Introduction 

When we hear the word “hacking” the first thought people get is malicious computer activity. However, that is not entirely accurate, according to www.knowledgehut.com “computers and the Internet have altered the global work environment in unimaginable ways”. I agree, the internet has added so much to our work environment alone, for example giving more jobs and allowing people to access information. Hacking is not always bad there is ethical vs. non-ethical hacking. Today I will talk about ethical vs. non-ethical hacking and the differences between the two.

What is hacking? 

Hacking is when you use a type of digital technology or network and exploit it to gain unauthorized access to any account or computer. Hacking is not always a malicious act although hacking is frequently linked with cyber attackers doing unlawful behavior and data breaches which is illegal just to let you guys know. Hacking is often used to obtain information for a specific reason. The most common reason is for financial gain which is called ransom. Ransom is a sum of money or other payment demanded for something in return.

Hackers are more dangerous than ever!

 “Hackers are becoming more sophisticated, employing stealthy attack techniques that go unreported by cybersecurity tools and IT professionals. They’re also experts at concocting attack vectors that persuade consumers to open malware programs or click on dangerous websites, revealing sensitive personal information”. According to knowledgehut.com, “The most common hacking technique is phishing. Phishing is when all of our inboxes and message apps are filled with messages daily trying to get us to click a link. If we do click the link it may set off malware. download that contains malicious files capable of harvesting information stored on your device which is highly dangerous.”

What is Ethical Hacking? 

Although hacking is illegal, ethical hacking is a legal method of breaching a security system to detect potential security threats. So basically what they are doing is trying to hack their own or companies that they were hired by systems to make sure hackers cannot and if they can hack into that system they will figure out how to fix it. Ethical hackers are called white hat hackers which are the “good guys” in the hacking corporation. They are doing the same thing as non-ethical hackers but they are good because they are testing their security. Now let us talk about being an ethical hacker as a job. 

According to Salary.com “The average Ethical Hacker’s yearly salary in the United States is $106,617 as of August 27, 2023, but the salary range typically falls between $95,717 and $120,137”. So if you like hacking and want to get paid to do it legally this may be the career path for you.

What is Non-Ethical Hacking? 

Non-ethical hacking is a process performed by black-hat hackers “the bad guys” which involves stealing someone’s information by getting into their computer or a type of account. (bank account, social media account, etc)

They try and use all the potential security threats before the white hat hackers find them and fix them. So the black hat hackers and white hat hackers are always going against each other. They are just like white hat hackers but are bad because they are not using their skills to help they are using their skills to hurt. Now let’s talk about how much non-ethical hackers get paid. I can’t find any extract salary because as a non-ethical hacker, you are not usually hired by anyone like a freelancer but on Welivesecurity.com they wrote an article about a black-hat hacker who states his 3 million dollar PC Bonet makes him 15 to 20 thousand dollars per hour. So I guess you could say crime does pay. I would not recommend being an unethical hacker but if you want to destroy your morals for more money go for it!

Conclusion

In our time of age, the battle between white hat hackers and black hat hackers is always changing the security layout. Ethical hackers are like defenders for helping organizations info stay safe against any potential threats. Those threats are those black-hat hackers that steal companies’ info and cause loss to that company. Knowing the difference between White hat hackers and black hat hackers is needed to stay safe in this hectic world of cyber security.