An ethical hacker, also known as a "white hat" hacker, is a computer security professional who uses their skills and knowledge to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks, and applications in order to improve their security. Unlike "black hat" hackers, who use their skills for malicious purposes such as stealing data, causing damage, or exploiting weaknesses for personal gain, ethical hackers use their skills for legitimate and lawful purposes, such as to identify and report security weaknesses to the organization responsible for the system or to provide security consulting services to help organizations improve their security posture. Ethical hackers typically have a deep understanding of computer systems and programming languages, and they are skilled in using tools and techniques such as penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and social engineering to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in a controlled and safe manner.
