Black hat

:The black hat is also one of Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats.

Related Topics:
Edward de Bono - Six Thinking Hats

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A black hat or black-hat hacker is a malicious or criminal hacker. The term hacker is also commonly is used as a synonym for "black hat hacker". However, in computer jargon, the meaning of "hacker" is much more broad.

Related Topics:
Hacker - Hacker

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Usually a Black Hat refers to a person who maintains knowlege of the vulnerabilities and exploits they find as secret for private advantage, not revealing them either to the general public or manufacturer for correction. Many Black Hats promote individual freedom and accessibility over privacy and security. Black Hats may seek to expand holes in systems; any attempts made to patch software are generally to prevent others from also compromising a system they have already obtained secure control over. A Black Hat hacker may have access to 0-day exploits (private software that exploits security vulnerabilities; 0-day exploits have not been distributed to the public). In the most extreme cases, Black Hats may work to cause damage maliciously, and/or make threats to do so for blackmail purposes.

Related Topics:
Exploit - 0-day - Blackmail

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The opposite of a black hat hacker is a white hat hacker.

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The reference to colored hats comes from Hollywood?s use of hats in old black-and-white Western movies to help an audience differentiate between the good guys (white hats) and the bad guys (black hats).

Related Topics:
Hollywood - Western - Movies

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A brown hat hacker is one who thinks before acting or commiting a Malice or Nonmalice deed.

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A black hatter is also a common term for certain groups of people who tend to wear black hats, i.e. Orthodox Jews.

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