies when they find vulnerabilities and demand financial compensation in return. However, not all companies are enthusiastic about the actions of these hackers and demand compensation.
· Blue Hat Hacker
Blue hat hackers tend to carry out this activity in an amateurish manner. They usually only deal with the subject at all because they want to take revenge on someone in particular and hack into a system for this purpose. Once they have achieved their goal, they usually see no reason to develop their skills any further.
· Red Hat Hacker
Their main aim is to track down black hat hackers, convict them and put a spanner in the works.
· Green Hat Hackers
This refers to people who are interested in the world of hacking and want to learn more about it. To do this, they closely observe the actions of professional hackers, join communities or watch tutorials on the subject. So it is by no means the case that hackers are always up to no good. This is why there are now a large number of companies that hire hackers to make their company network more secure and protect it from cyber criminals.
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