Today, cyber crimes and threats have become a major headache for enterprises and organizations. With an increasing number of companies becoming data-oriented and adopting disruptive technologies like cloud platforms, the threat of security breaches and data violation is imminent. Nobody is exempt from it – big or small, companies and organizations of any size can become the victims of malicious cyber criminals at any point. This is what is driving companies to invest heavily in cyber security. However, investing in cyber security alone won’t suffice – there’s also a need to recruit talented cyber security professionals, such as ethical hackers.
The growing demand for ethical hackers is further spurring the demand for ethical hacking course.
Previously, companies could afford to lock their doors to external issues, but now it’s not the same. If you wish to stay ahead of the competitive curb today, you must adopt the emerging technologies and also be ready to confront the problems they may bring. While companies need to employ innovative software and systems in their infrastructure, they must also continuously monitor the same for potential vulnerabilities and fix them. This is where ethical hackers come in.
In light of the growing complexity of security vulnerabilities, the job role of ethical hackers is gaining traction in the global industry. Ethical hackers are employed by companies and organizations (both private and government) to hack into their systems by using ethical means. An ethical hacker is an expert professional who can make systematic attempts to penetrate a computer system/network by taking permission from the employee organization to identify and fix security vulnerabilities that could become the exploitation pathways for cybercriminals. The word “permission” here makes all the difference – it is what separates ethical hackers from other malicious hackers.
Ethical hacking is defined as “the resource and system that contributes to promising and enhancing various levels of security networks for the customer’s systems.” ethical hackers scan for vulnerabilities, test entry points, prioritize targets and design effective strategies to mitigate security problems. If there are vulnerabilities in the system/network, ethical hackers document all the issues and offer advice on how to approach those issues to fix them.
By offering an objective analysis of a company/organization’s information security infrastructure, ethical hacking helps enhance and fortify the security system. Also, since this is a proactive approach, it enables companies not only to protect their sensitive data but also maintain their reputation and save a ton of money.
Thus, for every organization dealing with data and innovative technologies like the cloud, ethical hackers are a valuable asset. By identifying vulnerabilities, strengthening the security systems, and alerting companies against potential threats, ethical hackers are allowing companies to brace themselves for worst-case scenarios.
Ethical Hacking as a Career
A career in ethical hacking is like no other. It is a highly challenging and complex domain that never gets boring. The growing importance of cybersecurity and InfoSec security has made the career profile of an ethical hacker a lucrative and promising one.
However, how you break the ice with ethical hacking largely depends upon your educational background and current area of work. For instance, IT offers excellent grounds for transitioning into ethical hacking. While a majority of jobs require a minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/IT/Cybersecurity-related domains, some companies do make exceptions for professionals having extensive knowledge of networking, operating systems, and databases.
Usually, most ethical hackers begin their careers as Tech Support Engineers who go up the promotional ladder by obtaining advanced certifications like CCNA, CISSP, and ultimately, the CEH (Certified ethical hacker) certification. Once you get the CEH certification, you can market yourself as an ethical hacker.
The primary goal of ethical hackers is to understand and iterate the intricate workings of black hat hackers and stay two steps ahead of them. Although ethical hackers are primarily recruited by online and e-commerce businesses and IT/ITES companies, they can also find job opportunities in:
- Hotels
- Aviation industry
- Security agencies
- Immigration services
- Financial Institutions
- Defense organizations
- Telecommunication sector
- Government consultancy agencies
A career in ethical hacking opens the door to new opportunities. More importantly, most ethical hacking job roles come with high compensation. While a fresher in the field could earn anywhere between Rs. 3.5-4 LPA, experienced professionals can bag salaries ranging between Rs. 10-20 LPA.
Skills Required for a Career in Ethical Hacking
To build a successful career in ethical hacking, you must be proficient in database handling, networking, and different operating systems. You must be able to hack into systems and scan, test, and secure them. Also, you must have practical experience in conducting robust vulnerability assessments. Apart from this, you must:
- Be well-versed in network traffic sniffing, DNS spoofing, and session hijacking & spoofing
- Be familiar with Intrusion Detection, DDoS Attacks, Policy Creation, Buffer Overflows, Virus Creation, and Social Engineering
- Be proficient in working with programming languages like C, C++, Perl, Python, Ruby; web applications (Microsoft, .NET and PHP); operating systems including Microsoft Windows, and Linux, and TCP/IP protocols like SMTP, ICMP, and HTTP
- Be creative and adaptive to new technologies
- Have a keen interest in staying updated with the latest developments in computing
- Have a keen observation and eye for details
- Have analytical and logical thinking skills
- Have complex problem-solving skills
- Have excellent communication skills
Using a combination of all these skills, an ethical hacker can gain an in-depth understanding of how cybercriminals get privileges and how to find vulnerabilities as well as secure the systems.
Do you wish to acquire these skills to start your ethical hacking journey? If so, the best course for you to take up would be an online training course. Online training programs allow you to learn at your own pace and convenience.
So, are you ready to kickstart your career in ethical hacking?
