Technology and the internet have made it possible to reach remote corners of the globe using technology today. We share information and data online all the time, whether it’s photos from vacations or confidential business documents. Technology has made our lives so much easier. Technology has its downsides. It also has a flip side. Cybercrimes have seen a significant rise. Cybercriminals are increasing in number due to technological advances. Hackers are needed to protect our systems from cybercriminals. This is where ethical hacking steps in. We will be discussing who and what ethical hackers are, their roles and responsibilities as well as the types of ethical hacking and how to become one. Let’s get started.
Ethical hacking is the legal practice of trying to gain access to a computer system or network. It involves bypassing existing security systems to detect potential weaknesses that cybercriminals could exploit to breach the system/network. This involves hackers hacking into a company’s network. This hacking, unlike malicious attacks is legal, preplanned, and approved by the company.
Ethical hackers are professionals who carry out the above-mentioned functions, and assess the safety and security of a company’s computer systems and network. Ethical hackers are also called ‘white hats’, and they are the opposite of hackers who hack into systems for malicious reasons like fraud, theft, and extortion.They perform the following functions:Investigating the weak points of a system/network that are vulnerable to attack from malicious hackers
Collecting and analysing information from multiple reliable sources to ensure network/system security
Enhance the security of the network or security systems in order to resist attacks by malicious hackers
Create strategies and solutions to prevent system breaches
Types of hacking and hackers
They are classified based on hacking done and the results:
1. White hat hackers
These people are also known as Ethical Hackers and Penetration Testers. They are the good guys in hacking. They hack into a system in order to determine if it is secure. They report and fix any security holes in the system. They are authorized to hack into the networ