How to become a hacker... ethical

First things first: what is an ethical hacker?

First and foremost, an ethical hacker is an information security professional. His or her training allows him or her to identify and mitigate network and system vulnerabilities and to perform security assessments to prevent data theft. In short, his work is essential to test and secure an organization's assets.

Why become an ethical hacker?

First of all, it is a moral choice since, technically, the person interested in this career could as well practice it illegally and make a substantial personal profit. It is also a great challenge because the issues are numerous, changing and difficult to identify and there is a great demand for such professionals within organizations. The salary outlook is therefore very encouraging, with six-figure salaries.
Another reason, no less valid, is to want to significantly strengthen the security of the systems of the organization where you work.

What are the working phases of an ethical hacker?

Although the approach may vary from one certification to another, there are a few main phases.

1 - Recognition

This is the preparatory phase, during which a hacker seeks to gather information about a target and to specify its objectives, before launching an attack.

2 - Collection

The hacker uses different tools to collect information: websites, networks, file systems, etc. in order to detect vulnerabilities.

3 - Access

This is when the attacker gains access to a system or application on a network or computer.

4 - Persistence

This is the act of keeping access open, allowing the attacker to continue to access a target, even if the machine is rebooted or the user is logged out.

5 - Covering your tracks

It is critical for a hacker to cover his tracks after an intrusion. This can include deleting logs and any tools or applications that have been installed on the target.

A few figures to remind us of the importance of cybersecurity

• 90% of security breaches are due to human error (Kaspersky)
• 230,000 paid on average to free yourself from ransomware (cso online)
• 37% of malware is backdoor (Statista)
• 12% annual growth estimated over the next five years for the cybersecurity market (Cepro)
• 600% increase in email attacks (CSO)

As you can see, cybersecurity is a serious issue that companies need to take seriously to avoid disappointment. Because if there is one thing everyone agrees on, it is not whether your organization will suffer an attack, but when it will happen. And in this matter, prevention is better than cure.

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