SINCE 1828
white hat
nounDefinition of white hat
1
: one who is admirable and honorable
2
: a mark or symbol of goodness
could use a few more guys in white hats— Robert Christgau
3
: a hacker who tests computer systems for possible vulnerabilities so that they can be fixed
Chu, 33, is part of a fraternity known as "penetration testers" or "ethical hackers," a group of experts who are hired to hack into computer systems or find other ways to gain access. These so-called "white hats" will spend days or weeks searching company systems to come up with recommendations for fortifying corporations against such threats.— Greg Wiles
— compare black hat
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