Ethical Hacking
It is an official attempt to gain unauthorized access to a computer system, application, or data. Taking out an ethical hack involves replicating the strategies and actions of fighting attackers. This practice helps to identify security exposures which can then be determined before a hostile attacker can manipulate them. From a technical standpoint, Ethical Hacking is overlooking or cracking security measures enforced by a system to find exposures, data breaches, and potential threats. It is only considered ethical if the regional or organizational cyber laws/rules are obeyed.
Ethical hacking is the need for an hour—the primary reason being the quantity of data developed these days and the security risks that follow. It is one of the quickest-evolving areas in computer science. As more and more systems connect to cyberspace, they become powerless against attacks from all corners of the world. Every organization and business ought to protect its assets and data against such attacks. Ethical hacking is an example of an excellent opportunity to improve the security of the network and systems, specifically by testing for such defenselessness.
Types of Ethical Hacking
- Web Application hacking manipulates software over HTTP by employing the software’s visual chrome browser, interfering with the URI, or conspiring with HTTP elements not stored in the URI.
- System Hacking: Hackers acquire access to individual computers over a network via system hacking. Password busting, privilege escalation, malicious software construction, and packet sniffing are the defensive actions that IT security professionals can utilize to fight these dangers.
- Web Server Hacking: An application software database server develops web information in real time. So assaulters use Gluing, ping deluge, port scan, sniffing attacks, and social engineering tactics to capture credentials, passcodes, and company details from the web application.
- Hacking Wireless networks: A hacker easily squirts the system from a nearby location through wireless networks. Often, these attackers use network snorting to discover the Identifier and bodge a wireless network.
- Social Engineering: The art of exploiting the masses so that they reveal sensitive information is known as social engineering. Criminals use eugenics since it usually is easier to attack your organic hard time trusting than figuring out how to mimic your device.
Various Types Of Hackers
A hacker is a person who cracks a technical issue by utilizing a computer, networking, or even other abilities. Anyone who operates their skills to gain entrance to a system or network in an application to violate laws is called a hacker.
White Hat Hackers
These are the right people who come to our aid on the dark web. White hat hackers, also known as ethical hackers, are cybersecurity specialists who help the government and businesses by conducting penetration testing and recognizing security flaws. Ethical hackers utilize diverse strategies to defend themselves from black hat hackers and other cybercriminals. They bust into our system to find exposures and assist you in clearing viruses and malware.
Black Hat Hackers
Black hat hackers are the primary perpetrators of cybercrime. The plurality of the time, the plan of a black hat hacker is financial gain. These hackers look for weaknesses in individual computers in businesses and banking systems. They can hack into your network and gain entrance to your personal, business, and financial information by exploiting any loopholes they find.
Grey Hat Hackers
Grey Hat Hackers drop in between white and black hat cyberpunks. Grey hat hackers may not use their skills for personal gain and can have excellent and evil wills. A hacker who hacks into an organization and finds some susceptibility may leak it over the internet or inform the organization about it. Nevertheless, as soon as cyberpunks use their hacking talents for private gain, they evolve into black hat hackers.
Phases of Ethical Hacking
There are multiple phases entangled in any hacking process. Let’s check them one by one.
Reconnaissance: Before performing any hack, one gathers initial information about the target system. This information could be about the people or organizations linked with the target, the host system, or the target network. The primary intention of this step is to engineer a hack based on the same technology and security measures enforced by the target system.
Scanning: Most of the moment, hacking is done via network access. Most of our machines, whether in an organization or home, are connected to a network. The typical form of this network is Wi-Fi or WLAN. Ethernet connections are also laid down in offices to guarantee the highest efficiency. A hacker can take benefit of this factor and focus on gaining unauthorized entry to the network of the target host. In this process, the network topology and weak ports are revealed.
Gaining Access: Based on that information, the hacker starts hacking after these two phases. This step involves breaking into the target system by breaking the password or sidestepping the security measures.
Maintaining access: After gaining access, the hacker ensures you can retain access to the target system once the hacker finishes the first session. This is done through a backdoor. A backdoor is an exploit or hacks left in the target system for a future entry. If a hacker doesn’t leave a backdoor, the target system may execute a newer security patch or reset its security measures, and the hacker may have to run or craft the hack once again.
Clearing tracks: After finishing up with the attack or hack, removing the traces of the hacker attack is essential. This step involves removing any backdoors, executables, or logs that may lead to the attack being traced back to the hacker or found out in the first place.
Ethical Hacker: Roles and Responsibilities
Responsibilities of the Certified Ethical Hacker:
- Meeting with your client to go through the security systems currently put in place
- Verifying the organization’s strategy, network topology, and vulnerable entry points
- Performing penetration testing on the plan (s)
- Identifying and documenting security flaws and vulnerabilities
- Testing the level of security in the network
- Finding out the best security solutions
- Creating penetration test reports
- Performing penetration testing after the implementation of suggested or new security features
- Finding out alternatives to security features that are not working
How to become an Ethical Hacker?
Suppose you’re interested in the role of an ethical hacker. It can be one of the most innovative and exciting career paths. If you’re looking for an affordable option to be an ethical hacker, look no further than the Edita Hacking course. You can also take a look at our CompTIA Security+ Certification. It offers you a chance to earn a global certification focusing on core cybersecurity skills indispensable for security and network administrators.
