At Black Hat USA 2014, the preeminent global information security conference for self-identified “black hat” hackers, IT security firm Thycotic surveyed 127 participants to determine what makes hackers tick. “Understanding why hackers do what they do is the first step toward better protecting your sensitive data from unsanctioned access,” the firm explained.

Most are motivated by thrill, Thycotic found, and profoundly few are worried about getting caught. What’s more, despite extensive media coverage, companies’ internal education efforts and all the security measures implemented by IT departments, 99% of hackers report that basic tactics like phishing are still effective. And almost half of them are working on more sophisticated approaches.