ClassificationsSeveral subgroups of the computer underground with different attitudes use different terms to demarcate themselves from each other, or try to exclude some specific group with which they do not agree.
Eric S. Raymond (author of
The New Hacker's Dictionary) advocates that members of the computer underground should be called crackers. Yet, those people see themselves as hackers and even try to include the views of Raymond in what they see as one wider hacker culture, a view harshly rejected by Raymond himself. Instead of a hacker/cracker dichotomy, they give more emphasis to a spectrum of different categories, such as
white hat,
grey hat,
black hat and
script kiddie. In contrast to Raymond, they usually reserve the term cracker for more malicious activity. According to (Clifford R.D. 2006) a cracker or cracking is to "gain unauthorized access to a computer in order to commit another crime such as destroying information contained in that system".
[5]These subgroups may also be defined by the legal status of their activities.
[6][edit]White hat
A
white hat hacker breaks security for non-malicious reasons, perhaps to test their own security system or while working for a security company which makes security software. The term "white hat" in Internet slang refers to an
ethical hacker. This classification also includes individuals who perform
penetration tests and
vulnerability assessments within a contractual agreement. The
EC-Council , also known as the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants has developed certifications, courseware, classes, and online training covering the diverse arena of Ethical Hacking.
[6][edit]Black hat
A Black Hat Hacker is a hacker who "violates computer security for little reason beyond maliciousness or for personal gain" (Moore, 2005).
[7] Black Hat Hackers form the stereotypical, illegal hacking groups often portrayed in popular culture, and are "the epitome of all that the public fears in a computer criminal".
[8] Black Hat Hackers break into secure networks to destroy data or make the network unusable for those who are authorized to use the network. They choose their targets using a two-pronged process known as the "pre-hacking stage".
- Part 1: Targeting
- The hacker determines what network to break into during this phase. The target may be of particular interest to the hacker, either politically or personally, or may pick one at random. Next, they will port scan a network to determine if it is vulnerable to attacks, which is just testing all ports on a host machine for a response. Open ports—those that do respond—will allow a hacker to access the system.
- Part 2: Research and Information Gathering
- It is in this stage that the hacker will visit or contact the target in some way in hopes of finding out vital information that will help them access the system. The main way that hackers get desired results from this stage is from Social Engineering, which will be explained below. Aside from Social Engineering, hackers can also use a technique called Dumpster Diving. Dumpster Diving is when a hacker will literally dive into a dumpster in hopes to find documents that users have thrown away, which may contain information a hacker can use directly or indirectly, to help them gain access to a network.
- Part 3: Finishing The Attack
- This is now the stage when the hacker will invade the preliminary target that he/she was planning to attack or steal, this is also the stage where many of the "hackers" are caught, lured in or grabbed by any data also known as a Honeypot(a trap set up by computer security personnel).
[edit]Grey hat
A grey hat hacker is a combination of a Black Hat and a White Hat Hacker. A Grey Hat Hacker may surf the internet and hack into a computer system for the sole purpose of notifying the administrator that their system has been hacked, for example. Then they may offer to repair their system for a small fee.
[8][edit]Elite hacker
[edit]Script kiddie
A
script kiddie (or skiddie) is a non-expert who breaks into computer systems by using pre-packaged automated tools written by others, usually with little understanding of the underlying concept—hence the term script (i.e. a prearranged plan or set of activities) kiddie (i.e. kid, child—an individual lacking knowledge and experience, immature).
[10][edit]Neophyte
A neophyte, "
n00b", or "
newbie" is someone who is new to hacking or phreaking and has almost no knowledge or experience of the workings of technology, and hacking.
[8][edit]Blue hat
A
blue hat hacker is someone outside computer security consulting firms who is used to bug test a system prior to its launch, looking for exploits so they can be closed.
Microsoft also uses the term
BlueHat to represent a series of security briefing events.
[11][12][13][edit]Hacktivist
A hacktivist is a hacker who utilizes technology to announce a social, ideological, religious, or political message. In general, most
hacktivism involves website defacement or
denial-of-service attacks.
[edit]Nation state
Intelligence agencies and cyberwarfare operatives of nation states.
[14][edit]Organized criminal gangs
Criminal activity carried on for profit.
[14][edit]Bots
Automated software tools, some freeware, available for the use of any type of hacker.
[14]
