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Hacking is the technical manipulation of digital code or systems to alter their normal behavior. This can expose software vulnerabilities, which can be exploited by adversaries, to gain access to sensitive data or take control of systems. Hacking is no longer the domain of curious individuals testing boundaries from their basements – it now underpins a billion-pound global cybercrime economy, driven by professional ransomware groups and nation-state actors. Modern attacks are fast and complex, leveraging cloud infrastructure, scripts and agentic AI tools to rapidly scan the globe and compromise targets at scale. Understanding how hackers operate is vital for organisations to develop a resilient defence strategy.

There are three types of Hackers depending on their intention: Black hat hackers use their skills for illegal or disruptive purposes. They may target large corporations or government agencies for financial gain, steal personal information or even shut down websites and critical infrastructure. They can infect systems with malware, send spam or launch DDoS attacks. They can also hijack the victim’s computer to use as a zombie or for other malicious activities, such as spying on their victims or sending phishing emails.

Ethical hackers rely on their expertise and professional conduct to proactively identify flaws in systems so they can be fixed. They must remain transparent with their clients and adhere to industry best practices to maintain a high level of ethical conduct. Amateur programmers or “script kiddies” are less technically skilled and rely on ready-made hacking scripts to carry out their attacks. Hacktivists – the loose collective Anonymous being probably the most well-known – use their skills to bring attention to social and political issues.