Hacking has become common among the nation’s youth. The different types of hackers have increased and varied themselves. Some hackers prefer to hack individual users; some target bigger fish to fry, like government agencies like the Pentagon.
Ever since computers were invented and became the best way for us to conduct our work, hacking was inevitable. However, with computers having the power to store almost all kinds of digital data and share them with others in the blink of an eye, hacking soon became a sport rather than an attempt to cause mischief.
With so many hackers flexing their skills every day, we believe it is necessary to learn about all the different types of hackers better to prepare yourself against all kinds of digital threats.
Why Are Hackers A Threat To Society?
Computers have the power to store so much information that it has now become the age of information and knowledge. This has created a situation where the number of hacker types is increasing every day to exploit the weak for their personal gains.
Since information is now key to turning the tides of battle, hacking has become essential for many. Since all countries are power-hungry for information, it has become a chess game between hackers, with casual civilians like us being collateral damage in their way.
Hackers now aim to rip off ordinary people by hacking into their accounts and stealing vital information from them. This includes information like bank accounts and other credentials that hackers can use to imitate that person online.
This is why hackers have become a threat to society n this cybernetic age of computers and information. They are also our future saviors. Only a hacker can stop another hacker.
Types Of Hackers To Be Aware Of In 2022
The different types of hackers in 2022 are:
1. White Hat Hackers
White hat hackers are some of the best hackers in the world. They specialize in all matters related to cybersecurity and can hack them to destroy systems or strengthen them. These types of hackers typically work for the government or are part of cybersecurity firms also. Their primary aim is to help the government and businesses identify and rectify errors in their cybersecurity.
2. Black Hat Hackers
The opposite of white hat hackers, black hat hackers have only one intention – to create chaos and get away with the spoils. They target systems of government and big businesses with the wrong intentions of stealing information from them. After stealing the information, they can then sell it to the highest bidder in the black market.
3. Gray Hat Hackers
Gray hat hackers are the nerdiest and geekiest hackers among all other types of hackers. They do not fall under black or white hackers because they hack not for any particular motive. These hackers hack only for the fun of it. They simply love the art or sport of hacking and enjoy finding loopholes in various cybersecurity systems. They typically do not try to exploit people or steal their resources by hacking.
4. Script Kiddies
As the name suggests, script kiddies are the total newbies of the hacking world. They have just started learning the use of hacking tools and simply run codes and scripts created by other hackers. These are the ones that commonly target social media accounts and try to hack your Facebook or Instagram account.
5. Green Hat Hackers
Green hat hackers are newbies to the hacking world. They are still learning the ropes and have not mastered the science of hacking yet. They typically hack low-end systems of other individuals and are not interested in hacking bigger fish yet. They usually follow other types of hackers, intending to learn from them.
6. Blue Hat Hackers
Like green hat hackers, blue hat hackers are other types of hackers that are also new to hacking. Their aim is also to learn how to hack, mainly focusing on what they do not know yet. However, they are different from others because their main intention is not to become a master hacker but to become popular amongst their friends. This is why they are typically university and college students.
7. Red Hat Hackers
Red hat hackers are the violent twin of white hat hackers. They are deemed to be one of the most dangerous types of hackers, alongside black hat hackers. Unlike white hats, which are responsible for detecting cybersecurity loopholes, red hats are the frontline warriors against black hats. A red hat hacker directly targets and fends off the attacks of different types of hackers’ hats. They are known to be pretty ruthless when dealing with black hats.
8. Hacktivists
There are various types of hacking. Out of all of them, hacktivists are recognized as the most politically active. Their motive is to attack only government websites to access private data and sell them to the highest bidder in the black market. Since they have a political stance, they are hacker activists, also known as hacktivists.
9. Whistleblowers
If you have seen the movie Snowden, then you know who a whistleblower is and what they do. These types of hackers are maybe lone wolves, or they might work as part of a hacking group. They intend to expose the dark illegal secrets of an individual or organization to the public. The reason for doing so can be because of a personal grudge.
10. Government-Sponsored Hackers
These types of hackers are spies who have the task of hacking the security databases of other countries. They are tasked to cripple the cybersecurity defenses of different countries and gain vital information.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Kevin Mitnick is the best hacker in the world.
The top 25% of white hat hackers earn about $150,000 annually.
A famous hacker by the name of Jonathan James hacked NASA in 1999.
As of 2022, it has been estimated that there are more than 400,000 professional hackers globally.
Conclusion
The different types of hackers separate malicious hackers from good and righteous hackers. While hacking is typically looked at as a criminally offensive activity, many hackers do it professionally to help businesses strengthen their cyber security systems and even help their countries do so.
On the contrary, it’s the black hat hackers who are responsible for creating some of the most offensive hacking incidents globally. This is why we have white hat hackers strengthening our defenses, with red hat hackers taking the battle to the front line.
If you want to learn more about the various types of hackers, then read our other blogs!
More Resources:
Arnab Das
Debamalya Mukherjee
Barsha Bhattacharya
Ankita Tripathy