White Hat Hacker

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Who is a White Hat Hacker?

The definition of a white hat hacker is a computer security specialist who breaks into an organization’s protected systems and networks legally to test their security. White hat hackers use their skills to improve security by exposing vulnerabilities before malicious hackers (known as black hat hackers) can detect and exploit them.

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Although their methods are similar, if not identical, to those employed by malicious hackers, white hat hackers have permission to employ them against the organization that has hired them.

What is the goal of a white hat hacker? Unlike malicious attackers, white hat hackers use their skills for good, identifying vulnerabilities in software and systems so that they can be patched to prevent breaches and protect data. For this reason, they are often known as “ethical hackers”. The term comes from old Western movies where the cliché was for the “good guy” to wear a white cowboy hat while the “bad guys” wore black hats.

Who is a White Hat Hacker

Key Takeaways

  • A white hat hacker is a cybersecurity expert who hacks into an organization’s computer security systems to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious hackers.
  • White hat hackers play a key role in defending organizations against cyberattacks and fixing security vulnerabilities.
  • White hat hackers use penetration testing and social engineering, among other techniques.
  • White hat hackers require up-to-date technical knowledge as well as strong problem-solving and communication skills to be effective.
  • Other types of hackers include malicious attackers known as black hat hackers and digital vigilantes known as red hat hackers.

What Does a White Hat Hacker Do?

White hat hackers often work as independent consultants and may be considered a type of network security analyst or engineer because they help companies to develop and implement security systems. They can also work as paid employees for companies or cybersecurity firms. They may be reformed black hat hackers, or they may simply be well-versed in the methods and techniques that hackers use.

An organization hires white hat hackers to do tests and implement best practices that make it less vulnerable to malicious hacking attempts in the future. White hat hackers carry out penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to see how easily a company’s IT system can be infiltrated by malicious attackers, such as through encryption backdoors and other vulnerabilities.

White hat hackers may also participate in bug bounty schemes or report issues to antivirus software providers.

The average ethical, “white hat” hacker salary in 2024 is $91,470, according to PayScale.

Famous White Hat Hackers

Tim Berners-Lee
The inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee is also a white-hat hacker. As an Oxford University student, Berners-Lee was caught hacking into restricted areas of the university’s computer network and banned from using it. In recent years, he has been involved in hacking the web as part of his work to develop an alternative platform.
Greg Hoglund
Greg Hoglund is a researcher and computer forensics specialist focused on malware detection, rootkits, and online game hacking. He has founded several security firms, including Cenzic, Bugscan and Outlier Security, and has worked for the US government. Hoglund exposed a major vulnerability in the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft and wrote one of the first network vulnerability scanners, used by more than half of all Fortune 500 companies.
Charlie Miller
Charlie Miller is known for winning CanSecWest’s annual PWN2OWN hacking contest, which is considered the “Super Bowl of hacking”, four times. Miller is skilled at finding vulnerabilities in Apple products, having hacked into a Mac in less than 10 seconds and becoming the first hacker to exploit the iPhone when it was released.

Miller is also involved in white hat hacking to improve automotive security, breaking into cars remotely. A demonstration with another hacker to remotely control Fiat Chrysler vehicles resulted in a recall of 1.4 million vehicles.

Dan Kaminsky
Dan Kaminsky was a co-founder and chief scientist of Human Security (formerly known as White Ops), a computer security company that detects malware activity and fraud.

In 2008, Kaminsky found a major flaw in the Domain Name System (DNS) protocol, which is used by almost every Internet service, that would allow hackers to carry out cache poisoning attacks on name servers. A patch was developed within days of the flaw being discovered. In 2009, Kaminsky identified and fixed several flaws in the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol.

Richard M. Stallman
In 1971, Richard Stallman joined the group of hackers at MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (AI Lab). He left the lab in 1984 to found the GNU project, to develop a free computer operating system. A version of GNU became Linux, which now has millions of users. Stallman promotes the belief that computers should facilitate cooperation and that hacking is a way to share knowledge and resources to the benefit of others.

White Hat Hacking Security Techniques and Tools

White Hat Hacking Security Techniques and Tools

There are several different techniques and tools that white hat hackers use to access systems and identify vulnerabilities.

Penetration testing
Simulates attacks to identify weaknesses in an organization’s networks and security systems so they can be fixed.
Vulnerability assessments
Researches an organization and analyzes its systems to identify weaknesses in security controls.
Social engineering
Uses techniques such as phishing to trick an organization’s employees to reveal credentials or gain access to systems. This identifies human vulnerabilities and identifies areas for training.
Security training
Related to social engineering, white hat hackers can play a role in educating employees about cybersecurity best practices.
Security audits and incident response
Reviewing a company’s security policies and procedures to ensure they are robust and assisting in the investigation of security breaches to put in place measures to prevent them from being repeated.

White Hat Hacker vs. Black Hat Hacker & Gray Hat Hacker

White Hat Hacker vs. Black Hat Hacker vs. Gray Hat Hacker

Other Types of Hackers

Black hat hackersGray hat hackersBlue hat hackersRed hat hackersGreen hat hackersHacktivists
Malicious attackers who break into computer networks and systems with criminal intent. They breach cyber defenses to gain access to passwords, credit card numbers and other sensitive data. Black hat hackers can be motivated by financial gain, revenge, or notoriety.
Hackers who breach systems without permission to highlight weaknesses or demonstrate their skills. Gray hat hackers often claim they are acting for the benefit of organizations and individuals to identify vulnerabilities so they can be fixed, however, their behavior is viewed as unethical.

Security professionals hired specifically to perform penetration testing and security assessments to identify bugs before a product launch. They work closely with the product developers to limit the potential for security breaches.
Hackers who act as vigilantes to aggressively attack black hat hackers to stop and retaliate against malicious cyber activities. While they help to deter black hat activities, they can blur ethical boundaries owing to their methods.
New hackers who are beginning to learn and understand the technical and ethical elements of hacking. They often participate in entry-level forums and ethical hacking. Script kiddies are inexperienced hackers who engage in hacking for mischief.
Hackers who are driven by political or social motives to attack certain companies or other organizations.

5 Skills to Become a White Hat Hacker

If you are interested in how to become a white hat hacker, you’ll need the following skills:

  • Technical knowledge: Ability to work with various technologies, including computer operating systems, security tools, networking protocols, and programming languages.
  • Problem solving: Ability to address complex, evolving cybersecurity threats and solve problems using analytical and critical thinking skills.
  • Effective communication: Hackers must be able to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical executives and employees so that their recommendations can be implemented effectively.
  • Ethics and integrity: White hat hackers must be focused on ethical behavior and maintain their integrity as they discover weaknesses that they could potentially exploit for personal gain.
  • Continuous learning: To remain effective, hackers must be motivated to keep learning and stay informed of the latest security threats and solutions.

White Hat Hacking Pros and Cons

Pros
  • White hat hackers identify and fix cybersecurity vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can find and exploit them.
  • White hat hacking reduces the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks, saving organizations from financial loss.
  • White hat hackers have specialized knowledge and skills, which organizations may lack in-house.
  • White hat hackers act ethically with the permission of the organizations they hack.
Cons
  • Finding and hiring white hat hackers can be difficult and costly.
  • Testing by hacking devices and systems can disrupt normal business operations.
  • Balancing security testing with ethical concerns such as privacy can be complicated.

White Hat Hacking Legal Considerations

It is crucial that white hat hackers work within legal boundaries and obtain authorization before testing systems. They must comply with laws, internal and external regulations, and industry standards.

Ethical hackers must follow a professional code of ethics and will typically be required to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect the sensitive information of the organizations they work with and maintain confidentiality.

The Bottom Line

As we have seen in the white hat hacker definition above, they play an important role in helping organizations improve their cybersecurity systems. Their skills in breaching network and computer systems to identify vulnerabilities and defend against malicious attacks from black hat hackers are valuable to organizations of all kinds.

FAQs

What is a white hat hacker in simple terms?

What does a white hat hacker do?

How can I become a white hat hacker?

What is a grey hat hacker?

Who is a red hat hacker?

What are white vs. black hat hackers?

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Nicole Willing
Technology Journalist
Nicole Willing
Technology Journalist

Nicole is a professional journalist with 20 years of experience in writing and editing. Her expertise spans both the tech and financial industries. She has developed expertise in covering commodity, equity, and cryptocurrency markets, as well as the latest trends across the technology sector, from semiconductors to electric vehicles. She holds a degree in Journalism from City University, London. Having embraced the digital nomad lifestyle, she can usually be found on the beach brushing sand out of her keyboard in between snorkeling trips.