In The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, what is Lisbeth Salander’s profession?

In The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Lisbeth Salander is a computer hacker. She is one of the central characters in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series and uses exceptional technical skills to investigate people, access information, and expose wrongdoing.

Salander works as a freelance researcher for Milton Security, a private security company. Her hacking ability makes her a valuable investigator, although her antisocial manner and traumatic history often cause authorities and employers to underestimate her. She eventually joins journalist Mikael Blomkvist in investigating the disappearance of Harriet Vanger.

The novel was first published in Swedish in 2005 under the title Män som hatar kvinnor, which translates as Men Who Hate Women. The English translation appeared in 2008 with the title The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Salander is sometimes described simply as a detective, but that is not her profession. Blomkvist supplies the traditional investigative-journalist role, while Salander’s distinctive contribution comes from digital investigation, surveillance, research, and hacking.