Define Hacker

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I have heard the terms:

• white hat
• black hat
• grey hat
• cracker

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I think I understand them but am unsure due to the multiple contexts Ihave seen it and also the script kiddies callign themselves hackers.
I want to be the good kind of hacker who works on open source software like Linux, but never attacks systems.
hence i wonder what label I should describe myself as? and for an explanation of hte other's incase i miss-interpreted anyhting

You would be a white hat hacker. The definition of a hacker is someone who does stuff with things that it isn't supposed to do. So, hacking or attacking systems. Attacking systems is not a bad action in itself. If you do so with permission, there is no problem at all. It helps to develop and fix problems before someone else misuses them.

A white hat hacker is the one that does so with permission (acting legally). A black hat hacker is the one that does it without permission (acting illegally). That would be a criminal. A gray hat hacker acts sometimes legally, sometimes illegally.

The term 'cracker' is used to describe a hacker who cracks into systems for a profit or to hurt someone. So that would be a black hat hacker.

For most people a 'hacker' is defined as a black hat hacker. The white hat hackers like to make the distinction between them (hackers) and those who act illegally (crackers; or black hats).

Script kiddies don't know how to hack; they only know how to use a program who does it all for them. They will often call themselves hackers to look cool. In reality, they don't know anything that would make them a hacker.

Hackers are skilled programmers, hobbyists and stuff like that.
Crackers break things.

I dunno, I just woke up, it's 03:21. All those hats belong to crackers and stuff. I think.

Go ask somebody who didn't wake up this early.

A "white hat" hacker is someone who claims to be on the right side of the law.

A "black hat" hacker is someone who others claim to be on the wrong side of the law.

A "gray hat" is inbetween and is rarely used.

A cracker is a person who removes copy prevention technologies from games. the media has perverted this word to mean someone who breaks into systems. The thing is, we already have a term for that: Its called a criminal or a fellon.

Whenever someone in media calls a (generic) hacker a criminal just because they think its the right definition, i refer to the one who writes the article as a pedofile, because i think it's the right definition. If others can make stuff up, so can i.

If you want to work on OSS projects, just say you are a hacker. Or a programmer. or something else. What others think is irrelevant.

I used to tinker with security stuff earlier in life. I never refered to myself as anything but a security researcher. The only time i ever come close to the definition of "hacker" is when i say "I'll hack something together in Visual Studio".

And its not your intended self image that counts, its your actions that defines who you are.

well I can program:

• Assembly
• C
• C++
• C#
• Java
• Objective-C
• Python
• Perl

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I am experienced with Windows family of Operating Systems.
I am experienced with a variety of Linux Distribution.
I am also practiced in using Mac OS family.
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I understand operating systems from process scheduling,memory management and System calls up to API's.
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I understand internals of data networks including guided and unguided systems. Mostly the basics and physics internals of the theory though and have only programmed ftp and basic sockets for networking.
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I also understand hardware from the fetch-execute cycle to the way data is written to and stored on removable media including CD's.
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What should I do next e.t.c?

"Do next"? Maby start working on OSS projects like you said you wanted to.

My advice is to forget the whole "hacker" label and just enjoy tinkering with computers. Its like as if you are stuck in a formula one pitstop worrying about the colour of the car will affect how others perceive you, instead of ignoring what other people think and taking your car for fun ride at 200Mph on the test track.

Help me understand how my multi-boot system now boots!

I had Win98, 2k and XP booting out of "boot.ini", then I added Win7 and its BCD took over ... and now GRUB (after adding Debian 5) has taken control and is (at system startup) offering Debian, "boot.ini" and Win7's BCD ... and Win7's "startup repair" could not put things back to where they were prior to Debian and GRUB even if I did want it to do so.

Oh, and along the way, installing Debian has somehow made it possible for my Win98 to now see and access my third drive, a SATA.

does anyone know where to apply to start helping out?

Chose a project, download the source, edit it to what you want, submit the patch that makes it better.

You could always help fix up Exaile. I'm sure there's a bug tracker. It could always use Podcast support too.

Phreaking is the oldest form of hacking, though phone or telephony systems.
Script Kiddies are not hackers, they may know enough to make a few slight
modifications on others peoples programs, but "they are basically talentless
30 year old bed wetters who still live in their mothers basement".
quoting my AS400 instructor

don't think it works like that here, its up to the site owner Alex Plank, and that sort of
position of trust isn't just handed out to new members, or for that mater old members.

Given Alex's poor choice in moderators over the years, I beg to differ.

I don't understand your reasoning, Bugzee, the mods past and present mods have a sh***y job to do on a volunteer basis, members seem to forget that the mods are also people with aspergers and are trying to do the best they can, sure some may slip up but which member on this forum hasn't, any how don't get off topic, the OP is talking about hacking, and not you having differences with the site owner.

have you tried setting it up on lvm using lilo?
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also why do you need those odl operating systems?
I use hackintosh,ubuntu and windows 7 to test all my work

There are also gadget hackers, who modify gadgets to do what they were not designed to do, for example custom firmwares on PSPs or jailbreaking iDevices. This kind of hacking is generally legal, it usually violates EULAs but they aren't legally enforceable.

Pronunciation:/ˈhakər/
noun
1 informalan enthusiastic and skillful computer programmer or user
-a person who uses computers to gain unauthorized access to data
2 a person or thing that hacks or cuts roughly
3 a person who plays amateur sports without talent or skill:
for the weekend hacker, a set of basic golf clubs should suffice

The terms hacker and hack are marked by contrasting positive and negative connotations. Computer programmers often use the words hacking and hacker to express admiration for the work of a skilled software developer, but may also use them in a negative sense to describe the production of inelegant kludges. Some frown upon using hacking as a synonym for security cracking -- in distinct contrast to the larger world, in which the word hacker is typically used to describe someone who "hacks into" a system by evading or disabling security measures.

I hate how the mainstream media has made it so most people only connect the word "hacker" with black hat hacking.