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Classification of Hackers Methods of Cybersecurity Attack

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Classification of Hackers Methods of Cybersecurity Attack

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Information Technology | Information Assurance & Security | System Technology Institute

College

Classification of Hackers
Hackers can be classified into different categories based on their intent of hacking a system.
These different terms come from old Spaghetti Westerns where the bad guy wears a black
cowboy hat, and the good guy wears a white.

I. White Hat Hackers


➢ Also known as "ethical hackers."
➢ Intend to find weaknesses in computer or network systems as part of penetration testing and
vulnerability assessments.
➢ Never harm systems and operate legally.
➢ Ethical hacking is a demanding job in the IT industry, with many companies hiring them for
security assessments.

II. Black Hat Hackers


➢ Also known as "crackers."
➢ Hack to gain unauthorized access and harm systems or steal sensitive information.
➢ Engage in illegal activities such as stealing corporate data, violating privacy, damaging systems,
and blocking network communication.

III. Gray Hat Hackers


➢ A blend of both black and white hackers.
➢ Exploit security weaknesses without malicious intent, often for fun.
➢ Act without owner’s permission or knowledge but aim to inform owners about the weaknesses
and may seek appreciation or bounties.
➢ Note: Gray or Grey hackers are the same.
➢ Miscellaneous Hackers

IV. Red Hat Hacker


➢ A blend of black hat and white hat hackers.
➢ Often target government agencies and sensitive information hubs.

V. Blue Hat Hacker


➢ Individuals outside computer security consulting firms who test systems for bugs before launch.
➢ Look for exploitable loopholes and aim to close them.
➢ Microsoft uses "BlueHat" for its security briefing events.
VI. Elite Hacker
➢ Describes the most skilled hackers, representing a high social status within the hacking
community.

VII. Script Kiddie


➢ Non-experts who use pre-packaged automated tools to break into systems.
➢ Have little understanding of the underlying concepts of hacking.
➢ Neophyte (n00b, Newbie, Green Hat Hacker)
➢ New to hacking or phreaking with minimal knowledge or experience in technology and hacking.

VIII. Hacktivist
➢ Hackers who use technology to promote social, ideological, religious, or political messages.
➢ Common activities include website defacement and denial-of-service attacks.

Methods of Cybersecurity Attack


1. Adware
Software designed to force pre-chosen ads to display on a system.

2. Attack
An action performed on a system to gain access and extract sensitive data.

3. Back Door (Trap Door)


Hidden entry to a computing device or software that bypasses security measures.

4. Bot and Botnet


Bot: A program that automates actions at a higher rate than a human.

Botnet: A group of controlled computers used for spam or denial-of-service attacks.

5. Brute Force Attack


Automated method of trying different username and password combinations until access is gained.

6. Buffer Overflow
A flaw where more data is written to a buffer than it can hold.

7. Clone Phishing
Modification of a legitimate email with a false link to trick recipients into providing personal
information.
8. Cracker
Modifies software to access features deemed undesirable, such as copy protection.

9. Denial-of-Service Attack (DoS)


Malicious attempt to make a server or network resource unavailable to users.

10. Exploit Kit


Software system on web servers to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in client machines.

11. Exploit
Software or data sequence that takes advantage of a bug or vulnerability to compromise security.

12. Firewall
A filter designed to keep unwanted intruders out of a computer system or network.

13. Keystroke Logging


Tracking keys pressed on a computer to record login IDs and passwords.

14. Logic Bomb


A virus that triggers a malicious action when certain conditions are met.

15. Malware
Umbrella term for hostile software, including viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, spyware, and
more.

16. Master Program


Used by hackers to transmit commands to infected computers for DoS attacks or spam.

17. Phishing
Email fraud method to gather personal and financial information from recipients.

18. Phreakers
Original computer hackers who break into telephone networks to make free calls or tap lines.

19. Rootkit
Stealthy software designed to hide processes or programs and enable continued privileged access.

20. Shrink Wrap Code


Exploiting holes in unpatched or poorly configured software.

21. Social Engineering


Deceiving someone to acquire sensitive information like credit card details or passwords.

22. Spam
Unsolicited email sent to a large number of recipients.

23. Spoofing
Technique to gain unauthorized access by sending messages with a fake IP address from a trusted
host.

24. Spyware
Software that gathers information about a person or organization without their knowledge.

25. SQL Injection


Technique to attack data-driven applications by inserting malicious SQL statements.

26. Threat
Possible danger that exploits a bug or vulnerability to compromise security.

27. Trojan (Trojan Horse)


Malicious program disguised as a valid program to destroy files or steal information.

28. Virus
Malicious program capable of copying itself and causing detrimental effects.

29. Vulnerability
Weakness that allows a hacker to compromise security.

30. Worms
Self-replicating virus that resides in active memory and duplicates itself.

31. Cross-site Scripting (XSS)


Vulnerability in web applications allowing attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages.

32. Zombie Drone


Hijacked computer used for malicious activities like distributing spam emails.
References:

GeeksforGeeks. (n.d.). Types of Hackers. Retrieved June 11, 2024, from


https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/types-of-hackers/

Simplilearn. (2023, October 11). Types of Cyber Attacks You Should Be Aware of in 2024. Retrieved June
11, 2024, from https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/cyber-security-tutorial/types-of-cyber-attacks.

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