Hackers are often considered as mere bandits on the information superhighway, shadowy figures who are above the law and below human decency, using their superior knowledge of the digital
world to exploit and terrorize common Internet users. While this characterization is true in some cases, it is in fact a rather broad generalization. There are many malicious reasons to hack, but
there are also those who hack for a higher purpose. What is worse, the public is not able to understand terms like grey hat, white hat, LinuxOS, orcracker. However, the truth is that the subculture of the hacker world is more complex than we think. Especially if we consider that, these are very intelligent people. So, what is ethical hacking white hat and how does it differentiate from grey hackers? The only way to find out is to submerge ourselves in the world of hackers and understand, at least, the most
basic concepts. Hackers are three types:- 1. White hat hacker, 2.Gray hat hacker, 3.Black hat hacker
WHITE HAT HACKER
A hacker can be a wiz kid who spends too much time with computers and suddenly finds himselfsubmerged in the world of cyber-security or criminal conspirators. On the other hand, he canbeamaster criminal who wants to obtain huge amounts of money for him, or even worse, dominatethe world. In the movie Matrix, the concept of hackers changed a bit. Although the agents of the Matrixconsidered them terrorists, the truth is that they were rebels fighting for the liberty of humanity
Things do not need to reach that extreme, though. We are not at war with intelligent ma chines so that kind of scenario is a bit dramatic. Therefore, a hacker is an individual who is capable of modifying computer hardware, or software. They made their appearance before the advent of computers, when determined individuals were fascinated with the possibility of modifying machines. For example, entering a determine code in a telephone in order to make free international calls. When computers appeared, this people found a new realm where they could exploit their skills. Now they were not limited to the constraints of the physical world, instead, they could travel
through the virtual world of computers. Before the internet, they used Bulletin Board Systems(BBS) to communicate and exchange information. However, the real explosion occurred when the Internet appeared. Today, anyone can become a hacker. Within that denomination, there are three types of hackers. The first one is the black hacker, also known as a cracker, someone who uses his computer knowledge in criminal activities in order to obtain personal benefits. A typical example is a person who exploits the weaknesses of the systems of a financial institution for making some money. On the other side is the white hat hacker. Although white hat hacking can be considered similar to a black hacker, there is an important difference. A white hacker does it with no criminal intention in mind. Companies around the world, who want to test their systems, contract white hackers. They will test how secure are their systems, and point any faults that they may found. If you want
to become a hacker with a white hat, Linux, a PC and an internet connection is all you need.
GREY HAT HACKERS
A grey hat hacker is someone who is in between these two concepts. He may use his skills for legal or illegal acts, but not for personal gains. Grey hackers use their skills in order to prove themselves that they can accomplish a determined feat, but never do it in order to make money out of it. The moment they cross that boundary, they become black hackers. For example, they may hack the computer network of a public agency, let us say, NOAA. That is a federal crime. If the authorities capture them, they will feel the long arm of justice. However, if they only get
inside, and post, let us say, their handle, and get out without causing any kind of damage, then they can be considered grey hackers.
BLACK HAT HACKERS
Black hat hackers have become the iconic image of all hackers around the world. For the majority of computer users, the word hacker has become a synonym for social misfits and criminals. Of course, that is an injustice created by our own interpretation of the mass media, so it is important for us to learn what a hacker is and what a black hacker (or cracker) does. So, let’s learn about black hat techniques and how they make our lives a little more difficult. Black hat is used to describe a hacker (or, if you prefer, cracker) who breaks into a computer system or network with malicious intent. Unlike a white hat hacker, the black hat hacker takes advantage of the break-in, perhaps destroying files or stealing data for some future purpose. The black hat hacker may also make the exploit known to other hackers and/or the public without
notifying the victim. This gives others the opportunity to exploit the vulnerability before the organization is able to secure it.
TOP 5 MOST FAMOUS HACKERS OF ALL TIME
- Jonathan James: James gained notoriety when he became the first juvenile to be sent toprison for hacking. He was sentenced at the age of 16 . In an anonymous PBS interview, heprofesses, “I was just looking around, playing around. What was fun for me was a challengetoseewhat I could pull off.” James also cracked into NASA computers, stealing software worthapproximately $1.7 million.
- Adrian Lamo: Lamo’s claim to fame is his break-ins at major organizations like The New York Times and Microsoft. Dubbed the “homeless hacker,” he used Internet connections at
Kinko’s, coffee shops and libraries to make his intrusions. In a profile article, “He Hacks by Day, Squats by Night,” Lamo reflects, “I have a laptop in Pittsburgh, a change of clothes in D.C. It kind of redefines the term multi-jurisdictional.” - Kevin Mitnick: A self-proclaimed “hacker poster boy,” Mitnick went through a highly publicized pursuit by authorities. His mischief was hyped by the media but his actual offenses may be less notable than his notoriety suggests. The Department of Justice describes himas “the most wanted computer criminal in United States history.” His exploits were detailed in two movies: Freedom Downtime and Take down.
- Kevin Poulsen: Also known as Dark Dante, he gained recognition for his hack of LAradio’sKIIS-FM phone lines, which earned him a brand new Porsche, among other items. His hackingspecialty, however, revolved around telephones.
- Robert Tappan Morris: Morris, son of former National Security Agency scientist Robert
Morris, is known as the creator of the Morris Worm, the first computer worm to be unleashed on the Internet. As a result of this crime, he was the first person prosecuted under the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.