One of the most prevalent attitudes in the media is that hacking can be used for financial gain. A lot of the traditional, paper and TV media outlets, and several of the technological, new media channels brashly claim that hackers are the ones who decode websites, sneak around, and steal you identity. However the reality of the situation is quite different.
“In common usage, a hacker is a stereotypical person who breaks into computers and computer networks, either for profit or motivated by the challenge. The subculture that has evolved around hackers is often referred to as the computer underground but is now an open community.
Other definitions of the word hacker exist that are not related to computer security. They are subject to the long standing hacker definition controversy about the true meaning of hacker. In this controversy, the term hacker is reclaimed by computer programmers who argue that someone breaking into computers is better called cracker, not making a difference between computer criminals (“black hats”) and computer security experts (“white hats”). Some white hat hackers claim that they also deserve the title hacker, and that only black hats should be called crackers. None of this controversy has gained any relevance in mainstream media, TV and movies, however.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_(computer_security)
As this quote explains, the media’s portrayal of cyberthiefs as hackers, as seen in coverage of the Lush data theft [http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/4662025/Kiwi-online-shoppers-details-stolen] and the Morgan Stanley data breach [http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2029564/morgan-stanley-network-hacked].
This term controversy should play a vital part in the media portray of hacking, as if the media were to utalise the correct terms, all those examples of data fraud and information theft wouldn’t be examples of hacking, but of cracking instead.
Below is a copypasta list of the different types of hackers, and the terms used by educated media outlets to describe them.
White hat
A white hat hacker breaks security for non-malicious reasons, for instance testing their own security system. This classification also includes individuals who perform penetration tests and vulnerability assessments within a contractual agreement. Often, this type of ‘white hat’ hacker is called an ethical hacker. The International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants, also known as the EC-Council has developed certifications, courseware, classes, and online training covering the diverse arena of Ethical Hacking.[10]
Black hat
A black hat hacker, sometimes called a cracker, is someone who breaks computer security without authorization or uses technology (usually a computer, phone system or network) for malicious reasons such as vandalism, credit card fraud, identity theft, piracy, or other types of illegal activity.[10][11]
Grey hat
A grey hat hacker is a combination of a Black Hat and a White Hat Hacker. A Grey Hat Hacker may surf the internet and hack into a computer system for the sole purpose of notifying the administrator that their system has been hacked, for example. Then they may offer to repair their system for a small fee.[4]
Elite hacker
A social status among hackers, elite is used to describe the most skilled. Newly discovered exploits will circulate among these hackers. Elite groups such as Masters of Deceptionconferred a kind of credibility on their members.[12]:86,90,117 Elite (e.g. 31337) gives the term leet speak its name.
Script kiddie
A script kiddie is a non-expert who breaks into computer systems by using pre-packaged automated tools written by others, usually with little understanding of the underlying concept—hence the term script (i.e. a prearranged plan or set of activities) kiddie (i.e. kid, child—an individual lacking knowledge and experience, immature).[11]
Neophyte
A neophyte, “n00b”, or “newbie” is someone who is new to hacking or phreaking and has almost no knowledge or experience of the workings of technology, and hacking.[4]
Blue hat
A blue hat hacker is someone outside computer security consulting firms who is used to bug test a system prior to its launch, looking for exploits so they can be closed. Microsoftalso uses the term BlueHat to represent a series of security briefing events.[13][14][15]
Hacktivist
A hacktivist is a hacker who utilizes technology to announce a social, ideological, religious, or political message. In general, most hacktivism involves website defacement or denial-of-service attacks. In more extreme cases, hacktivism is used as tool for cyberterrorism. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_(computer_security)]
Hacking in the Media 