hackers hired by government

Introduction：

1、Hackers Courted by Government for Cyber Security Jobs

2、What websites do hackers target most？

Hackers Courted by Government for Cyber Security Jobs ♂

　　Fortunately for the enemies, however, the attacks aren’t real. They’re part of a war game

　　at HackMiami, a weekend gathering of underground hackers in South Beach. While meatheads

　　and models jog obliviously outside, 150 code warriors hunker inside the hotel for a three-day

　　bender of booze, break-ins and brainstorming. Some are felons. Some are con artists. But

　　they’re all here for the same mission: to show off their skills and perhaps attract the attention

　　of government and corporate recruiters. Scouts are here looking for a new breed of soldier

　　to win the war raging in the online shadows. This explains the balding guy prowling the room

　　with an “I’m Hiring Security Engineers. Interested?” button pinned to his polo shirt.

　　Hackers like these aren’t the outlaws of the Internet anymore. A 29-year-old who goes by the

　　name th3_e5c@p15t says he’s ready to fight the good fight against the real-life bad guys. “If

　　they topple our government, it could have disastrous results,” he says. “We’d be the front line,

　　and the future of warfare would be us.”

　　Related: Sex, Drugs and the Biggest Cybercrime of All Time

　　After decades of seeming like a sci-fi fantasy, the cyberwar is on. China, Iran and other countries

　　reportedly have armies of state-sponsored hackers infiltrating our critical infrastructure. The

　　threats are the stuff of a Michael Bay blockbuster: downed power grids, derailed trains, nuclear

　　meltdowns. Or, as then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta put it last year, a “cyber-Pearl Harbor... an

　　attack that would cause physical destruction and the loss of life, paralyze and shock the nation and

　　create a profound new sense of vulnerability.” In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama

　　said that “America must also face the rapidly growing threat from cyberattacks.…We cannot look back

　　years from now and wonder why we did nothing in the face of real threats to our security and our economy.”

　　The pixelated mushroom cloud first materialized in 2010 with the discovery of Stuxnet, a computer worm

　　said to be designed by the Israeli and U.S. governments, which targeted uranium-enrichment facilities

　　in Iran. Last fall, Iranian hackers reportedly erased 30,000 computers at a Middle Eastern oil company.

　　In February, security researchers released a report that traced what was estimated to be hundreds of

　　terabytes of stolen data from Fortune 500 companies and others by hackers in Shanghai. A leaked report

　　from the Department of Homeland Security in May found “increasing hostility” aimed online against “U.S.

　　critical infrastructure organizations” – power grids, water supplies, banks and so on.

　　Dave Marcus, director of threat intelligence and advance research at McAfee Federal Advanced Programs

　　Groups, part of McAfee Labs, a leading computer-security firm, says the effects would be devastating.

　　“If you shut off large portions of power, you’re not bringing people back to 1960, you’re bringing them

　　back to 1860,” he says. “Shut off an interconnected society’s power for three weeks in this country, you

　　will have chaos.”

　　Related: Meet the Legendary Hacker the Government Set Out to Destroy

　　Hence, events like HackMiami, where the competition to hire cyberwarriors is increasingly intense. “There’s

　　too much demand and not enough talent,” says Jeff “The Dark Tangent” Moss, founder of the largest hacker

　　convention, DefCon, held annually in Las Vegas. Despite the threats, a report by the Commission on the

　　Theft of American Intellectual Property, a group comprised of former U.S. government, corporate and academic

　　officials, recently concluded that so far the feds have been “utterly inadequate [in dealing] with the problem.”

　　While Uncle Sam is jockeying for the Internet’s best troops, private security firms are offering way more pay

　　and way less hassle. Charlie Miller, a famous hacker who exposed vulnerabilities in the MacBook Air and

　　iPhone, spent five years with the National Security Agency before joining Twitter’s security team. Earlier

　　this year, the DHS lost four top cybersecurity officials. In April, Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, a renowned member

　　of the pioneering hacker collective Cult of the Dead Cow who was working at the DOD’s Defense Advanced

　　Research Projects Agency, split for Silicon Valley to join his former DARPA boss, Regina Dugan. “Goodbye

　　DARPA,” he tweeted. “Hello Google!”

What websites do hackers target most？ ♂

　　We live and work in a digital world. Modern conveniences like online shopping and mobile banking have made our lives easier in more ways than one. But as we continue to engage in our lives and businesses through digital platforms, we must guard against the cyber security threats that often come hand in hand.

　　In this article, we will help you understand some of the motives of cyber criminals, their top website targets, common information they like to steal and how to help prevent a hacker from obtaining your personal information.

　　A hacker's main objective is usually to make money. Certain kinds of stolen data can get cybercriminals billions of dollars globally each year. They are constantly looking for websites with easily exploitable security gaps. And ideally, websites that hold valuable lists of data such as names, Social Security numbers and financial information. Here are a few of the most targeted kinds of websites:

　　Often hackers can find vulnerabilities within an e-commerce website, especially ones using common coding or shopping cart software. If hackers can find a vulnerability to exploit, they may be able to enter the site remotely, take control of the system and steal the credit card data of customers.

　　Sophisticated security systems are expensive to setup and maintain. For this reason, small businesses may not have the funds yet to invest in the same kind of security as that of larger companies. Hackers may be on the lookout for websites that do not have these systems in place.

　　Some hackers just want to create news or stir controversy to manipulate public perceptions. If they can hack a news outlet and take stealth control of their system or steal insider information from journalists, they can cause a lot of unrest in society.

　　There are five industries that are particularly valuable to hackers and therefore are highly targeted.

　　Healthcare organizations can often hold many personal details about patients that can be sold as a commodity so hackers can make money. Or some criminals may try to hack their IT systems so there are denials of services or an injection of ransomware that has the potential to paralyze their entire system.

　　Some government entities possess quite a bit of sensitive information about people including Social Security numbers, fingerprints, etc.

　　Hackers often go after financial institutions because of the opportunity to gain access to personal financial information. Additionally, they may try to gain access to accounts such as credit cards or investment portfolios. Common attacks in this industry include ransomware, server outages and data breaches.

　　Non-profits often use fundraising portals that are sources for big donor information, including credit card information that people use to make donations. Hackers may target these portals and steal the data.

　　When customers make a purchase on a website, they typically sign up for an account with a login. This includes email addresses, passwords and can also include credit card information, all of which can be a target for hackers.

　　Depending on whether a hacker is looking for information on individuals or large corporations, there are two common ways they get information about their targets:

　　Dark web forums: These forums are often where a cyber-criminal will upload their stolen data and detail instructions for other criminals on how to hack a certain website or code. This is also generally where sensitive customer information is sold.

　　Social media: Hackers can build a profile on someone simply by studying their public social media profiles. These profiles often include the person's name, workplace, names of relatives and friends, birthdate, etc. A common form of hacking includes the impersonation of someone they have profiled.

　　Hackers typically set their sights on anything that could be of value — especially passwords that access bank accounts. Others include:

　　Social Security numbers

　　Date of birth

　　Email addresses

　　Financial information

　　Phone numbers

　　Passwords

　　Credit card info

　　Crypto wallets

　　Stolen data is most commonly used to impersonate someone. If they have the right credentials, the hacker may try and apply for a credit card in the victim's name. They may file a Social Security, medical or unemployment claim. Some may even apply for a large personal loan with no intention of paying it back. It may take quite a long time before the victim and the lender realize this is happening.

　　Other fraudsters may use stolen data to log into a victim's accounts. Once they log in, they can transfer funds, make fraudulent purchases, open new accounts and much more.

　　When it comes to protecting sensitive information, there are some basic preventative measures you can take to protect yourself and your data:

　　Use strong passwords and not the same one for every account (you can use a password generator app to ensure you have a strong one)

　　Use two-factor authentication

　　Regularly monitor account statements

　　Do not leave your computer and devices unattended

　　Do not shop online or manage your online finances using public Wi-Fi

　　Don't click on suspicious emails

　　Don't save your credit card data with online retailers, even when your account is behind a login and password

　　Another way you can protect yourself is to enroll in , a free online tool that offers both credit score monitoring as well as identity monitoring. Identity Monitoring Resources include:

　　Dark web surveillance: Find out if your info is on suspicious websites.

　　Data breach monitoring: Be notified if your data is exposed in a company's data breach.

　　Social Security number (SSN) activity tracking: Keep track of names, aliases, and addresses associated with your Social Security number.

　　Identity verification alerts: Know when a lender verifies your identity, such as when you apply for a loan.

Related questions

Decrypting a WhatsApp database involves significant technical, legal, and ethical considerations. Here's a concise overview:

Technical Aspects:

1. Encryption & Storage:

   • Android: Backups (local or Google Drive) are encrypted. The key (e.g., cryptkey) may reside in the app directory, accessible only with root privileges.
   • iOS: Backups in iCloud or local storage use Apple’s encryption. Physical access or iCloud credentials are typically required.

2. Decryption Tools:

   • Legitimate tools like WhatsApp Viewer or SQLite browsers can decrypt databases if you possess the encryption key.
   • Forensic tools (e.g., Cellebrite) are restricted to law enforcement and require physical device access.

3. Backup Passwords:

   • Google Drive backups (Android) encrypted with a user-set password require that password for decryption. Brute-forcing is impractical without vast resources.

Legal & Ethical Concerns:

• Unauthorized Access: Decrypting someone else’s messages without consent is illegal under laws like the CFAA (U.S.) or GDPR (EU).
• Terms of Service: Violates WhatsApp’s policies, risking account suspension.
• Scams & Risks: "Hiring a hacker" often leads to fraud, data theft, or legal repercussions.

Legitimate Solutions:

1. Restore Backups:

   • Use official methods (Google Drive, iCloud, or local backups) to restore chats on a new device.
   • For encrypted backups, ensure you have the password or Google/iCloud account credentials.

2. Data Recovery Services:

   • Consult professional services with legal oversight (e.g., court orders for forensic access).

3. Device Access:

   • If it’s your own device, use root/jailbreak methods cautiously (voids warranties, security risks).

Final Advice:

• Avoid Illegal Methods: Pursuing unauthorized decryption risks severe penalties.
• Seek Official Support: Contact WhatsApp or use built-in backup features.
• Ethical Caution: Respect privacy and legal boundaries.

If you’ve lost access to your own data, focus on recovery via official channels. For sensitive situations (e.g., legal investigations), consult legal professionals to explore lawful options.