What are the different types of hacking?
There are many different types of Hacking and each one focuses on something else. Also, most of them have different drivers.
Some hackers steal money, others access information from national intelligence services, while still others participate in corporate espionage.
Additionally, some types are designed only to give cybercriminals an opportunity to show off their hacking skills. Over the past few decades, we have also seen the rise of politically motivated groups like Anonymous and WikiLeaks, which are committed to hacktivism.
So what are the different types of hacking?
Keylogging
Let's start with one of the most common ways to spy on a computer user: recording keystrokes.
Un keylogger is a hidden piece of software that records what someone types on their keyboard.
Everything that the program records is placed in a log file, allowing hackers to see your personal information (logins and passwords).
Phishing
You probably already know how fishing works: you attach the hook to a fishing rod and throw it into the water. Well, that's what phishers do, except they use a fake website instead of the hook and send it to you by email. Their aim is also to steal your personal information. Sometimes, they try to trick you into downloading malicious software onto your computer instead of asking for your personal information.
Brute force
You can't talk about the techniques used by hackers and Hacking organizations without mentioning brute force.
It is a comprehensive research method that consists of trying out all possible combinations of passwords using a calculation algorithm. Depending on the strength of the password, this process can, in some situations, take millions of years.
Ransomware
Imagine having to pay to access files on your own device. That's what ransomware attacks are for. Hackers send a form of malicious software to encrypt your files and then demand a ransom to restore access to your data. They give you instructions on how to make the payment to get the decryption key to recover your files.
Distributed denial of service
This hacking strategy aims to bring down entire websites and prevent owners from providing their service. Hence the name denial of service or DoS. Large businesses are often affected by distributed denial-of-service or DDoS attacks. These are synchronized attempts to disrupt more than one site, potentially bringing down all of their online assets.
What is a Black Hat Hacker?
We finally come to the big question: what is a Black Hat Hacker?
To better understand what these people do, you first need to know that there are different categories of hackers. They are generally classified according to the metaphorical hat they are wearing. Depending on their intentions and the situation, there are three main groups: white, black and gray hats. The lingo comes from the old spaghetti westerns in which the good guy always wears a white hat and the bad guy always wears a black hat.
Well, we're here to talk about bad guys. Not the ones from the old Spaghetti Western, but the ones fighting on the cyberspace battlefield.
Black Hat Hackers are criminals who bypass security protocols and break into computer networks. Their primary aim is to make money, but sometimes they are involved inspying corporate or activism.
Not only do they seek to steal data, but they often seek to modify or destroy it, depending on their motives. People in this category can be of any age, gender, or ethnic background.
They may be computer geniuses, but many cybercriminals are newbies. Of course, not everyone can write complex operating chains, but some attacks don't require an extremely high level of coding.
These people are also good at social engineering. While they may look like loners in hoodies who spend their entire days in front of their screens, they can be very good at persuading their victims to click on their links or download their files.
Popular methods used by Black Hat Hackers
The methods used by cybercriminals are constantly evolving. Most of the time, they target personal information such as email accounts, credit card details, and user IDs.
When it comes to taking on bigger fish, like businesses and organizations, black hat hacking aims to steal business data or bring down websites.
The most popular methods include the following:
- Keylogging
- Phishing
- Brute force
- Ransomware
- DoS/DDoS attacks
- Viruses and Trojan horses
- Fake W.A.P.
- Theft of cookies
- Bait and Switch attacks
White Hat vs. Hacker Black Hat
Now that you know what a Black Hat Hacker is, let's talk about the good guys, aka The white hats.
While they work the same way to a certain extent, they don't have the same motivations.
The main difference between the white hat hacker and the black hat hacker is therefore that the former carries out ethical hacking.
Their job is to identify security system flaws and find ways to fix them. That means they have permission from the owner. As they are hired by businesses and organizations, all aspects of their operations fall within the legal framework.
These hackers stop “black hats” before they have a chance to commit a crime. Whether it's stealing data or bringing down a website, white hats need to find a way to stop the attack.
In a way, white hat hackers use the same Hacking resources and tools as their counterparts. As you'll see in the next section, some of them are even changing sides.
As with everything, Hacking also has a gray area. The gray hats look for vulnerabilities in systems without any authorization. If they identify a problem, they report it to the owner or ask for a small fee to fix it.
The most famous Black Hat Hackers
There are lots of experts in hacking hacking out there. Some of them have managed to earn large amounts of money doing their dirty work, while others are only there for the sake of cybercrime. While there's an entire list of hackers we could talk about, we've selected the most famous of them:
Kevin Mitnick
Kevin Mitnick was the FBI's most wanted hacker in the 1990s. He obtained unauthorized access to a computer network for the first time at the age of 16. Later, as a fugitive, he hacked into dozens of other networks, stole passwords, and read private emails.
After a high-profile lawsuit, the FBI caught and arrested Mitnick in 1995. After serving a prison sentence, he became a security consultant paid by the FBI and Fortune 500 companies.
Today Mitnick runs his own security consulting firm.
Gary McKinnon
Next on the list is one of the most famous Black Hat Hackers, Gary McKinnon. In 2002, McKinnon was accused of being behind the biggest military hacking of all time.
He hacked 97 computers belonging to NASA and the US Armed Forces. Within a day, he managed to delete all of their critical files, including the weapons logs.
The damage caused by McKinnon is estimated at $700,000. He was never imprisoned because the United Kingdom blocked his extradition.
Jeanson James Ancheta
In 2004, the world witnessed the first hacker attack in history in which an individual had control of a group of hijacked computers. The Californian Jeanson James Ancheta used a worm called “rxbot” to take control of 500,000 computers, some of which even belonged to the U.S. Army.
With an entire army of botnets at his disposal, he posted an ad for his service, claiming that he could take down any site for money. It also sold access to botnets in clusters, usually up to 10,000 at the same time. In 2005, an FBI agent arrested Ancheta and sentenced him to five years in prison.
Summary.
That's it, now you know what a Black Hat Hacker is and what kind of attacks you can expect. These people don't care about the moral side of things and only want to get money out of you.
If there is no infallible method to protect yourself, a good antivirus is indispensable.
Browse safely and be careful who you trust on the Internet!
FAQ.
What are the three types of hackers?
Hackers are generally divided into three categories: “white hat,” “black hat,” and “gray hat.”
White hats are ethical hackers who help businesses and organizations protect their data for a living. Black hats are criminals who hack systems for personal gain, while gray hats fall in between.
They break into systems but don't target businesses for money or data.
What is a Red Hat Hacker?
Generally not listed among the main types of hackers, “red hats” are good people who take a different approach than “white hats.”
If they are also trying to stop cybercriminals from stealing money or data, they are doing so in an unethical or illegal manner.
They are often called cyberspace vigilantes and are considered local legends.
What is a gray hat hacker?
As in life, not everything is black and white. That's why the concept of a “grey hat hacker” exists.
These people are looking for vulnerabilities in a system without authorization. They may simply tell the organization about the problem or ask for compensation to resolve the issue for them.
Grey hats don't have bad intentions, but they don't want to become good hackers either.
What is a bluehathacker?
Blue hat hackers are seeking revenge. They don't necessarily care about money or fame.
They are there to do only one thing: hack into computers or networks belonging to someone who has harmed them.
For example, a blue hat hacker may be an ex-employee who wants to damage the reputation of his former employer.
What do hackers study?
The majority of hackers are former programming or computer science students.
Although they already know the basics, they learn to break into systems by themselves or through forums where cybercriminals exchange information about Hacking.
Today, some Hacking courses are available to the public and are aimed at people who want to do their job legally.
How much do hackers get paid?
The amount of money that hackers earn depends on many aspects.
Certified white hats earn an average of $104,813 per year. However, some of them work as bug hunters, which means that their income depends on the flaws they identify in the systems.
Black market figures are hard to follow, but it is estimated that cybercrime is worth 1.5 trillion dollars per year.
Who is the number 1 hacker in the world?
As soon as most people learn what a black hat hacker is, they immediately try to find out who is the best.
Many consider Kevin Mitnick to be the best at it. Initially a Black Hat Hacker, Mitnick has come a long way in his career. He went from being on the FBI's most wanted list to running a highly sought after Internet security consulting business.
Some still consider Mitnick to be the villain, not least because, according to some reports, he could have started a nuclear war simply by whistling codes into a telephone.
