There are many famous hackers who have become infamous for their ability to gain access to high security, hacker-safe computer systems. It is important to note that computer hackers are segmented into two different groups. Black hat hackers use their skills to exploit systems and obtain classified information. White hat hackers, on the other hand, use their abilities for good causes while upholding the law and often apply their knowledge to improve computer technology.
One of the most famous black hat hackers is Jonathan James, who gained access to Government computer systems, including the Department of Defense system and the NASA computers. James illegally acquired over $1.5 million worth of computer software, obtained employee account information, and diminished national security. Adrian Lamo, another black hat hacker, gained access to a variety of computer systems, including those of the New York Times, Microsoft, Citigroup, and Bank of America.
Additional famous hackers who exploited systems including Kevin Mitnick and Robert Morris. In addition to these black hat hackers, there are a number of famous white hat hackers. These individuals were often employed by companies to identify and correct system security issues. Stephen Wozinak was a white hat hacker, and subsequently was the co-founder of Apple.
Tim Berner-Lee dabbled in computer hacking while he was in college, and as a result, he was banned from utilizing university computers. However, his skills later allowed him to create the World Wide Web. Linus Torvalds created the popular operating system Linux. Instead of exploiting computer systems, these hackers used their knowledge and abilities to advance technology.
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