These tactics are referred to as “ social engineering.” But hackers can also use psychology to trick the user into clicking on a malicious attachment or providing personal data. Hacking is typically technical in nature (like creating malvertising that deposits malware in a drive-by attack requiring no user interaction). Also, check out our Malwarebytes Labs' podcast episode, interviewing hacker Sick Codes: To learn about the various motivations different types of hackers might have, read Under the hoodie: why money, power, and ego drive hackers to cybercrime. But this is a narrow view that doesn't begin to encompass the wide range of reasons why someone turns to hacking.
Many think that “hacker” refers to some self-taught whiz kid or rogue programmer skilled at modifying computer hardware or software so it can be used in ways outside the original developers' intent.
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