ckers who attempt to compromise the systems they break into, destroy data, or expand system holes, whereas ôwhite hat hackersö are opposed to the abuse of computer systems and generally focus on securing IT systems rather than trying to break them (ôHackerö). The latter type is often employed by system owners to attempt to break into systems as a means of finding security flaws for the ownersÆ protection; these are professional hackers, sometimes called ôsneakers,ö as typified in the 1992 movie ôSneakers,ö starring Robert Redford.
In addition to having their own unique and colorful vocabulary, hackers also have distinctive attitudes, beliefs, hacker ethic, and culture. In Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, Steven Levy explains the hacker ethic, which is as much an idealistic wish list as an ethic, based on the following principles:
Access to computersùand anything which might teach you something about the way the world worksùshould be unlimited and total.
Mistrust authorityùpromote decentralization.
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