As you know, the threat landscape is evolving rapidly. And much like any other evolving industry, job positions and roles are growing with them to meet the demands of the culture.
It is easy to assume the role of a hacker when learning of cyber breaches or attacks. However, there are ten main types of hackers, classified on their skill level and motive of intent. Those ten types are Black Hat, White Hat, Grey Hat, Script Kiddies, Green Hat, Blue Hat, Red Hat, State/Nation Sponsored, Hacktivists, and Malicious Insider or Whistleblower.
Black Hat
Best described as ‘the villain.’ This type of hacker you imagine sitting in their basement, wearing a black hoodie. These hackers have ill intentions and are considered dangerous.
- Sending phishing messages
- Executing cyberattacks
- Stealing and selling data
- Carrying our financial fraud
- Blackmailing victims with ransomware attacks.
White Hat
The “knight in shining armor.” This type of hacker uses their skill set for good to protect individuals and organizations.
- Identifies and repairs vulnerabilities in a network before cybercriminals discover them.
- Implements effective cybersecurity within a network to ward off cyber threats.
- Created cybersecurity tools like anti-malware, antivirus, firewalls, etc., to secure a network.
Grey Hat
Welcome to the grey area. A Grey Hat hacker falls between black and white hat for intent. They might not have malicious intentions but hack networks without the owner’s consent.
- Identifies and repairs vulnerabilities
- Offers recommendations and solutions again vulnerabilities
- Enhance defenses against cyber threats.
Script Kiddies
“The juvenile.” Script Kiddies are amateurs who do not fully understand or know the hacking process. They attempt to hack systems based on scripts from fellow hackers. They intend to prove their worth to their peers.
Green Hat
The “intern,” if you will. This type of hacker is slightly new to the hacking world. They are driven by the desire to prove their worth to fellow hackers, much like the Script Kiddies. However, they intend to learn and become full-fledged, respected hackers.
Blue Hat
The “Bully.” Their goal is to humiliate or embarrass their target and will not stop until they are successful, using hacking as a weapon. They are the go-to person if you want to deploy cybersecurity measures like penetration testing to secure your networks.
Red Hat
The bad guy that you might want to be friends with, possibly. A Red Hat hacker is similar to a white hat as they have good intentions of saving people from cyberattacks but are ruthless when dealing with Black Hat hackers.
- Breaks into a Black Hat hacker’s network to disrupt cyberattack plans
- Launches malware against the evil hackers
- Tightens the cybersecurity of a network against cyber threats.
State/Nation Sponsored Hackers
Hello, 007. State and Nation Sponsored Hackers work for the government. They use their skillset to obtain sensitive information from other countries to be prepared for any danger to their own country.
Hacktivist
The opposite of 007. These hackers work against the governments to obtain data and use it for personal political, or social gain. Hacktivists will pose themselves as well-intentioned Activist with deep-rooted, secret motives.
Malicious Insider or Whistleblower
The “Insider.” This type of hacker is typically an individual working in an organization that can expose confidential information. The motive of exposure is either due to a personal grudge or because the illegal activity has been discovered and needs to be brought to light.
ZERO PERCENT UNEMPLOYMENT
Ethical hacking jobs are in demand due to the rise of cyber threats and data breaches. Businesses are eager to protect their assets, and insurance companies are increasing the cybersecurity requirements of organizations. A few examples of ethical hacking careers are:
- Penetration Tester
- Vulnerability Assessor
- Information Security Analyst
- Security Analyst
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
- Ethical Hacker
- Security Consultant
- Security Engineer/Architect
- Information Security Manager
There is no difference in the high demand for illicit hackers as well. Comparitech provides a breakdown of the most common dark web hacking requests, illustrating that the need for bad actors is not declining either.
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