What is Ethical Hacking?

What is Ethical Hacking?

Ethical hacking is one of the most important resources companies can invest in to protect their data amidst the growing frequency of attacks on their security. Ethical hacking involves authorizing hackers to attempt to gain unauthorized access into a company’s computer systems. In this pursuit, ethical hackers implement methods and strategies that malicious hackers use, such as penetration testing. These tests are meant to identify vulnerabilities in the company’s security so the company can prevent data breaches and future attacks.

Ethical hacking is crucial in identifying loopholes and vulnerabilities before an attack takes place, ultimately preventing valuable information and data from being accessed by malicious hackers.

Types of Hackers

Popular media tends to portray hacking in a negative light, but not all hacking is bad. You first have to exploit your security vulnerabilities to confirm you have them. There are three different types of hackers in the cybersecurity community:

• White Hat Hackers are most often associated with ethical hacking. They follow ethical codes and rules when hacking into organizations and companies. These hackers are hired by the organizations they are hacking into to test that organization’s hardware, software, and network vulnerabilities. They break into systems so the companies can patch up any holes. This process helps prevent data breaches and future attacks.

• Black Hat Hackers break into companies to steal data. They usually hold this data for ransomware or sell it on the dark web. They do not follow any codes of ethics and hack for dishonest means. These hackers look for flaws in computers and networks and exploit them to the highest degree. They gain access to personal information and exploit loopholes and oversights in defenses.

• Grey Hat Hackers fall somewhere in between white and black hat hackers. They hack for neither good nor bad intentions. They might notify a company of a potential security breach. They also don’t follow a code of ethics. Their hacking can be seen as a malicious attack on the computer they are hacking into, and these hackers can get into just as much trouble as black hat hackers.

Roles and Responsibilities of an Ethical Hacker

Ethical hackers must follow a set of ethics when hacking. This code ensures the hacking is legal and doesn’t tread into illegal territory. Here are some roles and responsibilities of ethical hacking:

• Obtain legal approvals before accessing the systems and running assessment tests

• Determine the scope of the test designated by the organization

• Report any vulnerabilities in the system/software discovered in the assessment

• Keep things confidential between the hacker and the client

• Wipe all traces of the hack to ensure malicious hackers cannot use it

Limitations of Ethical Hacking

Unlike a malicious hacker, an ethical hacker is confined to a scope and time limit. As a result, the hacker must use a wide range of knowledge and skills to apply these tests while also adhering to the code of ethics. Limited resources and specified limitations imposed by the company also force an ethical hacker to use a lot of critical thinking to simulate a malicious hacker’s processes and implement tests. This often proves harder than black hat hacking, as it has to be conducted in a way that penetrates an organization’s defenses without damaging any of its systems.

Conclusion

Ethical hacking is increasingly important in pinpointing vulnerabilities amid a continual increase in data breaches. Without ethical hacking, thousands of people’s data would be leaked and sold on the dark web. This is why ethical hacking is one of the most important resources used by companies to protect their data in this technological age.

Sources:

https://www.devry.edu/blog/what-is-ethical-hacking.html

https://www.comptia.org/content/articles/what-is-ethical-hacking