The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word RANSOMWARE
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "hacker’s way of making money" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hacker’s way of making money = ransomware.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does RANSOMWARE mean?
RANSOMWARE noun- Malware that holds the data of a computer user for ransom, usually requiring or claiming to require payment to restore access.
- Software that is released as open source only in exchange for payment.