A Hacker means a person who can make the system work in unexpected works. Where as a Computer Hacker is any skilled computer expert that uses their technical knowledge to overcome a problem. While “Hacker” can refer to any skilled computer programmer, the term has become associated in popular culture with a “Security Hacker”, someone who, with their technical knowledge, uses bugs or exploits to break into computer systems. There are many types of hackers ranging from noobs to expert hackers.
Typically there are 7 categories of hackers which are :
1. Script Kiddies :
Script Kiddies normally don’t care about hacking. They copy code and use it for a virus or an SQLi or something else. Script Kiddies will never hack for themselves, they’ll just download overused software (LOIC or Metasploit, for example) and watch a YouTube video on how to use it. A common Script Kiddie attack is DoSing or DDoSing (Denial of Service and Distributed Denial of Service), in which they flood an IP with so much information it collapses under the strain. This attack is frequently used by the “hacker” groups which are well known like Anonymous. They don’t know the internal working, they just use the tool and do something with it.
2. White Hat Hackers :
Also known as ethical hackers, White Hat hackers are the good guys of the hacker world. They’ll help you remove a virus or PenTest a company. Most White Hat hackers hold a college degree in IT security or computer science and must be certified to pursue a career in hacking. The most popular certification is the CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) from the EC-Council.
3. Black Hat Hackers :
Also known as crackers, these are the men and women you hear about in the news. They find banks or other companies with weak security and steal money or credit card information. The surprising truth about their methods of attack is that they often use common hacking practices they learned early on.
4. Gray Hat Hackers :
Nothing is ever just black or white; the same is true in the world of hacking. Gray Hat hackers don’t steal money or information (although, sometimes they deface a website or two), yet they don’t help people for good (but, they could if they wanted to). These hackers comprise most of the hacking world, even though Black Hat hackers garner most (if not all) of the media’s attention.
5. Green Hat Hackers :
These are the hacker “n00bz,” but unlike Script Kiddies, they care about hacking and strive to become full-blown hackers. They’re often flamed by the hacker community for asking many basic questions. When their questions are answered, they’ll listen with the intent and curiosity of a child listening to family stories.
6. Red Hat Hackers :
These are the vigilantes of the hacker world. They’re like White Hats in that they halt Black Hats, but these folks are downright SCARY to those who have ever tried so much as PenTest. Instead of reporting the malicious hacker, they shut him/her down by uploading viruses, DoSing and accessing his/her computer to destroy it from the inside out. They leverage multiple aggressive methods that might force a cracker to need a new computer.
7. Blue Hat Hackers :
If a Script Kiddie took revenge, he/she might become a Blue Hat. Blue Hat hackers will seek vengeance on those who’ve them angry. Most Blue Hats are n00bz, but like the Script Kiddies, they have no desire to learn.
