Free demo · Information Security · Lesson 7 · Phase 3 · Hacking basics

What is hacking, and who are the hackers?

Hacking began as a word for clever tinkering at MIT in the 1960s. Today it means getting into systems you were not given access to. The skill is the same; permission decides whether it is a career or a crime.

White hat

Ethical hackers with written permission: penetration testers, bug-bounty hunters, security researchers. Certifications such as CEH and OSCP.

Legal

Grey hat

No permission, no malice: they poke at systems and report what they find. Still unlawful under India's IT Act, however good the intention.

Risky

Black hat

Criminals: ransomware gangs, data thieves, extortion crews such as ShinyHunters and Scattered Spider, scam call centres. Sections 43 and 66 of the IT Act 2000 apply.

Crime
# 1. reconnaissance: what does the target expose?$ nmap -sV example-office.local80/tcp open http nginx 1.24443/tcp open https nginx 1.24445/tcp open smb Windows 7 (end of life, unpatched)# 2. the attacker picks the weakest door…⚠ an update would have closed it

The attack chain

  1. 1Reconnaissance: learn about the target (websites, staff, leaked data).
  2. 2Scanning: find open services and old software.
  3. 3Gaining access: a phished password, an unpatched hole, a fake app.
  4. 4Staying in and taking data: backdoors, then exfiltration or ransomware.
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. Enrol

Tip: press → or Space to step through, ← to go back, R to replay.

About this lesson

Hacking means gaining access to computers, accounts or networks in ways their owners did not intend. Whether it is legal depends on permission: white-hat or ethical hackers test systems under contract or through bug-bounty programmes; grey hats act without permission but without malicious intent, which is still an offence under India's Information Technology Act 2000 (sections 43 and 66); black hats are criminals who steal data, extort money with ransomware or run scam operations. Most attacks follow a chain: reconnaissance, scanning for weak points, gaining access through a phished password or unpatched software, maintaining access and finally stealing data or deploying ransomware. Understanding the chain shows where ordinary users can break it: updates, strong passwords with two-factor authentication and scepticism about unexpected messages. Phase 3 of the full course continues with attack techniques, the history of hacking and a personal defence plan.

Key points

  • Hacking, ethical hacking and the law in India
  • White, grey and black hat hackers
  • The attack chain from reconnaissance to exfiltration