A gry hat hacker is a person who uses their technical skills to gain unauthorised access to computer systems, networks or sensitive information, with both malicious and legitimate intentions. They may not have the same malicious intent as a black hat hacker, but they also do not always have permission to access the system.
Gray Hat hackers often find vulnerabilities in systems and then inform the system owner about the problem. Sometimes they demand a reward or payment for finding the problem, sometimes not. They may also make suggestions on how to fix the problem. This process is called 'vulnerability disclosure' and is considered ethical practice. They may not wait for the system owner to take action before disclosing the information.
They can also take a similar approach to white hat hackers, but instead of disclosing the vulnerability to the company and waiting for a response, they can also publicly post the vulnerability on forums or social media to raise awareness or put pressure on the company to fix the vulnerability.
Gray Hat hackers are not necessarily motivated by financial gain, revenge or the thrill of the challenge like Black Hat hackers. Some grey hat hackers do it as a hobby or to challenge themselves, while others do it to expose security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by black hat hackers or to improve the overall security of the internet.
It is important to know that while a gray hat hacker may not have malicious intent, unauthorised access to a system can still be illegal and may result in legal consequences. It is important that you are fully aware of the computer hacking and intrusion laws in your country or region before engaging in any activity that could be considered illegal. It is also always recommended to get the express permission of the system owner before attempting to access the system.
