Hacking is the act of gaining unauthorised access to computer systems, networks, or data. It typically involves exploiting vulnerabilities in software, hardware, or human behaviour to bypass security controls.
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Hacking Meaning
In cybersecurity, hacking refers to both legal and illegal activities, depending on the intent and permission of the individual. At its core, hacking is the manipulation of digital systems to perform actions they weren't intended to allow. This could be malicious—such as stealing data or deploying malware—or ethical, such as penetration testing designed to uncover security flaws.
There are many types of hackers and many motivations behind hacking, from financial gain to activism, espionage, or even curiosity. Today, hacking spans a broad spectrum of tactics, tools, and targets, making it essential to understand how it works, who’s involved, and how to defend against it effectively.
Why Hacking Still Poses a Serious Risk
Hacking is no longer the domain of curious individuals testing boundaries from their basements. Today, it underpins a billion-pound global cybercrime economy, driven by professionalised ransomware groups, nation-state actors, and underground marketplaces offering hacking-as-a-service. What makes hacking especially dangerous now is how it’s scaled, developing from from opportunistic breaches to automated campaigns that scan the globe in seconds.
Modern attacks aren’t just after data—they set out to disrupt business operations, undermining trust and taking advantage of the chaotic pace of digital transformation. The more connected we become, the more opportunities hackers have. Cloud services, remote work, IoT devices, and mobile-first platforms all expand the attack surface, often faster than organisations can secure them.
In 2024, Trend Micro's report on Pwn2Own Ireland revealed just how fragile many enterprise systems are, with security researchers exploiting zero-days in servers and smart devices in minutes. Meanwhile, real attacks—like those launched by the LockBit 5.0 ransomware group—routinely bypass outdated defences and extort millions..
What Can a Hacker Do?
Hackers can do far more than just "break into" a system. Today, they can twist a company’s entire digital infrastructure to their advantage. At a basic level, hacking involves unauthorised access, but what happens after that can be deeply disruptive. Once inside, attackers often move laterally across systems, escalate their privileges, establish backdoors, or begin harvesting sensitive information quietly before launching a visible attack.
With this access, hackers have a vast array of opportunities to exploit a business. They may impersonate employees to redirect payments, embed themselves within email threads to insert malicious links, or exfiltrate customer databases to sell on dark web markets. Some may even deploy ransomware that encrypts all company files, rendering systems useless unless a ransom is paid in cryptocurrency. And in many cases, even if the ransom is paid, the data isn’t returned.
Common Outcomes of Malicious Hacking:
Data breaches: Theft of customer data, intellectual property, or trade secrets
Malware deployment: Infiltration using ransomware, spyware, or trojans
System disruption: Crashing services, wiping data, or hijacking resources
- Financial theft: Redirecting payments, stealing credentials, or extorting ransoms
What Can a Hacker Do with Malware?
One of the most common forms of hacking, malware is the hacker’s Swiss army knife. It comes in many forms, each tailored to specific objectives. Some malware is designed to be silent—watching, logging, and exfiltrating data over time. Others are loud and immediate, encrypting files or locking users out.
Once installed, malware can:
Encrypt files and demand ransom (ransomware)
Steal login credentials or browser sessions (spyware)
Log keystrokes to capture sensitive inputs
Exfiltrate databases and user files for resale
Enable remote control of systems (remote access trojans)
Launch denial-of-service attacks from within the network
Many breaches begin with malware embedded in email attachments, malicious scripts on websites, or compromised software updates. Once the payload executes, it can spread internally before any red flags are raised.
For instance, the LockBit ransomware gang has refined its toolkit to target Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi systems, entering through stolen credentials or vulnerable RDP ports, and disabling backups before launching the final encryption.
Hacking Methods and Tools Used Today
Hacking isn’t a single technique—it’s a constantly evolving set of strategies designed to bypass defences and exploit weaknesses. Today’s hackers choose their tools based on the target: sometimes it’s a blunt-force phishing email; other times, it’s a precision-engineered zero-day exploit.
Common hacking methods:
Phishing: Arguably the most common initial attack vector. It relies on tricking users into handing over credentials, clicking malicious links, or downloading malware. Phishing is low-effort and high-reward—especially when tailored with personalisation.
Exploiting software vulnerabilities: Many organisations struggle to patch fast enough. Hackers scan the internet constantly for systems running outdated versions with known flaws.
Credential stuffing: Using leaked username-password combinations from past breaches to access new systems. Since many users reuse passwords, this method is surprisingly effective.
Man-in-the-middle attacks: Intercepting communications between two parties to steal or manipulate data. This can happen on unsecured Wi-Fi networks or misconfigured VPNs.
- Supply chain attacks: Targeting trusted third-party software or vendors as a backdoor into otherwise secure systems. These are particularly hard to detect and often go unnoticed for months.
Advanced tools and AI-enhanced attacks
What sets modern hacking apart is how much of it is now automated. Hackers no longer need to write code from scratch. They use prebuilt kits, open-source tools, and even subscription-based attack platforms available on dark web marketplaces.
According to Trend Micro’s research on AI-enabled cybercrime, malicious actors are increasingly using artificial intelligence to:
Create deepfake audio to impersonate executives or victims
Automate phishing email generation with natural-sounding language
Run chatbot-based scams that mimic real-time human interaction
These AI-driven threats make attacks harder to detect, more scalable, and tailored in ways traditional filters struggle to catch. What used to take a week of effort can now be spun up in minutes with shocking effectiveness.
Tools are also becoming more modular. A single exploit kit can include credential stealers, lateral movement tools, privilege escalation scripts, and exfiltration mechanisms—all in one package. The modern hacker is as much an assembler as they are a coder, building threat chains from components already available online.
What is commercial hacking?
Commercial hacking, often referred to as "hack-for-hire," involves individuals or groups offering their skills for a price. This can include espionage, sabotage, or data theft carried out on behalf of third parties. It blurs the lines between nation-state activity and criminal enterprise, making attribution and defence more difficult.
Types of Hackers: From Ethical to Criminal
Not all hacking is illegal. In fact, some of the world’s best cybersecurity professionals are hackers by trade—engaging in penetration testing, bug bounty programs, and vulnerability research.
Categories of hackers:
Type
Description
White Hat
Ethical hackers who test systems legally to find and fix vulnerabilities
Black Hat
Criminal hackers who exploit weaknesses for personal or financial gain
Grey Hat
Hackers who operate between legal and illegal boundaries
Politically motivated attackers
Script Kiddies
Less skilled users relying on prebuilt tools
Facts about Hackers
Many ethical hackers report vulnerabilities through bug bounty programs.
Some major security firms employ ex-hackers to improve defences.
Not all hackers write code—some specialise in social engineering.
Trend Micro’s ongoing support of Pwn2Own competitions helps promote ethical hacking and the discovery of zero-day vulnerabilities before criminals find them.
Is Hacking Illegal in the UK?
Yes. Under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, most forms of unauthorised access to systems or data are illegal in the UK.
Offences include:
Accessing data without permission
Disrupting or damaging systems
Using malware to compromise networks
Penalties can include fines and prison sentences, depending on the severity. However, ethical hacking conducted under contract or through responsible disclosure is legal when consent is clearly granted.
Recent Examples of Hacking
LockBit 5.0 Ransomware Attacks
One of the most notable examples of modern hacking comes from the LockBit 5 ransomware group. In 2024, they targeted cross-platform environments including:
Windows workstations and servers
Linux-based systems
VMware ESXi hypervisors
Attackers exploited unpatched software and weak credentials to gain entry, then deployed encryption malware to hold data hostage. The breach affected healthcare, manufacturing, and legal sectors—proving no industry is immune.
These attacks were fast-moving, financially motivated, and carefully orchestrated. According to Trend Micro research, LockBit variants were continually updated, and payloads were designed to evade detection tools and disable backups before execution.
MOVEit Vulnerability and File Transfer Exploitation
In another high-profile case, hackers exploited a vulnerability in the popular MOVEit Transfer application, enabling them to extract sensitive data from dozens of organisations. The exploit involved a SQL injection flaw that allowed remote unauthenticated access—making it both easy to launch and hard to stop.
The attack impacted government agencies, financial institutions, and healthcare providers, highlighting the cascading effects of a single unpatched entry point. This incident underscores the critical need for secure-by-design applications and proactive patch management.
Business Hacking: Why Companies Are Being Targeted
Cybercriminals increasingly target businesses for financial gain — not because they’re always high-profile, but because they often lack the layered defences of large enterprises. SMEs, healthcare providers, law firms, and even schools have become favourite targets due to outdated infrastructure, limited IT resources, and high-value data.
Common business-focused attack strategies include:
Business email compromise (BEC): Hackers impersonate executives or vendors to reroute payments or steal credentials.
Invoice fraud: Cybercriminals manipulate billing cycles and payment details to redirect funds.
Attacking MSPs: Compromising managed service providers allows access to their entire client base.
Lateral movement: Once inside, hackers move silently to escalate access, extract data, and deploy ransomware.
These risks happen daily across industries. Businesses must assume they are a target and adopt tools and processes that reflect this reality.
How to Prevent Hacking in Your Business
Preventing hacking requires more than firewalls and antivirus software. Today’s businesses need layered, integrated defences that protect across endpoints, networks, identities, and cloud workloads.
Best practices to prevent hacking:
Patch regularly: Apply updates to operating systems, applications, and firmware
Educate users: Train staff to spot phishing, spoofing, and deepfake threats
Use MFA: Multi-factor authentication helps prevent credential compromise
Monitor suspicious activity: Use detection tools to identify anomalies early
Secure cloud and APIs: Harden cloud infrastructure and use API gateways
Encrypt sensitive data: Protect data at rest and in transit
Developing robust endpoint and email security should also be high priorities for businesses, as these are two of the most common entry points exploited in modern attacks—from phishing emails and ransomware to credential theft and malware delivery.
Trend Micro Vision One: Aligning Hacking Prevention with Business Risk
Trend Micro Vision One™ offers organisations a unified platform for detecting, responding to, and preventing hacking attempts across the modern IT environment. It provides:
Cross-layered detection across endpoints, networks, cloud, and identity
AI-powered analytics that surface real threats, not just noise
Extended detection and response (XDR) that connects signals across your stack
Integrated threat intelligence from decades of real-world incident response
Unlike point solutions, Vision One helps security teams prioritise what matters, identify lateral movement early, and correlate activities to stop breaches in progress. It turns isolated alerts into actionable insights.
Explore Trend Micro Vision One to reduce exposure and respond faster to today’s most advanced hacking techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
What is hacking in cyber security?
Hacking in cybersecurity refers to unauthorised access to systems, networks, or data, often exploiting vulnerabilities to steal information, disrupt operations, or cause damage.
What’s a hacker?
A hacker is someone who uses their technical knowledge to gain access to computer systems. Some do so legally (ethical hackers), while others act maliciously (black hats).
What can a hacker do with malware?
Malware allows hackers to steal data, encrypt files for ransom, monitor activity, or gain remote access. It’s a key tool in many cyberattacks.
What is commercial hacking?
Commercial hacking involves services-for-hire where actors breach targets on behalf of paying clients. This can include corporate espionage or political interference.
Is hacking illegal in the UK?
Yes. Under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, hacking is illegal unless done with explicit permission for ethical testing or research.
What are the types of hacking?
Types include phishing, SQL injection, password cracking, man-in-the-middle attacks, and supply chain compromise.
How to prevent hacking?
Businesses should implement strong access controls, patch systems regularly, use threat detection tools, and educate users to avoid phishing and social engineering attacks.