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Black hat hacker definition
Black hat hackers are criminals who break into computer networks with malicious intent. They may also release malware that destroys files, holds computers hostage, or steals passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal information.
Black hats are motivated by self-serving reasons, such as financial gain, revenge, or simply to spread havoc. Sometimes their motivation might be ideological, by targeting people they strongly disagree with.
What is a black hat hacker?
Black hat hackers often start as novice "script kiddies" using purchased hacker tools to exploit security lapses. Some are trained to hack by bosses eager to make money quickly. The leading black hats tend to be skilled hackers who work for sophisticated criminal organizations which sometimes provide collaboration tools for their workers and offer service agreements to customers, just like legitimate businesses. Black hat malware kits sold on the dark web occasionally even include warranties and customer service.
Black hat hackers often develop specialties, such as phishing or managing remote access tools. Many get their "jobs" through forums and other connections on the dark web. Some develop and sell malicious software themselves, but others prefer to work through franchises or leasing arrangements – again, similar to the legitimate business world.
Hacking has become an integral intelligence-gathering tool for governments, but it is more common for black hat hackers to work alone or with organized crime organizations for easy money.
How black hat hackers work
Hacking can operate like big business, the scale of which makes it easy to distribute malicious software. Organizations boast partners, resellers, vendors, and associates, and they buy and sell licenses for malware to other criminal organizations for use in new regions or markets.
Some black hat organizations even have call centers, which they use to make outbound calls, pretending to work for a well-known technology organization such as Microsoft. In this scam, the hacker tries to convince potential victims to allow remote access to their computers or download software. By granting access or downloading the recommended software, the victim inadvertently enables criminals to harvest passwords and banking information or surreptitiously take over the computer and use it to launch attacks on others. To add further insult, the victim is typically charged an exorbitant fee for this "help."
Other hacks are swift and automated and don't involve human contact. In these cases, attack bots roam the internet to find unprotected computers to infiltrate, often through phishing, malware attachments, or links to compromised websites.
Black hat hacking is a global problem, which makes it extremely difficult to stop. The challenges for law enforcement are that hackers often leave little evidence, use the computers of unsuspecting victims, and cross multiple jurisdictions. Although authorities sometimes succeed in shutting down a hacking site in one country, the same operation may run elsewhere, allowing the group to keep going.
Black hat hacker example
One of the most famous black hat hackers is Kevin Mitnick, who, at one point, was the most wanted cybercriminal in the world. As a black hat hacker, he hacked into over 40 major corporations, including IBM and Motorola, and even the US National Defense warning system. He was subsequently arrested and served time in jail. Following his release, he became a cybersecurity consultant who uses his hacking knowledge for white hat hacking purposes.
Another well-known example is Tsutomu Shimomura, who is a cybersecurity expert credited with tracking down Kevin Mitnick. A computational physics research scientist, Shimomura also worked for the US National Security Agency. He was one of the leading researchers who first raised awareness of cell phones' lack of security and privacy. The founder of Neofocal Systems used his security skills for ethical purposes and played a crucial role in bringing Kevin Mitnick to justice. His book Takedown was later adapted to a film called Track Down.
White hat hacker definition
White hat hackers – sometimes also called “ethical hackers” or “good hackers” – are the antithesis of black hats. They exploit computer systems or networks to identify their security flaws so they can make recommendations for improvement.
