White hat (computer security)

A white hat (or a white-hat hacker, a whitehat) is an ethical security hacker.^[1][2] Ethical hacking is a term meant to imply a broader category than just penetration testing.^[3][4] Under the owner's consent, white-hat hackers aim to identify any vulnerabilities or security issues the current system has.^[5] The white hat is contrasted with the black hat, a malicious hacker; this definitional dichotomy comes from Western films, where heroic and antagonistic cowboys might traditionally wear a white and a black hat, respectively.^[6] There is a third kind of hacker known as a grey hat who hacks with good intentions but at times without permission.^[7]

White-hat hackers may also work in teams called "sneakers and/or hacker clubs",^[8] red teams, or tiger teams.^[9]