Which category of hacker can frequently exploit vulnerabilities before they are publicly known?

The category of hacker that can frequently exploit vulnerabilities before they are publicly known is referred to as elite hackers. Elite hackers possess advanced technical skills and an in-depth understanding of computer systems, networks, and security measures. Because of their expertise, they are often able to discover and exploit zero-day vulnerabilities, which are security flaws that have not yet been disclosed to the public or for which no patch or fix is available. This ability to identify and capitalize on vulnerabilities before they are recognized by security professionals allows elite hackers to perform significant breaches, which differentiates them from other types of hackers.

In contrast, gray hats typically operate in a legal gray area, discovering vulnerabilities and often disclosing them to vendors without malicious intent. Black hats focus on exploiting vulnerabilities for personal gain or malicious purposes, while script kiddies use pre-written scripts or tools created by other hackers rather than developing their own techniques, which limits their ability to find unknown vulnerabilities. Thus, it is the elite hackers that stand out for their capability to exploit newly found security flaws before they are publicly acknowledged.