A hacker is an intelligent individual with excellent computer skills and the ability to explore a computer's software and hardware without the owner's permission. Their intention can either be to…

White Hat hackers are strictly ethical security professionals who only perform offensive testing with explicit written authorization from the system owner.

Suicide Hackers are individuals who are willing to carry out attacks regardless of the legal consequences to themselves, with no concern for prosecution or imprisonment.

A Gray Hat hacker is defined as an individual who operates both offensively and defensively at different times, sometimes exploiting vulnerabilities without explicit permission and at other times helping organizations improve their security. They do not have purely malicious intent like a Black Hat, nor do they always operate with full authorization like a White Hat. This dual-mode behavior is the distinguishing characteristic of the Gray Hat classification in CEH and ethical hacking frameworks.

Black Hat hackers operate exclusively with malicious intent, performing unauthorized intrusions for personal gain, sabotage, or other criminal purposes.