Credit card hackers, those who break into big businesses databases and steal credit card information to make purchases, are referred to by industry analysts as "black hats." "White hat" hackers, on the other hand, work to help companies protect sensitive information.

However, a new breed of hacker have less clear motives, according to the New York Times. "Gray hats" break into a company's security system, and then either steal from the company or alert the company to their security loop holes.

Companies react to these hackers in a variety of ways. Some industries that are hacked by a "black hat" will close the loophole and give the hacker public recognition.

"We take security very seriously - our focus is to put our customer safety first," Mike Reavey, director of Microsoft's security response center, told the news source. "We realize we can't do this alone, which is why we want to partner with the research company," he added, discussing the company's relationship with white hat hackers.

According to Javelin Strategy and Research, over 11 million consumers in the U.S. fell victim to identity theft. Those who are looking to protect their information online should consider using a secure payment company when shopping on the web.