The Difference Between a Good Hacker and a Bad Hacker

There’s an ongoing debate in the world of technology about what makes a good hacker and what makes a bad hacker. Many argue that no matter the intention, any kind of hacking is inherently unethical, but this isn’t always the case. As with any line of work, some hackers make their living doing it legally, while others work illegally without regard to consequences. This article explores the differences between good and bad hackers, so you can figure out which side of the fence your own actions fall on.


A Good Hacker Takes Ownership

When you’re dealing with web applications, there are often mistakes that can be exploited. But that’s not what you want to do as a security professional—or an ethical hacker, for that matter. When you find these mistakes in your own applications, you should admit to them right away, learn from your mistake, make sure it doesn’t happen again and take ownership of it.


A Good Hacker Plans Ahead

A good hacker knows that security is about more than just defending against hackers. Even if you patch every hole in your code, there may still be weak spots created by bugs or unsecured third-party software that could expose your system to attack. That’s why it’s so important to think about security before you write any code at all.


A Good Hacker Reads the Manual

A good hacker doesn’t just jump into something head first; he wants to understand what’s going on. If you want to be a good hacker, read every manual, pamphlet, and user guide you can get your hands on. You won’t necessarily become an expert at everything (but you might surprise yourself), but there are few things better than knowledge.


A Good Hacker Knows Who Can Help Them

The best hackers are those who are able to do their own research, figure out what they need to know, and then find those resources. Hackers who don’t know where to go for help (whether it’s online or off) will not be as successful.


Giving Up Too Easily

A good hacker has determination. A bad hacker gives up at the first sign of trouble. With hacking, there are going to be things that don’t work as expected. You need to keep trying until you find something that works for you, especially if it seems like it’s too easy or a cop-out solution. Just because it worked for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you too; there is no one-size-fits-all method in any discipline, especially hacking.


Problem Solving And Making Excuses

A good hacker takes responsibility for problems they’ve caused. A bad hacker makes excuses, shifts blame to others, or tries to avoid taking action. They see the consequences of their actions as somebody else's problem. 

A Good Hacker Has a Growth Mindset: A bad hacker always sees themselves as being right and never considers that they might be wrong. 

A Good Hacker Recognizes Weaknesses in Their Own Work: A bad hacker is unwilling to admit that their work has weaknesses, instead attributing them to other people's contributions.


A Bad Hacker Leaves Footprints Behind

A good hacker would never do something so reckless as to leave behind a string of footprints for authorities to follow. However, when people get carried away with their crimes or are just bad at covering their tracks, they make these kinds of mistakes that can lead to them getting caught. If you’re trying to hack into someone else’s computer system, it’s important that you don’t make these common errors – they might end up doing more harm than good!


A Bad Hacker Breaks Things in Public

A hacker who exploits security holes without permission, or even tells you they’re there, is doing it wrong. That person shouldn’t be working as a security professional—they should be working as a penetration tester, who actually informs customers of their bugs. A bad hacker wants attention; an ethical hacker wants to do what’s right for you.

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