How to Be an Ethical Hacker?

Table of Contents

Introduction

Originally, a talented programmer knowledgeable of computer operating systems and machine code was referred to as a “hacker.” A hacker today is a person who regularly participates in hacking activities and has adopted hacking as a way of life and ideology. Hacking is the activity of changing a system’s functionality to achieve a goal that was not intended when it was designed.

Let’s learn more about the function of an ethical hacker before learning how to play one.

How Does Ethical Hacking Work?

Until the job of an ethical hacker is completely understood, the term “hacking” has very negative implications. The “white hat” wearers in the hacking community are the ethical hackers. What then is the responsibility of an ethical hacker? Ethical hackers find holes in data security for businesses and organizations throughout the world rather than using their high computer skills for illegal purposes, protecting them from dishonest hackers.

Guidelines for Becoming an Ethical Hacker

Here are a few steps for starting your ethical hacking training:

1. Become Familiar with UNIX/LINUX

The open-source and free LINUX/UNIX operating system provides improved computer system security. You should be familiar with Linux if you want to be an ethical hacker because it is one of the most often used operating systems for hacking. It offers lots of tools to hackers. There are numerous well-known Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Red Hat Linux, Kali Linux, BackTrack, and others. The Linux operating system Kali Linux is the most well-known one designed exclusively for hacking.

2. Decide on the Most Potent Programming Language

As the mother of all programming languages, C is regarded as one of the earliest computer languages. Understanding C is the basis for studying UNIX/LINUX because this operating sys written in that language. Hackers must therefore learn C proctored to properly utilize the open-source OS Linux.

Learn several programming languages for an advantage. A programmer that uses ethical hacking techniques and is knowledgeable in two or three programming languages may analyze and assess a piece of code.

3. Study the Art of Being Anonymous

Figuring out how to hide your identity and remain anonymous online is the most important step in ethical hacking since it prevents anyone from following your trail of evidence and identifying you. If black hat hackers learn that an ethical hacker is using the network, they might try to get into that hacker’s machine. Most of the time, ethical hackers are not aware of other users who are using the same network. As a result, secrecy is crucial for ethical hackers as well. The three most promising ways to secure your identity are proxychains, Anonsurf, and MacChanger.

4. Study Networking Concepts

Understanding networking concepts and how they work is crucial for ethical hackers. It takes understanding of multiple networks and protocols to exploit vulnerabilities. An ethical hacker with a thorough understanding of networking tools like Nmap, Wireshark, and others can solve the challenges facing the industry.

5. Check Out the Dark Web

The area of the internet that is hidden or unsearchable by search engines is known as the “dark web.” Software or special authorization is required for access. With the anonymous Tor browser, one can surf the dark web. Even though it is a refuge for illegal activities, not all of it takes place there. Ethical hackers must comprehend how the dark web functions because it also offers a respectable aspect.

6. Improve Your Coding Skills

Cryptography is a valuable skill for a good hacker. The art of encryption and decoding must be mastered in order to hack. Encryption is used in information security for a variety of functions, such as authentication, data integrity, confidentiality, and more. Important data, including passwords, is always secured on networks. Hackers must possess the knowledge and abilities required to identify and decrypt encryption.

7. Understanding Hacking

Go deep and learn about topics like penetration testing, SQL injections, vulnerability analysis, and more after you’ve learned everything there is to know about hacking. Keep abreast on the latest hacking and system security tools and tactics, as well as the most recent system security patches.

8. Consider the Drawbacks

Vulnerabilities are flaws or inadequacies in a system. Acquire the capability of security gap scanning for networks and systems. It’s possible that the system will be attacked by ethical hackers looking for vulnerabilities.

9. Experimenting and Practicing

Hacking success depends on experience and experimenting. They must use the knowledge they have gained in a variety of contexts and situations. Test various strategies, resources, and other things.

10. Engage in Conversations and Meet Expert Hackers

To communicate with other hackers from around the world and work together, start a community or register for forums. Numerous communities can be found on various platforms, such as Facebook, Telegram, and Discord.

What Does an Ethical Hacker Do?

Ethical hackers can work as independent consultants, as in-house security guards for a company’s website or apps, or as freelancers for a company that offers simulated offensive cybersecurity services. All of these career opportunities need an understanding of current attack techniques and tools, although an in-house ethical hacker might only need to be well-versed in a specific class of software or digital asset.

An in-house red team may have the advantage of having deeper expertise in their own applications and systems than an independent consultant, despite being a relatively new concept in the security business. The red team has an advantage thanks to this insider information, so long as they can keep from being too narrow-minded in their thinking. Real attackers would need several years to duplicate this edge. Most people believe that internal teams are less expensive overall than hiring a consulting agency on an ongoing basis.

Instead, a value that an outside ethical hacker may offer is a fresh perspective to spot vulnerabilities that the internal team might have missed. Even businesses that have an inside red team may sometimes hire an outside ethical hacker to give their defenses a new perspective. There are a number of essential skills that an ethical hacker should know. If you want to advance your career you can enroll in cyber security courses and learn these essential skills.

Getting the client’s written consent before starting any activity is especially crucial for any external aggressive security service provider. This authorization should list the systems, networks, software programs, and websites that will be a part of the simulated attack. Without further explicit consent, do not expand the service’s scope.

There are black-box, white-box, and gray-box ethical hacker encounters in line with the industry’s use of hues to distinguish between various cybersecurity roles and responsibilities. When the security expert is engaged in a white-box engagement, they receive the most details on the targeted system and application. In doing so, the simulated assault can search fast and thoroughly for weaknesses that would take a genuinely shady character a very long time to find.

In contrast, a black-box interaction occurs when the ethical hacker receives no insider information. This more accurately represents the circumstances of an actual attack and might give important information about what a potential attack vector would resemble. The simulation of an attack in which the attacker has already breached the perimeter and possibly spent time within the system or application is known as a “gray-box engagement,” as the name suggests.

All three engagement modes are frequently used by businesses along with internal and external ethical hackers. Although this type of applied knowledge is significantly more expensive to carry out, it can offer the clearest picture of what defenses need to be deployed.

For many additional security professions, having ethical hacking abilities and expertise is advantageous. For network security analysts and engineers, these abilities are essential. People having cyber attacking skills are needed for purple teams. Application security developer’s gain from having a working knowledge of attack techniques and equipment. Security researchers, also referred to as bug hunters, rely heavily on their understanding of offensive strategies. Many successful bug hunters have knowledge that extends beyond the application level to the network level and other potentially vulnerable regions.

Conclusion

By enrolling in Ethical Hacking Training and getting pertinent practical experience, you can launch a career in ethical hacking. It’s crucial to comprehend the principles and acquire theoretical knowledge. The procedure will be clearer to you once you have some experience, though. In today’s security framework, cyber security plays a crucial role. The job of preserving the vast amounts of sensitive data kept by third-party services has grown significantly. You can contribute to safeguarding your company’s data by learning security techniques in the Cyber Security Courses, and advance a career in ethical hacking.

FAQs

How do I become an ethical hacker?

Some of the fundamental abilities all ethical hackers require are as follows: proficiency with operating systems, networking, and database management. Python as well as other programming languages are known to be functional. the ability to initiate phishing assaults or other forms of attacks via social engineering.

What motivates you to become an ethical hacker?

You will have a good amount of career prospects if you have an ethical hacking certification. A hacker needs to be very knowledgeable about programming and have exceptional coding skills to crack passwords and compromise web servers, among other things.