Explore the latest in cyber threats, hacker techniques, and security defenses on our Black Hat tag page at the forefront of infosec news.
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Background for this topic.
Black hat describes hackers or techniques used to gain unauthorized access, steal information, deploy malware, commit fraud, or disrupt systems. In security news, it usually means malicious activity rather than a legitimate security test; context may instead point to the Black Hat security conference and its research disclosures.
For practitioners, black-hat activity matters because attackers may exploit unpatched vulnerabilities, stolen credentials, exposed services, or insecure applications. Vulnerability management should prioritize flaws that are actively exploited or accessible from the internet, while controls such as strong authentication, least privilege, secure configuration, and detailed logging can limit abuse and support detection. Threat intelligence can help map observed indicators and techniques to defensive actions. When an incident occurs, rapid containment, credential reset, evidence preservation, and assessment of affected data help determine the scope and any privacy or regulatory obligations.
Dark Reading's Kelly Jackson Higgins explains the enormous legacy left behind by Dan Kaminsky and his seminal "Great DNS Vulnerability" talk at Black Hat 2008.