Who is a hacker?

Who is a hacker?

• A. Government agencies
• B. Nation states and individuals
• C. Security researchers who never break laws
• D. Authorized IT staff

Answer: (B)

Hackers are people who use technical skills to break into or bypass security, often operating without permission. This can be done by private individuals or by nation-states, so including both groups captures who can act as hackers. Government agencies are organizations, not the actor themselves, so they aren’t described as hackers by default. Security researchers who never break laws work within legal boundaries and may do ethical testing, but hacking typically refers to bypassing security, which these cases avoid. Authorized IT staff have legitimate access to maintain systems, not to break in. So, the description that includes both nation states and individuals best reflects who can be a hacker.

Hackers are people who use technical skills to break into or bypass security, often operating without permission. This can be done by private individuals or by nation-states, so including both groups captures who can act as hackers. Government agencies are organizations, not the actor themselves, so they aren’t described as hackers by default. Security researchers who never break laws work within legal boundaries and may do ethical testing, but hacking typically refers to bypassing security, which these cases avoid. Authorized IT staff have legitimate access to maintain systems, not to break in. So, the description that includes both nation states and individuals best reflects who can be a hacker.