Legal Status
Black Hat:
Illegal
White Hat:
Legal
Grey Hat:
Questionable
Intent
Black Hat:
Malicious, profit-driven
White Hat:
Protective, defensive
Grey Hat:
Mixed, often curious
Authorization
Black Hat:
No authorization
White Hat:
Fully authorized
Grey Hat:
No authorization
Typical Actions
Black Hat:
Data theft, ransomware, DDoS
White Hat:
Pen testing, audits, patching
Grey Hat:
Probing, disclosure, notifications