Hackers are broadly categorized into three main types: White Hat, Black Hat, and Grey Hat.
- White Hat Hackers are ethical professionals who use their skills to improve cybersecurity. They identify vulnerabilities in systems and help organizations patch them to prevent cyberattacks.
- Black Hat Hackers, on the other hand, are malicious actors who exploit system weaknesses for personal or financial gain, often engaging in activities like data theft or ransomware attacks.
- Grey Hat Hackers fall in between—while their actions may not be entirely ethical, they typically aim to expose security flaws without malicious intent.
Other subcategories include script kiddies (novices using pre-written tools), hacktivists (ideologically motivated hackers), and state-sponsored hackers, who work for governments to gather intelligence or disrupt rivals. Each type has unique motives and methods, making the hacking world complex and multifaceted.