Hackers are notorious for finding technical bugs in websites, apps, and systems. While most hackers act with ill intent for monetary or reputational gain. Others are reformed white-hat hackers who help companies find and eradicate security vulnerabilities.
Ethical hackers identify vulnerabilities in cybersecurity systems and provide detailed reports to company leaders on their findings. It is essential as worms, ransomware, and viruses are rapidly increasing in number. Making them a constant threat to businesses and government agencies.
Vulnerability Assessments
Vulnerability assessments (VAs) are a vital part of any cybersecurity strategy. They look for vulnerabilities that can lead to a data breach and help organizations identify, prioritize, and resolve those threats. VAs are usually conducted routinely as new vulnerabilities arise and cyber threats evolve.
VAs can reveal many issues, including insufficient password encryption, unpatched software, and servers leaking data. The findings are then reported to the organization. Which can develop a plan to address those risks and prevent future attacks.
Ethical hackers can help their clients protect against these security issues by conducting vulnerability tests. They may also advise them on how to improve their current cybersecurity measures. However, They are not the same as black-hat hackers, a more dangerous breed that targets individuals, communities, and governments for economic gain or to obtain sensitive information.
Those interested in becoming ethical hackers should take computer-related courses and earn relevant industry certifications. There are several programs to choose from. Including the Certified Ethical Hacker training course from EC-Council and the Certified Security Analyst (C|SA) program from CompTIA. Both programs can help students better understand how to assess computer systems. Identify threats and weaknesses, and use various attack methods to test vulnerabilities.
Bug Bounty Programs
Ethical hackers are often hired to assess a company’s vulnerability. They work to mimic the techniques of black hat hackers. Still, instead of using the information they find for malicious purposes. They document and remediate vulnerabilities to prevent a breach. That could cost the business money or damage its reputation.
The earliest stage of ethical hacking is surveillance, where they scan and gather as much information as possible about the target system. Once they have a complete system picture, they move to penetration testing. It involves impersonating a malicious hacker to test out the weaknesses of an organization’s security infrastructure and identify potential attack entry points.
Once they find a weakness, they provide a detailed report to the company. It is the first step in the remediation process. Which may include implementing more robust password policies or installing monitoring tools. Ethical hackers also work to reduce the risk of breaches by educating other staff members on cyber security.
Bug bounty programs offer an excellent way for companies to monetize their cybersecurity research and reward hackers. Who find bugs that are difficult to detect by other means. The amount of money a hacker receives for submitting a bug varies from program to program. Some offer a tiered payment scale depending on the severity of the issue or how complex the solution is.
Penetration Testing
A penetration test, also known as a pen test or a hacking exercise, simulates cyberattacks and evaluates the strength of a system’s security. These tests are critical to completing a full risk assessment and help companies determine which of their plans have vulnerabilities that criminal hackers could exploit.
During penetration testing, an ethical hacker, who may be a member of a red team or a blue team, poses as a cybercriminal to assess a company’s computer infrastructure in a controlled environment. They are given wide latitude to explore the network, including its internal systems and applications. They document their findings, highlighting areas that need protection. This information helps company leaders implement more robust infosec policies, protocols, and technologies that are more resilient to cyberattacks.
During an ethical exercise, pen testing cloud services are crucial, serving as a shield against potential cybersecurity threats. Imagine an ethical hacker, armed with advanced tools like brute-force attack software and employing cunning social engineering tactics, seeking to expose vulnerabilities in a cloud-based structure while carefully mimicking the strategies actual cyber attackers use.
Through a systematic yet controlled assault, the ethical hacker uncovers critical security weak points, enabling organizations to strengthen their defense systems. This ensures the utmost protection of their digital assets and data within the vast and sometimes elusive cloud environment.
Most ethical hackers begin a test by doing surveillance, looking at what cyber attackers can steal from the target company and how much damage they can do with it. They then carry out the simulated attack, duplicating strategies and actions seen in a typical cyber kill chain.
Grey Hat Hacking
Grey hat hackers occupy the middle ground between white hat who aim to protect systems from attacks and black hat hackers who exploit vulnerabilities for their gain. They look for weaknesses in a system without its owner’s knowledge or permission and often share their findings online.
While grey hackers don’t have the malicious intent of black hats, they have to be careful about the legal implications of their hacking. If they reveal a vulnerability to the public, they might be sued by impacted companies or even reported to the authorities. If they don’t disclose the flaws, on the other hand, the companies may not be able to fix them in time, and their customers could be at risk.
Fortunately, there are some ways for gray hat hackers to avoid being prosecuted by taking a more cautious approach when reporting their discoveries. One way is to reconstruct their research using software, devices, and networks they have authorized access to. This whitewashed reenactment of their discovery allows them to report the flaw without revealing their original research path.
Other grey hat hackers choose to remain anonymous to limit their legal exposure. These individuals might not receive the recognition or compensation they deserve, but at least they don’t risk being rebuffed by their targets.