What is Black Hat Hacker?

Black hat hackers use malware to break into computer systems to acquire data. Their motives may vary. However, in many cases, black hat hacks are driven by personal interest for quick financial gain. The malicious software used by black hat hackers is capable of stealing, editing, or deleting data from a computer system after it was accessed.

The strategies used by black hat hackers depend on their skill level. While some black hat attacks are small-scale, others target corporations. In recent years, there have been several notable black hat hacks aimed at blockchain and interchain networks with the aim to extract large sums of cryptocurrencies.

Black Hat Hackers vs. White Hat Hackers

Black and white hat hackers derive their names from the Spaghetti Western tropes. In these movies, good characters usually wore white hats, while the bad guys wore black ones. Therefore, the hat colors represent the intent of the hackers.

Black hat hackers commit their attacks with the intent to steal data, assets, or otherwise cause harm to computer systems. They can jeopardize network security by directly altering data or removing it altogether. Black hat hacking is committed with criminal intent.

White hat hackers are otherwise known as ethical hackers. They are computer experts hired by organizations to run checks on their systems by hacking into them, and expose vulnerabilities when they come across any.

White hat hackers may test the penetrability of the computer system and install protective measures to reinforce network security. White hat hackers aim to get ahead of malicious actors like black hat hackers and patch any system issues before they are taken advantage of.

Other Hat Hackers

In addition to black and white hats, there are more colors on the hacking spectrum. As technologies advance, new hacker categories are established at varying levels of proficiency and driven by different intent.

Gray Hat Hackers

As the name suggests, gray hat hackers lie somewhere in the middle between black and white hats. Their intent may be murky. Gray hat hackers typically don’t aim to make a profit from their attacks. Their actions may simply be driven by curiosity and wanting to explore the gaps in computer systems.

However, gray hat hackers are not necessarily driven by ethical intent either. They may not report their discoveries of system gaps to the organization, thus leaving the opportunity for black hat hackers to break into the network. They do not feel the need to help people or organizations. Therefore, they are in the “gray area” of cybercrime.

Green Hat Hackers

Green hat hackers are referred to as such because they are still new to the field. They do not have the advanced skills and experience of black hat hackers, which makes them green in comparison.

They are generally enthusiastic about developing their skills and improving their hacking abilities. They may seek out more experienced hackers as mentors. Whether they end up becoming black, white, or gray hat hackers depends on their personal intent.

Blue Hat Hackers

There are two definitions of blue hat hackers. Some define them as hackers who are seeking revenge from a particular company or an individual. The more common profile of a blue hat hacker is someone who does not have advanced hacking abilities. However, unlike green hats, they aren’t interested in developing their skills further.

Blue hat hackers may only develop enough knowledge to commit the attack on their target of vengeance and not commit any further cybercrime in the future.

Red Hat Hackers

Red hat hackers are sometimes described as vigilantes. Similar to white hats, red hat hackers aim to disarm black hats. However, red hats do not simply want to prevent a black hat from breaching a system. Their goal is to cause as much harm to black hats in the process as possible.

Red hats may launch counter-attacks aimed at the systems used by black hat hackers. They attempt to destroy the software used by black hats and are often considered to be the most sophisticated category of hackers.

Other Hacker Types

Black hat hacking is only one form of hacking that is common in the digital world. Different types of hacking are distinguished based on their methodology and the aim of the hacker.

Acquiring sensitive data and metadata, stealing financial assets, and spying on individuals or governmental organizations are a few of the common motives for hackers. White hat hackers are typically hired by organizations to expose system vulnerabilities or bugs.

Some hackers are organized into groups and perform their attacks with political intent. These hackers are typically known as hacktivists. Organizations like Anonymous are known as hacktivist movements.