The terms hacker and cracker, within computing, have quite different meanings. A hacker is one who can break into a foreign computer system. The term cracker refers to whoever does it for illegal purposes. It can be both for personal gain or to publish the content on the network, thus committing a crime. We are going to show you the difference between the two.
[irp posts=”31758″]Table of Contents
Definition of hacker and cracker
Let's start by defining these terms correctly
- Hacker: Person who has enough computer knowledge to enter a foreign system and be able to manipulate it. This can be done for fun or to help improve system security.
- Crackers: Person who enters a foreign system for criminal purposes. You can search for sensitive information and demand a ransom for it or expose it online without authorization.
Difference between hacker and cracker
The big difference between the two lies in the end of the type of incursion into a foreign system. The hacker breaks into third-party systems in order to verify security and improve security. There are groups of hackers who look for flaws in the security of different services in order to send a report explaining the problem and ways to correct it.
Different types of security holes have recently been published in the physical layer of Intel processors. Researchers have found a number of flaws that allow information to be stolen. These researchers have reported the problem to Intel so that it can correct the problem. This is how a computer hacker acts, finding a security problem and reporting it.
On the contrary, the cracker looks for security flaws to sneak into a system and steal sensitive information. This information can then be auctioned on the Dark Web or made public. In both cases, one or more serious computer crimes are being committed.
This could be summarized as:
Chippers
- A person with advanced computer skills who uses such learning to improve the security of a system or network
- It has the ability to generate its own code that allows to fix security problems
- You know what you are doing at all times
- Its purpose is constructive
- They like their profession and constantly seek to learn to improve the security of computer systems
Cracker
- They use computer software created to detect possible vulnerabilities in systems. They study these weak points and find the best way to access these security holes
- Has advanced computer knowledge, being able to generate and design intrusive tools
- Its purpose is to destroy and steal sensitive information
- They sell the sensitive information obtained or expose it on the network to generate damage
- They exploit vulnerabilities and share them with third parties in forums on the Dark Web
Hacker types
The hacker world is much larger and more complex than you might think. Hackers are usually of the 'White Hat' type, computer lovers who want to improve the security of the systems. We have the 'Gray Hat', which are those who can commit a crime in order to hunt down crackers or 'Black Hat' hackers. Finally, 'Black Hat' hackers or crackers are those who seek to commit crimes or damage.
White Hat
Modern computer systems are far from immune to security flaws. White Hat hackers , or ethical hackers, search for vulnerabilities in computer networks, software, and various systems and help to fix them. Their sole purpose is to provide security for users and companies. You've probably heard of Chema Alonso , the Telefónica hacker; well, he would fall into this category.
Gray Hat
They are characterized as highly knowledgeable hackers who can act illicitly with good intentions. While they can commit crimes, their goal is not to profit, it is simply to improve the security of a system.
Black Hat
These are the most dangerous; they only seek personal gain and don't hesitate to break the law. Black hat hackers or crackers pose a risk to computer systems and privacy. They readily exploit vulnerabilities, steal information, and sell it without regard for the consequences.
Red Hat
Its only objective is to pursue the Black Hat and prevent them from committing the planned actions. This type of hacker wants to cause a lot of damage to Black Hat or crackers. If any Red Hat detects a Black Hat, it will attack it with everything, computer viruses, initiate a DoSing and even try to access the cracker's system to destroy it.
Blue hat
They can be malicious, but not against everyone, but against a specific person or company. His only goal is revenge. They may have rather poor hacking skills and are often not very prone to learning to improve. They want to know just enough to be annoying.
Green hat
They are the new kids in the neighborhood and they work to improve their skills and learn. They have a lot to prove and are often reprimanded by the hacker community for asking very basic questions. Despite the jeers, their desire to learn leads them to constantly ask questions. They do not have a clear understanding of their actions and they can often be quite dangerous and cause more than one problem.
Script Kiddies
Although they are not given a color, they are part of the hacker community. They do not seek to 'waste' time hacking networks at all, they seek to copy code and insert it into a virus, SQLi and other applications. They usually download widely used code and learn how it works. They are often involved in DDoS attacks.
Hacktivists
It would be a kind of division within the Black Hat. The attacks they carry out are political in nature. Their attacks are usually based on freedom of expression and information, although they sometimes also seek evidence of conspiracy theories. Hacktivists also fight terrorist groups and the use of the technology they make. Possibly the best known hacktivist group is Anonymous.
Conclusion
Neither black nor white. As you can see, each has its own particularities and defining characteristics. In the broadest sense, a hacker would be someone good, and a cracker, someone bad. Then we can delve into different specifics, of which, as you can see, there are many in the world of hacking.
[irp]