If you've been on the internet for a while, you must have encountered the term hacking. By now, everyone knows what hacking is. It is the process in which a sole user or a team of people use unethical ways to enter a user's mainframe and gain access to his/hers documents/data. This happens on a small scale to just one person's computer at a time or on a massive scale where full cooperation is a target. So, the big question that most people have in mind is ethical hacking hard?
Once you understand the basis of hacking, you will understand the other aspects of ethical hacking. It is nothing but the other side of the same coin. Where hackers use their knowledge for malicious acts, ethical hackers use it for a better cause. They are the ones who take care of the leaks and weaknesses in the online security of companies. They make sure that if there is a leak or backdoor entry for hackers, the company gets informed about it, and the weakness is either fixed on their end or by the security team. So by now, you are wondering how hard is ethical hacking?
Who is an Ethical Hacker?
Before we get to learn how hard is ethical hacking, we need to know who is an ethical hacker. In a short form, an ethical hacker is someone that a company or person can hire to break into their computer or firmware legally. The point is to see if there are any leaks or backdoor entryways a real hacker can use to get in. The whole point of ethical hacking is to test how strong and long a hacker will take to break into their security mainframe.
This is why many people think to themselves ethical hacking is easy or hard?. The point of an ethical hacker is to be the first to break through a company's online security firmware. Therefore, the organization's security team may patch a system vulnerability to prevent an unauthorized user from taking advantage of it. You can find more about the best Ethical Hacking training online.
There are four fundamental procedures that ethical hackers follow in the hacking industry:
- Always act in a manner consistent with the law. For example, if you do not have the necessary permissions, you are not supposed to do a security assessment.
- Establish the scope of the project's reach. You need to be aware of the scope of the inquiry before hiring a hacker who adheres to ethical standards if you want to utilize one.
- You must make the system's shortcomings known. Send a notice to the company with detailed information on any and all security flaws discovered during the assessment. Give a comprehensive report on the many ways to address these issues.
- Always remember that the material you're working with is very confidential, and do so even when it seems innocuous. Depending on the sensitivity level of the data being inspected, some companies may require ethical hackers to sign a non-disclosure agreement in addition to any additional terms and conditions that the company imposed. This may be the case in some instances.
- After looking at the fundamentals an ethical hacker needs to follow, you must be wondering how hard is ethical hacking? The answer to that question is quite hard. It also depends on what extent you will go with your ethical hacking. Do you want to be a general ethical hacker or an expert in giving consultations?
Now you must be wondering, is certified ethical hacker hard?
Is Ethical Hacking Hard? Steps to Becoming One
Yes, becoming an ethical hacker is quite hard. It would help if you learned multiple things before you delve into getting paid to hack people's computers for a living. One of the most important things to know and keep in mind is that hacking, be it ethical or malicious, is an ever-evolving art, and every single day there are new breakthroughs that you need to be aware of.
Hacking is like math, you get an equation, and without any information, you need to find a way to solve it without knowing anything about it. This is what hacking is like to most people. However, if you wish to learn more, then online security course is the place for you.
First, you need to get your hands on LINUX/UNIX. These are both open-source operating systems, which means they are better at handling security than other OS. Also, since they are open-source, you can customize them to a level other OSs can't.
Next, you need to learn the mother of all programming languages. We are talking about C. It is known to be a primitive language, but it is also known as the mother of all programming languages. This is something that is very important as LINUX/UNIX are programmed in C. You can also learn other languages like Python, JavaScript, PHP, etc.
Learn how to be anonymous. This is vital in being an ethical hacker. Knowing how to get in and out undetected is a crucial part of hacking. If you can get in and out without a trace, this means that not even a black hat hacker can know that you've been in there. Tasks like these raise the question: is ethical hacking hard to learn?
1. Understanding networking concepts
You need to understand the concepts of networking to find out the vulnerabilities in the software or mainframe. This is a vital part of ethical hacking. If you have in-depth knowledge about network protocols and how they work, you will be able to find a loophole or backdoor entryway into it.
2. Get acquainted with the dark web
The dark web is something you need to get well acquainted with as it will be not just your companion in the hacking but also a place you can gain more knowledge from and learn about the latest breakthrough in hacking. For example, once you know about the Tor browser, you can cruise the dark web without anyone knowing that you are even there. This is a browser that is synonymous with the dark web. This is something that many hackers use to browse the dark web in search of better hacking tools as well as the chance to find updates on loopholes found in online security. Once you get used to this, you will know how hard is ethical hacking.
3. Delve deeper into hacking
Once you get the basics of hacking and successfully do it, you should delve deeper into it. This will help you become better and faster at hacking. Multiple sites simulate online security, which gives you a chance to test out your hacking skills. But, again, this is something that is legal and won't get you into any trouble while you test out your hacking skills.
4. Understand vulnerabilities
To become a better hacker, you must know and understand the nuances of website vulnerabilities. This is something that will prove handy for when you are actually in the field. This will let you waste zero time understanding what you need to do when hacking for real. If you know and understand what vulnerabilities to look for when hacking, you will not have any issues when you are actually doing it. These things make people ask how hard it is to learn ethical hacking?
5. Experiment and practice
The best thing to do when learning how to hack is constant practice and experimenting. This will give you a chance to hone your skills and make you better and faster in hacking. Do not stop once you get the hang of it. It would help if you kept trying different protocols and websites to understand what hacking is completely. Hacking isn't just textbook knowledge; other factors go into becoming a better hacker. For example, the environment you are in as well as the scenario. It would help if you also got used to trying out and using multiple tools in your hacking endeavors.
6. Talk to other hackers and experts
This is very important in learning how to be an ethical hacker. Learning from others is an excellent way to boost your knowledge. They will tell you everything you need to know and everything you do not know when it comes to hacking. It is basically learning from those who have been in your place before. When talking to experts in the field, always let them know about things you already know as well as things you want to know about. This way, you will be able to gather information from people who have learned it the hard way.
Reasons to Become an Ethical Hacker
But why should you learn how to be an ethical hacker? What is the benefit of that? The answer is as follows:
- The hacking business is booming: The job market for White hat hackers is booming at the moment. Multiple big companies hire people with these skill sets to test their security and ensure they are not susceptible to online attacks. With the increased internet use, people know hackers exist and could be at risk. They need ethical hackers to make sure they are never going to become a target of black hat hackers.
- Understanding the mind of a hacker: The knowledge Black hat hackers and White hat hackers have is the same. However, they use it for different motives. Being on the right side of the law gives you a good reputation and is quite rewarding.
- High-paying jobs: Being an ethical hacker is one of the highest-paying jobs in the world. Seeing the weak spots in a company's online security is something that pays you well and gives you credentials of being an expert. If you want a career path that is not monotonous as the ways of hacking keep changing, then this is the right career for you.
- A career choice that will never go away: Hacking is a career choice that will never disappear. The online threats we face are ever-growing and changing. There is no way that online security is going to die down or become safer one day. Black hat hackers will always find a way to do what they do, and companies will always want someone to ensure they do not end up as a target of these people.
- High job satisfaction: Being an ethical hacker creates a high level of job satisfaction. Not only will your salary be high for your work, but you are also protecting people from being targets of data leaks, blackmail, and other online crimes. The knowledge that your skills are what is saving these people is its own reward.
Conclusion
In conclusion, being an ethical hacker is a brilliant career choice. If you are still asking, how hard is certified ethical hacker? Then the answer is not that much. There are plenty of things you will be doing that other career path do not allow. Not only will you be working with big companies, but also you will be saving people's data and identities from online thieves. This is a reward on its own. Yes, it is hard becoming an ethical hacker, but the reward for doing so is great. If you want to get started, you can take KnowledgeHut’s best Ethical Hacking training.
