[ArtexDd0x]

Are hackers generally considered to be financially well-off individuals? Additionally, is it possible to earn a legitimate income through ethical hacking practices, without engaging in any illegal activities?

[Bastille]

Well, there are lot of parameters.

If we speak about amount of money, good hackers can make few thousands every month (using ransomware and RAT, or selling programs, ...). Some members (from groups) can make even more when you see the price of ransom paid by companies (sometimes many millions), but that's just for some groups, not everyone. But that's only valuable for GOOD hackers, and if we consider police don't catch you.

However, that said, there are lot of cons in my opinion. For example, in France, when you are dealing with illegal activities you don't pay taxes so you will not get paid during your retirement. In other countries you don't have health insurance, you can't ask for a credit at banks because you can't justify your incomes, and so on ... You can always get caught by police, if you are unemployed and drive a luxury car this will trigger feds for sure (same for clothes, watches, holidays, ...), you have to live with sword of Damocles above your head every day of your life. And if you get caught you'll spend few years of your life (sometimes decades) in jail. Is it worth ? I'm not sure.

Instead, for people that are interested by hacking, I highly recommend cybersecurity's field. Good incomes, can work from home, lot of mobility in your work you can work as a pentester few years, then work as SOC Analyst, then something else if you want ... Good mobility also to work in other countries such as USA, Canada, Europe, that hire a lot. Good working condition (Google vibes, you're not going to the office to spend 9 hours of your life every day, you're going to the office to have fun). If you don't want to work in companies you can work as free-lance. If you really really really like hacking websites, programs, and stuff you should look at Bug Bounties (company offer bounties if you can hack their programs, websites, servers, ...) so you're free to work whenever you want.

Think about this :
- Chill life with good amount of money, security, social life, OR (maybe) more money but with risks to get caught and spend time in jail. How much 5 or 10 years in jail worth for you ?

[Glowman]

Are hackers generally considered to be financially well-off individuals? Additionally, is it possible to earn a legitimate income through ethical hacking practices, without engaging in any illegal activities?