These digital knights don the hacker’s cloak, not for nefarious purposes, but to fortify our cyber defenses. Let’s delve into the captivating world of ethical hacking and understand what it takes to become one.
1. Who is an Ethical Hacker?
An Ethical Hacker, also known as a White Hat Hacker, is a cybersecurity professional who uses their skills to find and fix vulnerabilities in systems. Instead of exploiting these vulnerabilities for malicious purposes, as a black hat hacker would, ethical hackers report them so they can be remediated.
2. The Role of an Ethical Hacker
The primary role of an ethical hacker is to conduct penetration tests, or ‘pentests’, on their organization’s systems to identify any security loopholes that could be exploited by malicious hackers. They also assess security systems and protocols, perform risk assessments, and help develop robust security policies and procedures.
3. Ethical Hacking: The Process
Ethical hacking follows a systematic process, much like traditional hacking. It begins with reconnaissance to gather information about the target, followed by scanning and enumeration to identify vulnerabilities. Then comes the exploitation phase, where they attempt to breach the system. However, unlike black hat hackers, ethical hackers then document their findings and work to fix the identified vulnerabilities.
4. The Path to Becoming an Ethical Hacker
Aspiring ethical hackers typically start with a strong foundation in computer science or IT. Knowledge in areas like networking, databases, and programming is beneficial. Further, certifications such as the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) from EC-Council or Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) can provide a competitive edge.
