Introduction
We all know what hackers are. When we think of hackers, we think of someone illegally tampering with software to break into other software. But, what about an ethical hacker? No, the term is not an oxymoron. An ethical hacker is literally what it says on the tin. They are the countermeasures against the cyber hackers that we so frequently hear of. This is a classic example of using fire to fight another fire. Thus, the one who has been fighting the good fight and putting away cybercrimes for us are ethical hackers.
Types of Hackers
Before we move on to talk more about ethical hackers, we need to be able to discern the different types of hackers out there.
White Hat Hacking
This is where ethical hackers mainly come from. They represent a good cause and are usually hired by credible corporations or have sought these technical skills through legitimate means like education and more. They can work with a company or work for a company as a freelancer. Their main focus is to assist a company to spot loopholes in their security systems and fix them. To do so, they hack into the company’s system and the difference between white hat hacking and other types of hacking is that they acquire the permission to do so from the companies themselves. So, they are a group of people who use their skills responsibly.
Black Hat Hacking
Those in this category are the main perpetrators of cybercrime. Unlike their counterparts, they are on the direct opposing end of white hat hackers. They are the ones that come up with malware to enter a company’s private systems in order to steal confidential data and of course, this is done without the permission of the company. Once the data falls into their hands, they typically use it to coerce ransoms out for companies or even use them to commit identity fraud. Most times, these people do not acquire their skills through legitimate means, often learning from other fellow black hat hackers. So, they are the hackers that white hat hackers want to bring down and prevent because their actions have dire repercussions on thousands and millions of people.
Gray Hat Hacking
Gray hat hackers, as you can infer, are a mixture of white and black hat hackers. They also partake in illegal acts of breaking into confidential data like black hat hackers, but they do not go to the extent of manipulating the data for personal gains. Instead, they will first hack the system without permission and then report it to the system’s owner. This may seem like what a white hat hacker would do, but the difference is that gray hat hackers will demand a fee to fix the situation. As such, gray hat hackers are not as destructive as black hat hackers, but neither are they as righteous as white hat hackers.
Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security
Out of the three types of hackers, white hat hackers are the most crucial to cybersecurity. This is because they are as well-versed in the ways of hacking just as their malicious counterparts are but they use their expertise for the better. So, as mentioned previously, white hat hackers are granted permission directly by the companies to hack into their systems. They will do so and then find the weak spots and give clients better options to reinforce the security of their systems. White hat hackers are in demand in many industries given the good work that they do and the fact that the world is becoming increasingly digitized. You can find many of them working in governmental organizations and a handful helping out the businesses. Those interested in finding a job as an ethical hacker may find certain certifications useful, such as the comptia cybersecurity certification. These certifications can help to boost your resume, as companies look for highly qualified cybersecurity personnel to help safeguard their data.
The Workings of a White Hat Hacker
Every hacker has its own process and so do white hat hackers. They follow two main processes when trying to test out the security of a company’s systems, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessments.
Penetration Testing
Penetration testing is when ethical hackers attempt to penetrate through a system’s security walls. This is the stage where the attempt to find the weaknesses in the security occurs. This can usually be done manually, by the hacker themselves, or automated through the help of a software. This process allows the ethical hacker to understand the system thoroughly and get to the blindsides before black hat hackers do. Many of the processes that ethical hackers use are also used by black hat hackers. As such, ethical hackers have to constantly upgrade themselves in order to learn new variations of penetration testing in order to always try to be one step ahead of black hat hackers and use it for the good of the people and company instead.
Vulnerability Assessments
After penetration testing and finding out where the vulnerable areas are, this next process attempts to define, identify, classify, and prioritize the respective unprotected places. This process can also be done through manual means or automated means. Although it is recommended to do this through the manual route first as you will be able to spot any new weaknesses should they come up. This is because, with every software update, new problems will come up as well. Not only that but black hat hackers can also figure out new ways to hack old systems. Hence, it is also recommended for such assessments to be done routinely.
Conclusion
Now you know how important the job of an ethical hacker is. If you are intrigued to find out more about how all this works but want to avoid falling into the pits of black hat hacking, our best advice is to take on a cybersecurity degree. Not only will you have guidance from a few of the best professionals in the industry, but you will also gain access to legitimate education and training which will be your verification when you apply for a role in the industry.