What is Ethical Hacking and How Does it Work?

Cybercrime is on the rise in both quantity and quality. These attacks can come in many forms and can have a significant impact on national security as well as business interests. Organizations must address these issues now more than ever. Prevention is the best protection.

This is where ethical hacking steps in.

Hacking is authorized to access computer systems, applications, and data. An ethical hack is a copy of the strategies used by malicious hackers. This helps to identify security flaws that can be fixed before they are exploited externally. Hacking can happen to any system, website, process, or device. It is important for ethical hackers they understand the possible consequences and how they could happen.

What is an ethical hacker?

Ethical hackers are security professionals who perform security assessments in order to improve security measures within an organization. Once the business has been approved, the ethical hacker begins to mimic hacking by malicious actors.

These are the key concepts ethical hackers should follow

• Legal: An ethical hacker must have the approval of the organization’s top leadership before they can conduct any kind of security assessment or ethical hacking.
• Scope: Ethical hackers must ensure that their work is legal and within approved boundaries. This can be done by determining the assessment’s scope.
• Vulnerabilities: An ethical hacker should inform the business about all vulnerabilities found and offer insight on how to address them.
• Data Sensitivity: Ethical hackers need to consider data sensitivity as well as any other requirements of the business when conducting ethical hacking.

These are only a few examples of ethical hackers.

Ethical hackers are not like malicious hackers. They use the same skills and knowledge to help organizations and improve their technology stack, rather than causing damage. They need to have multiple certifications and skills. Sometimes they specialize in one area. An ethical hacker must be proficient in scripting languages, familiar with operating systems, and skilled in networking. A solid knowledge of information security is essential, especially for the organization being assessed.

Different Types of Hackers

Hackers can be classified into various types. Their names indicate the purpose of the hacking system.

There are two types of hackers.

1. White Hat Hacker — An white hat hacker who does not intend harm to the system or organization. They simulate the process to find vulnerabilities and offer solutions to make sure safety is maintained in the company.
2. Black Hat Hacker — This is your traditional hacker. Black hat hackers, also known as hackers who aren’t ethical, carry out attacks that are based on malicious intent, often in order to steal data or collect monetary benefits.

Phases of ethical hacking

Ethical hacking is a process that helps to detect vulnerabilities in an application, system, or organization’s infrastructure. This prevents future attacks and security breaches.

Originally Published on The Tech Trend