Ethical hacking is a set of principles about how we should act professionally while doing our jobs. These principles have been developed over time to try to achieve the best possible outcome from our work. We should be honest, trustworthy, respectful of others privacy and security and generally do what we think is right. If we break these rules then we commit a breach of ethics.
Why is it called ‘Ethical’ hacking?
The term ‘hacker’ carries negative connotations in society today. When people hear the word they often associate it with criminals and malicious attacks. However, a hacker is simply someone who enjoys solving problems and challenges. The ethical hackers out there spend their lives trying to find solutions to real world problems. To them, finding a solution isn’t just a way to make money; it’s a way to help improve the world. In fact, many ethical hackers use their skills to help organizations around the world to protect themselves from cyber crime.
How Do You Get Started
There are lots of ways to learn about ethical hacking. One of the easiest ways is to start reading Articles like this one. There are plenty of books and online tutorials in which teach different aspects of hacking techniques and show you how to apply them to real-world scenarios. Another great option is to go to hackathons. Hackathons are events where developers, programmers and computer enthusiasts gather together to compete in different contests. Many of the attendees at these events are interested in learning new skills, therefore they may be willing to teach you some tricks along the way.
What if I’m not sure whether something is Ethical or illegal?
Don’t worry! You don’t need to know everything before you start practicing. Ethical hacking is more of a philosophy than anything else. As long as you follow the basic principles that you learned, you won’t be breaking any laws
Benefits of Ethical Hacking
Ethical Hacking is the art of finding vulnerabilities in software. In simple terms, it is the practice of discovering security flaws. There have been many instances where unethical hackers have exploited these flaws and stolen valuable information. A good example of this is Sony’s data breach back in 2014. Hackers were able to gain access to private user accounts and sensitive information. Their identity was also exposed. The culprit behind this hack is unknown at this point. However, they had their motive. These hackers wanted to make money out of the exposure. One thing led to another, and the hackers were then arrested.
If you’re interested in learning how to become a white hat hacker, here are some tips on how to start.
- Don’t steal personal or financial information.
- Do not use your skills to cause damage to others.
- Keep your ethics high.
Ethical hacking refers to the act of probing into computer systems without permission or knowledge of the system administrator. An ethical hacker uses various methods (or tools) to gain unauthorized access to a network, computer system, database or web server. These tools may vary according to the type of targeted infrastructure. In some cases, the tools used are classified as illegal. However, many legal tools have been modified to perform illegal tasks. Legal tools may have been reverse engineered illegally.
There are several types of ethical hackers. A penetration tester may use any number of techniques to exploit vulnerabilities. A white hat hacker performs penetration testing for companies to find bugs in their software. A black hat hacker performs attacks for personal reasons or financial gain.
The difference between white hats and black hats is clear. White hat hackers are trying to discover security flaws, while black hat hackers try to make money off them. Some black hat hackers are paid to hack computers and sell information to criminals. Others do it out of personal interest or need.
Tools For Ethical Hacking
Some examples of ethical hacking tools are VBScan, Metasploit, Nmap, nikto, Nessus, Burp Suite, GRC, XSSer, SQLMap, Kismet and Wireshark. There are different websites that provide free and paid versions of these programs.
Types Of Ethical Hackers
- White Hat Hacker:
The white hat hacker is someone who does not attempt to break into a system intentionally. Rather, they are looking for information, such as how well a company handles its data, whether it’s secure enough and where there might be potential vulnerabilities. White hat hackers are often employed by companies to test their networks for weaknesses. - Black Hat Hacker:
Black hat hackers are those who break into computers or networks for malicious purposes. This could include stealing valuable information (such as credit card numbers), taking down servers, or even committing fraud. Sometimes, black hat hackers are working alone, but sometimes they work as part of a group called L0pht Heavy Industries, which was founded by members of the US military. - Gray Hat Hacker:
Gray hat hackers are people who do things like take over user accounts, deface websites, or cause havoc instead of breaking into a network. Their goal may be to expose problems that otherwise would go unnoticed. They’re considered less than legitimate because they don’t get paid — they just want to help others protect themselves.
Phases of ethical Hacking
1. Ethical Hacking Phase 1 – Research Phase
The first phase of any ethical hacking course focuses on research. You need to ensure you have access to the right information and are looking at the right data. There are many courses out there that focus on how to conduct research online. However, when conducting research online, always make sure you follow the correct guidelines and policies. Doing this will help you avoid getting banned from certain sites or even worse get yourself in trouble with law enforcement.
2. Ethical Hacking Cycle 2 – Identification Phase
Phase two of any ethical hacking cycle is often referred to as identification. In this stage, you want to identify where vulnerabilities exist in order to exploit them. As we mentioned earlier, research should focus on obtaining the necessary information and data. Once you have gathered all the necessary information you will then start to look for vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities could take the form of web applications, databases, servers, etc. Identifying these vulnerabilities is what the second half of ethical hacking is all about.
3. Ethical Hacking Stage 3 – Exploitation Phase
Once you have identified a vulnerability, you will now use techniques and methodologies to exploit it. In the third stage, you will start to develop exploits in order to gain access to systems and networks. This is done using tools such as Metasploit, Nmap, NMAP, and Burp Suite.
4. Ethical Hacking Final Phase – Post exploitation Phase
This final phase of ethical hacking is all related to post-exploitation. This means everything after the initial exploit. After gaining access to a system or network, it is possible to perform various types of activities. These activities could range from stealing sensitive information, modifying files, deleting critical information, or even deleting the entire system.
