A gray hat hacker is a computer expert or security researcher who often works outside traditional legal boundaries. While they may not be as malicious as black hat hackers, they are still considered a security risk. Gray hat hackers are often motivated by money and may use their skills to gain access to restricted information or networks.

Gray hat hackers are typically seen as a mix between white hat and black hat hackers. They use their skills to find and exploit vulnerabilities within a system or network, but often do not cause any destruction or disruption. In some cases, they may even alert the system administrator or owner of the vulnerability they have discovered. Gray hat hackers may use the information they discover to gain access to sensitive information or networks, or to sell this information to another party.

Gray hat hackers may also be seen as ethical hackers. They may use their skills to inform the system owner or administrator of a vulnerability before it is exploited by malicious actors, allowing them to fix it before any damage is done. This type of behavior is seen as beneficial to the overall security of the system or network.