What Is Ethical Hacking? What Are The Benefits Of Ethical Hacking?

In this article, we’re going to discuss Ethical Hacking and benefits of it.

Hacker is the person who is responsible for destroying systems and stealing information. As well as making other illegal computer uses. However, in addition to these types of hackers, there are also other figures such as an ethical hacker. This is the person who is in charge of the security of a company or institution. That is, he would be the antagonist of the evil hacker and his mission would be to ensure the interests of the institution to which he belongs.

What Is Ethical Hacking?

To better understand this reality, we must also mention the rest of computer hackers, because within cybersecurity there are three kinds of pirates: black, gray or white hat. The former hack for selfish reasons, such as stealing money, revenge or to cause some harm. The white hat pirates are those who would fall within the field of improving security.

 They look for holes in it and inform victims so that they are aware that their most relevant data is available to a less scrupulous hacker. And the gray hat pirates are in the middle of the road, carrying out operations that may be morally questionable. For example, the hacking of ideologically opposed groups or to launch protests by other hackers. This would be the antagonism of ethical hacking. 

Those who practice cyber encryption in a more moral way are people who belong to companies or institutional groups, seeking to make their data more secure. In fact, the value here is that ethical hackers know how hackers can act. That gives them a slight edge in preventing attacks. 

Another way that allows us to identify these hackers is when they are required by agencies for the collection of ‘bug bounties‘ ”. That is, big data companies offer a reward to researchers or hackers who discover holes in their security system. So they are also warned against pirates. For example, Google, 

Facebook or Microsoft have these figures to prevent black hackers from stealing money or data, which are their greatest assets.

How Ethical Hacking Works?

The process consists of several stages and all of them must be carried out with information between the departments. This ensures that the audit is performed in the best way and the results will be transparent. Consequently, this will allow us to take appropriate action. Thus, the steps are as follows:

Threat Modeling :

With the information obtained, the importance of the company’s assets is defined. This is how potential threats are determined.

Audit Agreement :

It is the preparation of a document to reflect the scope of the audit and the tests to be carried out, formalizing a contract as such.

Vulnerability Analysis : 

In relation, ports and services are sought to locate possible vulnerable areas.

Information Collection :

All information about employees and everything related to the company is collected here so that hacking is appropriate.

Exploitation :

Here it is confirmed if there are vulnerabilities and risks.

Post-Exploitation : 

The auditor collects the evidence and assesses the impact of this exploitation on the company to see how far those hackers who want to attack the company can go.

Report :

The auditor reports a report with the vulnerabilities detected, how they can be exploited and what needs to be done to correct or mitigate them.

What Are The Benefits Of Ethical Hacking?

In relation to the functions, the report of the same allows that the company can have a better idea about its security in the network. In this way, you can choose to do one or more reports to confirm if the risks are the same or if they vary with different reports. However, regardless of the number of reports that are made, they conclude with actions that must be carried out. Therefore, the benefits of ethical hacking are the following:

Improvement In Security Processes :

 These reports also allow you to see weaknesses and what needs to be improved. For example, software updates. In this way, companies have greater security when establishing business relationships, knowing that their systems are better protected and that it will not be easy to access them for morally reprehensible purposes.

Advancement In Possible Attacks : 

The most decisive point, since these reports are able to detect vulnerabilities and do everything possible to stop a cyber attack in the future.

Awareness Of Company Professionals :

Today cybersecurity is essential and having knowledge of it is essential, hence many companies have already become aware of exclusive departments to protect their computer systems.

However, ethical hacking is essential for companies, since, as we have seen, it allows them to avoid possible attacks by a malicious hacker.