BotNet News

Hacking is the manipulation of digital code or systems to make them do something they weren’t designed to do. It can be creative and positive like improving security, or malicious and illegal like breaking into systems and stealing data.

Black hat hackers exploit vulnerabilities in computer and financial systems for their own financial gain or for more malicious purposes such as corporate espionage, data theft, tampering with critical systems or websites and even nation-state attacks. They are the most dangerous type of hacker and can cause serious harm to users and organizations.

Gray hat hackers often have a different motivation than black hat hackers and operate in a sort of moral middle ground. They can be disgruntled employees or hackers working on contract for a company. Some may have political motives such as Anonymous or other hacktivist groups.

White hat hackers (also called ethical hackers) use their skills for benevolent purposes such as penetration testing and helping companies find security vulnerabilities. They can be employed by companies or work as freelancers and must have certifications from bodies such as CompTIA and EC-Council.

To help safeguard against hacking, it is recommended to only download applications and software from trusted organizations and first-party sources. It is also a good idea to change default usernames and passwords on routers, smart devices and computers to avoid being hacked. Finally, be sure to always log out of websites and apps you have finished using and clear your internet history to help prevent cybercriminals from accessing personal information or passwords.