White Hat? Blue Hat? How to Make (Legal) Money as a Hacker

The average pop cultural image of a hacker is a shadowy figure maliciously breaching systems and selling your credit card info on the dark web. (See above.)

It’s an understandable representation, given all the high-profile hacks we’ve experienced recently, but it’s not an entirely accurate one.

The hackers who steal your identity and sell it to the highest bidder are what we call “black hat hackers” — but they’re not the only kind of hacker in the game.

There are also what we call “white hat hackers” — hackers who use their skills for good. These hackers help companies locate software vulnerabilities in order to repair them, in addition to providing other valuable services. And they make good money doing it.

Are you a hacker looking to make some money on the up and up — or even a black hat trying to turn their life around? Take a look at this new infographic  from the cybersecurity experts at Varonis  to learn what it takes to earn money as an ethical hacker :