White, Grey, and Black Hat Hackers

White, Grey, and Black Hat Hackers

Taihei Sone

Increase in cyber warfare between nations

Increase in cyber attacks and rise of white hat hackers

Popularization of the Internet and online attacks

Hacking of computers

Hacking of telephone lines

A brief history of hacking

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

White / grey / Black Hat Hackers

White

White hat hackers are called “ethical hackers” or “good hackers”, who exploit computer systems or networks to identify their security flaws so they can make recommendations for improvement.

GREY

Gray hat hackers look for vulnerabilities in a system without the owner's permission and report issues to the owner, sometimes requesting a small fee to fix them.

Black

Black hat hackers are criminals who break into computer networks with malicious intent and motivated by self-serving reasons, such as financial gain, revenge, or simply to spread havoc.

<Unethical>

<Ethical>

Ethical vs. Unethical hacking

Often conducted by white hat hackers.

Test internet systems to find bugs and security loopholes.

An effort to help organizations lock them down before black hat hackers.

Often conducted by black hat hackers.

Violate computer security and break into systems.

For personal or financial gain, destructive motives, or other malicious intent.

How all three forms of hacking-related to Cyber Security

• White hat hackers contribute to strengthening security measures and reduce the risk to companies.
• Grey hat hackers sometimes cause uncertainty, but the discovery and reporting of vulnerabilities can ultimately lead to improved security.
• Black hat hackers threaten the safety of systems and data, creating significant risks for companies and individuals.

three additional sources

• Anderson, R. (2010). Security Engineering: A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems. Wiley.
• Dhananjay, R. (2020). Hacking: The Art of Exploitation. No Starch Press.
• McCoy, K. (2017). Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing Guide. Wiley.

Thank you!