When it comes down to online safety, we all need to be made aware of the hackers lurking on the web. Hackers can cause serious destruction to web pages, websites, networks, databases, and more. Today we will be going over three types of hackers that are commonly seen on the web.
What is a black hat hacker? A black hat hacker is a hacker that gets into systems without the proper permission from the owner of the system. One common thing these hackers do is a DOS attack (Denial of Service). One thing a DOS attack can do is temporarily shut down internet connections. There are bad hackers like these guys, however there are actually good hackers out there that benefit the World Wide Web (WWW).
What is an ethical/white hat hacker? These hackers often are paid to test the security of systems. With permission, they will attempt to break into a system. An ethical hacker can also stop the bad hackers from breaking into systems. Ethical hackers not only break into the system legally, but also help secure it and fill in the backdoors. A backdoor is the name of a vulnerable area within the system that hackers can get through.
One way you can protect yourself from being hacked is by not clicking on unknown links, double-checking a website's reputation online before downloading the software, using a VPN (virtual private network), and lastly, not saving your password online and clearing cookies. Cookies are used to track your activity around the web. Do not download a free VPN. A free virtual private network will track you, and a paid one will not. It's worth the money!
My name is Izabella Phillips, and thank you for reading my blog!