IS HIRING A HACKER ILLEGAL?

Ethical hacking is still legitimate. That is why the term "ethical" was coined. Hacking is the method of identifying vulnerabilities in a device and exploiting these vulnerabilities or glitches to obtain unauthorized access to the system and carry out disruptive and illegal acts such as removing critical file systems or stealing confidential data.

However, if done with consent and within the scope of the law, hacking may be lawful. Companies typically pay computer engineers to break into their programs in order to discover glitches and vulnerable blind spots that can be patched. This is a preventative measure against legitimate hackers with sinister intent that can do significant damage. Ethical hackers are individuals who break into a device with authorization and no malicious intent. The practice is known as ethical hacking. They must adhere to the primary hacking guidelines and enhance the organization's system so that it is less vulnerable to cyber-attacks from the outside.

Types of hackers--

1. White hat hacker - Hiring a white hat hacker to secure sensitive company data or as a precautionary move to protect personal data from a black hat hacker is not illegal. They're deliberately testing new ways to get into your computer network in order to steal your personal information and exploit it for their own gain.

2. Black hat hacker - there are individuals who hack for personal gain, whether financial or otherwise. They could be in your neighborhood or in another country thousands of miles away. However, the details may not be as up-to-date as you think.

3. Grey hat hacker: Some people were once black hats but have now changed their minds to became white hats.

We tried to explain the distinction between hacking and testing within the legal framework, as well as what types of testing are deemed unlawful.

The following are examples of illegal hacking:

1. When a political organization, politician, or campaign strikes a chord with hackers, they often take matters into their own hands by breaking sensitive records, websites, emails, and/or political group networks.

2. Hacking as a hobby just for fun – Many hackers are serious about what they do. They developed their love into a career.

3. Hacking as a form of organized crime – When it comes to organized crime, hacking is always a large and sophisticated enterprise. Hacking for personal gain is very appealing, and the tools used allow hackers to avoid law enforcement at any time.

4. Hacking for publicity – These attacks are typically carried out by the newer generation of hackers, as well as script kids, who are attempting to demonstrate their expertise and worth of groups to whom they can belong. They are inexperienced and immature hackers.

All these forms of hacking are illegal, as there is no authorization for these individuals to access or conduct active testing on these systems, which subsequently leads to several additional offenses. Hackers who perform this activity are called Black Hat Hackers. Let's have a look at the other side of the coin now. Many types of hacking are legal in most cases. Here are a few examples:

1. Research – this entails the use of passive hacking tactics that have little effect on the PC network and pose no security risk. 

2. Bug Bounty – Many large corporations, such as Twitter and Facebook, receive cash incentives for the discovery of threats and vulnerabilities in their processes. They report the vulnerabilities to their respective firms after they've discovered them.

3. Professional Penetration Testing – Working as a penetration tester is the most legal place for hackers to put their talents to use to earn a living. Penetration monitoring can be classified into the following categories:

• Penetrating Web Apps

• Penetration Testing of Infrastructure

• Mobile Device and Application Penetration Testing

4. The Red Team is a full-fledged assault simulation of what a real-world attack will be like. This method of testing will include anything from cognitive engineering to physical entrance tests.

There is a fine line between acting within and outside of the law's jurisdiction. Inquisitiveness is a crucial characteristic of a decent hacker. But, in the end, businesses must be prepared for black hat hackers. If performed correctly, hacking can be a very useful technique for preventing massive business losses.