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Not all hackers are the same
When people hear the word hacker, most imagine a cybercriminal.
In reality, however, many hackers help organizations by identifying weaknesses before attackers can exploit them.
The difference between a black hat and a white hat hacker often lies not in their technical skills, but in their intent, the rules they follow, and their sense of responsibility:
- Black hats – “bad” hackers. They break into systems without permission to steal money, spread ideas, cause disruption, or just get attention.
- White hats – “good” or “ethical” hackers. They use the same skills, but only with written permission to help find and fix weaknesses.
- Grey hats – in-between. They sometimes investigate without permission, which can create legal risk even if their intent is positive.
The skills are the same. The difference lies in rules and accountability.
Why we need “good hackers” more than ever
Two things are driving demand for “good” hacking.
People are still the easiest way for attackers to get in. According to the Data Breach Investigations Report, human error was a main factor in 68% of breaches. This includes phishing, mistakes, or weak passwords. That’s why companies need realistic testing that addresses these weak points before criminals exploit them.
Attacks are getting faster and more disruptive. The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) reports that attacks against availability were the top category in 2024, followed by ransomware and data-related threats. This reflects what many teams experience in practice, from service outages to data extortion.
How ethical hackers work
Principle. Ethical hacking starts with permission – a clear scope defining what is included and excluded, rules of engagement describing what is allowed, and agreed timelines for reporting.
A practical step-by-step guide is NIST SP 800-115 from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It explains planning, evidence collection, analysis, and how to turn findings into mitigation steps. Think of it as a checklist for conducting security tests properly.
Most organizations work with ethical hackers through formal penetration testing contracts or by setting up programs such as a Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP) or bug bounty, which provide safe and legal ways to report issues.
Example. A tester proves a SQL injection in a login form. They document the steps to reproduce it, demonstrate realistic impact (for example, account bypass or unauthorized data access), and recommend safer database practices such as parameterized queries. The report is then submitted through the agreed channel.
Impact. Many teams map findings to MITRE ATT&CK and maintain a shared knowledge base of attacker tactics. Using this common language helps defenders understand how a vulnerability fits into an attack chain – for example, Initial Access → Execution → Persistence—and where to strengthen controls.
Staying on the right side of the law
In Europe, Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (CVD) allows researchers to report issues responsibly while vendors fix them in a controlled timeframe. ENISA guidance explains how CVD and Vulnerability Disclosure Policies (VDPs) create safe and predictable reporting channels.
In short: get permission first, follow the policy, and do no harm.
The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), which entered into force in December 2024, raises expectations that products with digital elements will be secure by design and that manufacturers will manage vulnerabilities throughout the product lifecycle. This gives users greater assurance that discovered issues will be handled systematically.
Report a bug, help everyone – and sometimes get paid
A VDP tells ethical hackers – and the public – how to report security issues safely: what is in scope, where to report, and expected response timelines. ENISA’s CVD materials are a good starting point for understanding how VDPs protect users.
If an organization does not have a clear process for reporting vulnerabilities:
- ethical hackers often do not know who to contact,
- security flaws may remain unresolved,
- or vulnerabilities may reach attackers before the organization becomes aware of them.
A Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP) creates a safe and legitimate process for handling these issues responsibly.
Some programs even offer financial rewards. The European Commission’s EU-FOSSA 2 initiative funded bug bounties for widely used open-source projects relied on by EU institutions. It showed that structured incentives can uncover serious – and sometimes very old – vulnerabilities before attackers do.
Learn and practice safely: CyberGame in Slovakia
Want to try cybersecurity without risk? Try Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions. They simulate real challenges – web security, cryptography, or forensics.
A local example is CyberGame, a national cybersecurity competition organized with expert support from the National Security Authority of the Slovak Republic (NBÚ) and its National Cybersecurity Centre SK-CERT. CyberGame provides a safe learning environment, runs public challenges, and even nominates top players for national representation.
It’s a practical way for students, IT professionals, and curious newcomers to learn, practice, and join the community – without causing harm.
Conclusion
Hacking skills themselves are not the problem.
What matters are the rules, responsibility, and intent behind their use.
While black hat hackers look for ways to exploit systems, white hat hackers help organizations build resilience before an incident occurs.
In an environment of growing cyber threats, ethical hacking is becoming an essential part of modern cybersecurity management.