When it comes to cyber hackers, you will hear three terms used for hackers. They are Black Hat, White Hat, and Gray Hat hackers. These terms are also synonymous with Search Engine Optimization as well. For informational purposes, here's an overview of all three: Black Hat Hacker - Someone who has knowledge about breaking into or breaching computer systems and bypassing their security protocols. Their primary motivation is to financial or personal gain, and to spread malware or viruses in order to gain access to these computer systems. White Hat Hacker - Someone who is known to use their skills for good rather than evil. They typically work as Cyber Security consultants that are paid to find security vulnerabilities in systems, and work to strengthen those security holes for clients. In A hiring manager might pose a carefully crafted question to determine how well you know each one, and if you fall into one of the three categories. They want to know will you be able to defend against a cyber attack, and how you handle threats from hackers.