After headline-worthy cyberattacks on a major pipeline, meat packing plant and water plant, 2021 could easily be described as the year of the ‘hack attack’.
In October, Microsoft released its second annual Digital Defense Report, which examines hacking reports on a global scale. According to the report, Russian-based organizations were responsible for 58 percent of hacks. The report also determined that the United States was the biggest target of international cyber threats.
But not all hackers and cybercrime is alike. In the world of hacking, there’s the good, the bad, and the ugly. There are three main types of hackers who conduct varying shades of illegal activity.
Black hat hackers
Simply put, black hats are the bad guys. They’re often the hackers you see in the headlines; responsible for stealing money, data and sensitive information. A Michigan State University study estimated the financial damage from these hacks as between 445 to 600 billion dollars per year.
Gray hat hackers
These hackers are usually harmless, with a lack of malicious intent. Gray hats are known for publicly showcasing vulnerabilities on other people’s websites or apps…without being asked. Hacker rule of thumb: if it’s unsolicited, it’s illegal.
White hat hackers
White hats are known as ethical hackers, serving as the strongest line of defense against black hats. Government agencies and companies hire white hats to identify cyber threats and help fix them. Unlike gray hats, their work is legal because they have permission to hack.
