The shades of hacking: Black, White & Grey
We have all heard the term ‘hacker’ — regardless if it is in the movies or on the Internet. But what exactly is a hacker? The basic definition of a hacker is someone who uses computer systems to gain unauthorized access to data resulting in the unavailability of the system. These hackers often use their skills to achieve certain goals. However, contrary to misconceptions, not all hackers are bad.
Hackers are generally categorized by the type of metaphorical “hat” they wear:
- Black Hat Hackers
- White Hat Hackers
- Grey Hat Hackers
The term, ‘White and Black Hat Hackers’ originated from Western movies in which the heroes wore white hats, and villains wore black ones. The term, ‘Grey Hat Hackers’ is also subsequently derived from White and Black Hats. So, what’s the difference between each of them?
a. Black Hat Hackers
Also known as crackers, these are notorious men and women you hear about in the news. They commit cyber crimes for their own benefit, and is also known as “the epitome of all that the public fears in a computer criminal”.
Like all hackers, black hat hackers usually have extensive knowledge about breaking into computer networks and bypassing security protocols. They are also responsible for writing malware, which is used to gain access to these systems.
Their primary motivation is usually for personal or financial gain, but they can also be involved in cyber espionage, protest or perhaps are just addicted to the thrill of cybercrime. Black Hat Hackers can range from amateurs getting their feet wet by spreading malware, to experienced hackers that aim to steal data, specifically financial information, personal information, and login credentials. Not only do black hat hackers seek to steal data, but they also seek to modify or destroy data as well.
b. White Hat Hackers
In contrast to Black Hat Hackers, White Hat hackers are ethical hackers that carry out cybersecurity tasks. Most White Hat hackers hold a college degree in IT security or computer science and are certified to pursue a career in hacking.
As an ethical White Hat Hacker, one’s goals is to improve security through finding security loopholes and informing the victim via a systematic approach so that they can shore up defences in time before a malicious hacker attempts to exploit it. For example, a bank might require the services of a penetration tester to hack into their mobile applications or a hospital might need someone to hack into their online patient records system.
The speed at which a penetration tester succeeds a hack is critical because defences must be adapted to the speed of the attacks. A pentester will not be asked to write up complex reports — he or she has to get it done in the timeliest manner possible so that key points of information are provided.
Bug Bounty Programmes (in which White Hat Hackers receive due compensation for reporting bugs, especially those found in exploits and vulnerabilities) — are paying a hefty sum of money to hackers, many of whom are discovering severe vulnerabilities.
c. Grey Hat Hackers
Nothing is ever just black or white; this is also true in the world of hacking. Grey Hat Hackers
have the characteristics of both Black and White Hat Hackers. They mainly scan through the systems to look for vulnerabilities without the owners’ knowledge. However, once issues are found, they will still report accordingly to the affected party, at the same time also requesting for a sum of compensation. In the scenario that the owner doesn’t comply, the Grey Hat Hackers will release information of the found vulnerabilities online to be exposed to the world.
Grey Hat Hackers are not intentionally malicious as their initial motivation is not to exploit the vulnerabilities. However, accessing systems without permission from the owner and making them public is still considered illegal as it comes across as an attempt to attack the system.
Introducing HackerNet- The ecosystem for White Hat Hackers
As mentioned above, White Hat Hackers are critical when it comes to an organization’s cybersecurity. This is why Hackernet aims to build an ecosystem of White Hat Hackers, in order to build a better connection between the organizations and them.
Under the HackerNet ecosystem, the hackers can upload their bug reports and based on the severity of the bug reported the hackers will be compensated accordingly. As the ecosystem is powered by the blockchain, the process of bug reporting and compensation is transparent.
Furthermore, hackers can remain anonymous, as they are compensated with ATH tokens, which is the method of payment in the HackerNet ecosystem and holds many valuable utilities. The platform also cater to organizations of all sizes, making sure that cybersecurity is affordable for all. Thus, this makes HackerNet an enticing platform for both parties to partake in.
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