HACKERS

A trending definition of hacking is breaking digital devices or networks through unauthorized access to an account or computer system. This is not always a malicious act, but it has been associated mostly with illegal activity and data theft by cybercriminals.

But what is hacking in a cybersecurity context?

Hacking: This can be defined as the improper use of devices like computers, tablets, smartphones, and computer networks to cause damage to or corrupt systems, gather information on users, steal data and documents, or disrupt data-related activity.

People who engage in this activity are called "hackers".

Although most people see this as an act of crime, hackers do vary and are classified on what they do and how they do it.

1. White Hat Hackers: This set of people can be termed as the “good guys”. They are the set of hackers that prevent the illegal access of the internet or devices associated with the internet. They are mostly associated with the term “Ethical Hackers”.

2. Grey Hat Hackers: These are the set of people that are somewhere in between the good side of things and the bad side of things. They tend to break into systems and networks mostly without consent but not to do any harm. Instead, when they successfully get into the system or network, they raise awareness and show how they got to achieve that aim, to prevent those who tend to use it for harm.

3. Black Hat Hackers: These are the set of people we tag as the “bad guys”. They illegally gain access to computer systems or networks (without consent). They go out of their way to discover vulnerabilities in the system or network to steal data, gain reputation and many other things that seem beneficial to them. These are the people the white hat hackers tend to prevent.

These set of people don’t just do this physically aloe some can be done from the comfort of their homes. The major step is to find a vulnerability in the system, network or device. How do they do that, how do they find vulnerabilities? We will find out soon.