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Hug a Hacker?

7th October 2024

Maybe not but it might be useful to get to know your would-be hacker. A hacker is very easy to identify if you met them face to face because, apparently, they always wear a dark hoody and a creepy white mask, however, as they generally tend to be the other side of a computer, it’s not quite that easy.

What they do all have in common though, is advanced levels of analytical thinking and problem solving, attention to detail, and a laser sharp focus together with unusual levels of persistence. They tend to be lone operators, typically self-taught, male, non-conformists with, according to research: low agreeableness (i.e. highly competitive, with low levels of empathy). There is also a willingness to take risks, whether legal, financial, or personal, in pursuit of their objectives.

In case you were thinking that this would be a good career change for you, hacker’s psychometric traits tend to include a heightened sense of paranoia or distrust, particularly regarding their own privacy and security, thus ruling out all you social party animals or, indeed, anyone who likes to leave their bedroom regularly!

However, not all hackers are malicious; they are generally categorized into different types based on their intentions:

1. Black Hat Hackers

  • Motivation: Personal gain, financial profit, revenge, or just the thrill of causing chaos.

  • Activities: Engaging in illegal activities such as stealing data, disrupting services, deploying malware, or gaining unauthorized access to systems.

  • Skill Level: Highly skilled in exploiting vulnerabilities and often work in underground communities or cybercrime networks.

2. White Hat Hackers (Ethical Hackers)

  • Motivation: Improving security and helping organizations protect their systems.

  • Activities: Conducting penetration tests, finding and reporting vulnerabilities to companies or organizations, and helping improve cybersecurity measures.

  • Skill Level: Highly knowledgeable in cybersecurity tools and techniques; often work in professional settings, including cybersecurity firms, or as independent consultants.

3. Gray Hat Hackers

  • Motivation: A mix of curiosity, challenge, and potential financial reward, but without malicious intent.

  • Activities: Exploring systems and networks without authorization but without causing harm. Sometimes report vulnerabilities to the affected organizations, sometimes asking for a fee.

  • Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced, possessing a blend of both black and white hat skills.

4. Script Kiddies

  • Motivation: Thrill-seeking, gaining notoriety, or learning.

  • Activities: Using pre-written scripts or tools created by more experienced hackers to launch attacks. They generally lack deep technical knowledge.

  • Skill Level: Low, relying on tools developed by others.

5. Hacktivists

  • Motivation: Political, social, or ideological beliefs.

  • Activities: Conducting attacks to promote their cause, such as defacing websites, disrupting services, or leaking sensitive information to expose corruption or injustice.

  • Skill Level: Varies widely, from basic defacement tactics to sophisticated operations depending on the individual or group.

6. Nation-State Hackers (Advanced Persistent Threats - APTs)

  • Motivation: Espionage, sabotage, or influencing geopolitical events, often acting on behalf of a government.

  • Activities: Engaging in prolonged and targeted cyber operations against foreign governments, critical infrastructure, or corporations, often to steal intelligence, disrupt operations, or influence elections.

  • Skill Level: Extremely advanced, with access to significant resources and the ability to carry out long-term, stealthy operations.

Click HERE for articles on protecting your digital assets.

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