Contrary to popular belief, hackers are very knowledgeable and talented individuals. They have good command over the workings of websites, programs, and computer systems. Hackers try to find a loophole in the existing security measures and take advantage of them. It is beneficial to organisations as hackers help those spot areas of improvement. Such hackers are known as white hat hackers.

It is a crime only when hackers use that data for their personal gain. Such hackers are known as black hat hackers.

But irrespective of the colour of the hat of hackers, the approach to hacking a system or a server is common among them. In this article, we will delve into the thinking that goes behind typical hacking.

1. Strategizing

Hackers spend a considerable amount of time researching their target and making a perfect strategy. This phase starts days or months before the actual hacking. Hackers find patterns in the online activity of the target. They also try to access as many private records as possible. Once they have the data they need, they chalk out the steps in which the hacking will take place. Suppose a hacker wants to steal data from an MNC, they will have to know how much they will have after breaking into the company files before they are detected and thrown out of the servers.

2. They may be bored!

Yes, you read that right. Many a time, hackers hack into a system just for the fun of it. The entire process of breaking through encrypted firewalls and security measures is challenging. And those measures are set in place by some very qualified individuals. So once hackers are able to hack into it, they feel an immense feeling of satisfaction and pride. This is the reason why many of the black hat hackers go on to become white hat hackers. Often hackers start hacking with no intention of hurting others. They are talented at their work but they lack a positive direction. Once they are made aware of how their talent can be used for the good of others, they give up on illegal hacking. This is what happened in the case of Frank Abagnale Jr. whose story took to mainstream media through Leonardo DiCaprio’s Catch Me If You Can.

3. Masters of deception

Hackers use tricks to deceive their targets by gaining their trust. They may approach their victims online and befriend them before they carry out their plan. By pretending to be friends, they may solicit some confidential information about the company, organisation, or the individuals themselves. Some hackers even go to the extent of creating fake profiles so that they can work in an organisation and steal their data.

4. Opportunistic

As Pablos Holman put it, “Hackers don’t ask what does this do. They ask what can I make this do”. So hackers are individuals who are problem solvers. They come up with ways to reduce the complexity of the code and find a better way to implement it. There are a lot of white hat hackers who do this to help organisations and governments. Unfortunately, hacking is perceived as an activity which can only be done for the wrong reasons. But major universities across the world are acknowledging the potential hackers have and have started to include hacking in their curriculum.