What is a "White Hat"?

I've seen this term used a few times on ATS and other sites as well.
The "White Hats", the "White Hat" report, etc. It's been used in varying
ways and I wasn't sure of it's meaning. It sounds like a "secret good guy"
to me. Somebody working on the "inside" of some type of organization,
secretly trying to do good.
Wikipedia has some other definitions.
Some of you probably know this already. This is for those who don't.
I'm just going to post the link to Wikipedia and you can check out the
definitions for yourself. I was very surprised. I just think it's odd. Is there a conspiracy here?
Maybe not. But even so it's weird.
White Hat definitions

It really has nothing to do with "secret". For instance, in the hacking world, there are black-hat hackers and white-hat hackers. Black-hat hackers are those that willfully and deliberately hack to do harm and/or damage to others. White-hat hackers are hired by organizations to hack the organization's systems and close those holes so that black-hat hackers have a harder time hacking those systems.

Black-hat people are those that want to do harm and evil, white-hat people are those that are helpful and that do good for others.

Did you even check out the link I posted? Your
kind of missing the point.

Never heard it used other than in a "good guy-bad guy" context

reply to post by orbitbaby


Then what is your point? If you aren't asking what they mean, what are you asking? Black =mischievousness White=for the greater good..

Interesting the term is used for many different things, including the 33rd degree of the Scottish Rite. I didn't know about that. Apparently, "white hat" is a metaphor for "the good guys". I wonder which came first: the metaphor or the nickname for the 33rd degree. Doesn't the Pope also wear a white hat?

This bit on one of the wiki pages jumped out at me.

Rob Brydon riffed on this iconic use of the white hat in the TV series Director's Commentary when his character, director Peter De Lane, discussed making a 'good' character in a Western wear a black hat: "Can a good guy wear a black hat? Can a bad guy wear a white hat?"

White hat (film)

I believe the answer to both questions is affirmative.

In a former business unit I managed, the senior management was into this concept of meetings that used hat colors. An idea would be presented, then everyone took their turn wearing each hat color. It seems silly, but if you actually do it you can get an decent risk/benefit analysis out of the process.

Here, i found a Wiki Link on it that is better than me.

Originally posted by orbitbaby
Did you even check out the link I posted? Your
kind of missing the point.

How is he?

Did you even read your own link.

The 1st thing it mentions is exactly what he's talking about. Please explain what you mean if he has it wrong, but he's correct in what he's saying about white/black hat hackers.

sailors are commonly called white hats ..due to their caps

If you are speaking of the 33rd degree Masons, no one calls them white hats.

Ahhhh... the beauty of wikipedia.... anyone can post anything as an expert.

Originally posted by YourPopRock
If you are speaking of the 33rd degree Masons, no one calls them white hats.

Sure we do. Black caps, red caps, white caps... Hell, Appak even used his 33° hat as his avatar... www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by orbitbaby


In large construction project the engineers and architects,project managers etc. all wear WHITE hardhats when they are actually on the site.

This is to let the trades and skilled labor actually building the site that they "the white hats"are there and to watch out for them. They are the educated managers that manage the project from conception to completion.

You would be amazed at the skill,organization and co-ordination it takes to start from a concept and then be handed the keys to the front door.

The problem I have with these 911 truthers is that the twin towers were designed to fall exactly how they did.

As a young man during the construction of the twin towers I read an article in OMNI magazine where the architect and engineer that designed them was asked how in the future if a different generation wanted to tear them down how would it be done safely with out removing all the buildings that surrounded the plaza.

They responded that the the way they were designed they could be demo'd by just blasting away the supporting columns near the top floors and the weight would "Pile drive" the rest of the building in to their own foot print.

I suppose Bin Laden who was the same age and was trained as an engineer,read the same article.

White hat = "Good guy" hacker

I say Good guy with quotations as this is ofcourse relative to what side of the cyber war you fight on.

If they are hacking your company they are a black hat
If you are hacking their company you are a white hat (according to you)

reply to post by orbitbaby


In the context of masonry, a white hat is a 33rd, a black hat is a 32nd, and a red hat is a 32nd KCCH. The KCCH is Knight Commander Court of Honor. It is a honor given to someone who puts extra effort into everything they do. It cannot be asked for. And one must be a KCCH for a period of time before he can be looked at for the honor of the 33rd.

As far as hackers, I don't know. But I am a black hat.

Don't make this harder than it is...there is no dark secret to "white hat" vs "black hat"

It all goes back to the old black and white cowboy movies and serials of the 1920s and 1930s...

the good guys all wore white cowboy hats and the bad guys all wore black cowboy hats...even white horse vs black horse.

Symbolic of course in a metaphoricasl sense of good vs evil. I suggest watching some...Roy Rogers with Trigger, Randolph Scott, the Ringo Kid, anybody remember Gabby Hayes.

Maybe even take in some classic westerns...High Noon, Stage Coach, OK Corral, Rio Grande, The Searchers....

Oh...the good ol' days..

correct me if i am wrong masons, but the highest ranking member of a lodge ( master, worshipful master ) is loosely required to wear a brimmed hat, this being a psycological or illustrative signal that he is the most respected member of the lodge ( as no one else will wear a hat during meetings etc.

it's suspicious that the masons continue to use such meaningless symbols to illustrate their authority amongst one another. i say this because most of their tools for recognizing each other can be implemented in public and I only be understood by other masons. what is the reasoning behind this? - of course, it is because they are a secret society! they do not want attention, and they don't want nonmasons to be able to recognize their codes.

mason hats

I'm a "Black Hat", but I usually wear a balmoral, also black. Knights of Saint Andrew and all of that stuff. And we also call the 33rds "White Hats" from where I hail, although usually amoung ourselves and not their faces. Respect being one of the main focuses of our fratenity and The 33rds have certainly earned it.

reply to post by sharkman


indigothefish,

You are correct about the "hat" being worn by the Master of a Blue Lodge. This is the lodge where the first three degrees are taken and practiced. The term "Worshipful Master" is from a term denoting respect to an authority and I believe it comes from the British Isles and has been incorporated into common useage here in the United States and many other jursidications worldwide.

The different colored hats used in Scottish Rite Masonry signifies a brother who has continued on in further degrees in masonry through the Scottish Rite commensing with the 4th degree and finishing with the 32nd degree, afterwhich a brother is recognized as a brother "Master of the Royal Secret". His hat is black, sometimes after being a dedicated brother and a regular and ardent participant he may be elected to receive a red hat, which signifies that he is still considered a 32nd degree mason but has distighished himself through his dedication and volunteering spirit to be recognized by the honor of "Knight Commander of the Court of Honor".

Sometimes after many years of service, dedication and participation a brother may be elected to receive the 33rd degree and recognized as an "Inspector General Honorary of the 33rd Degree". This is an auspicious honor and very few brothers are recognized as such, it being reserved for the top tier of brothers dedicated to the strenght and growth and support of Scottish Rite Masonry.

The style and shape of these different hats is in reference to the skull caps and prayer caps seen in Judasim, Islam and also used by different Christian clergy.

In Military parlance the colors are used and assigned to "cells" for exercises and training.

-- Blue Cell are the good guys; the US forces and their Allies.

-- Red Cell are the aggressors the bad guys etc.

-- White Cell are exercise proctors, referees, controllers and scorekeepers.

In planning military operations the staff play similar roles when possible courses of action are war-gamed for possible flaws.

Tex - Thanks for the link to the Thinking Hat thing…I had a friend reference it on a resume I was reviewing for him and while he verbally explained it to me the link made it much more clear.

Here is a graphic for the black vs white issue...it's been going on for a long time.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6b3b5f4df9e6.png[/atsimg]

Thank you for the link. Nice and concise.

Here in Texas, it's not uncommon for the Worshipful Master's hat to be some form of cowboy hat...

Originally posted by indigothefish
correct me if i am wrong masons, but the highest ranking member of a lodge ( master, worshipful master ) is loosely required to wear a brimmed hat, this being a psycological or illustrative signal that he is the most respected member of the lodge ( as no one else will wear a hat during meetings etc.

This is correct.

it's suspicious that the masons continue to use such meaningless symbols to illustrate their authority amongst one another.

I don't know if "suspicious" would be the word I'd use. It's actually rather practical. If I'm visiting a lodge I've never been to before, it's easy for me to know who's in charge... the guy with the hat! Likewise, while the elected WM for a year is generally the one presiding over the stated meetings, other people can wear the hat to confer degrees, or conduct other ceremonies (installation of officers, for instance.) With one person wearing a hat at a time in the room, it's easy to know who's got the football, so to speak.

i say this because most of their tools for recognizing each other can be implemented in public and I only be understood by other masons. what is the reasoning behind this? - of course, it is because they are a secret society! they do not want attention, and they don't want nonmasons to be able to recognize their codes.

Yes, but that's hardly suspicious behavior. Really, the only way a Mason is going to recognize another Mason in public is going to be if he's wearing a ring, lapel pin, belt buckle, key fob, shirt or jacket with Masonic emblems, or is driving a car with a Masonic bumper sticker. Hand signs are not used in public, and grips are not generally exchanged between strangers as a way of feeling out if someone else is a Mason. (Honestly, the only way to be certain that someone you're talking to is a Mason is to ask for a current dues card...)