As the world becomes more and more digitized, the need for cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important. There are many benefits to hiring an ethical hacker to protect your business data from hackers like ransomware, who encrypt your files until you pay them a fee. Hiring someone with this skill set can be difficult because only some people have gone through training on spot vulnerabilities before they become exploited, so make sure to hire blockchain developer and protect your data. This blog post will walk you through the steps of finding a certified ethical hacker (CEH) that will help keep your company safe.
What is ethical hacking?
The term “hacker” has taken on a negative connotation over the years, but it started as a phrase that didn’t have anything to do with illegally accessing systems. Companies hire ethical hackers to hack into their systems and identify vulnerabilities before criminal hackers can exploit them. Ethical hacking is something that should be done with the proper training and knowledge. A criminal hacker may infiltrate your system and access all of your company files, including customer information. An ethical hacker will be able to identify the vulnerabilities before this happens. This method is to be considered as a subgroup of the larger category of white hat computer security.
What are certified ethical hackers?
Certified ethical hackers have gone through a course of study that includes learning about penetration testing, cryptography, and how to look for vulnerabilities. They also know the appropriate steps to protect your company data from criminals who may seek out this information. Certified ethical hackers will be able to identify weak spots in your operating systems and plans, keeping criminal hackers from harming you or your customers.
Also interesting: What Is InfoSec and What Are the Risks?
There are several different types of certifications that ethical hackers need, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP), Encase Computer Forensics Certification, and Network Forensic Investigator Certification. These certifications serve a specific purpose and will teach ethical hackers how to handle certain aspects of their job.
Skills of ethical hackers
Hackers are typically associated with computer programming, but ethical hacking requires specific skills to spot vulnerabilities. You need an individual who can identify risks in your operating system, develop dynamic protections and act as the last line of defense between your company’s data and criminals. It takes someone familiar with cryptography protocols (including OSCP) in order to prevent data breaches. They will need the ability to adapt to new threats, which is why you need someone who can handle dynamic protections based on what hackers are currently doing.
Your hiring process should include thorough background screenings to find an ethical hacker that will help protect your company. You want someone with the skills necessary for your company’s needs and someone with the right network of contacts to keep your company data safe from criminal hackers. The activities of an ethical hacker could involve but are not limited to DoS attacks, social engineering tactics, reverse engineering, network security, disk and memory forensics, vulnerability research. They could also use security scanners such as W3af, Nessus, Burp Suite and frameworks such as Metasploit.
Benefits of ethical hackers
When hiring an ethical hacker, you need to remember that they are protecting your company from criminals who will use any of your weak spots for their gain. It’s better to let a trained professional find those weak spots before a criminal does it. That way, you can have fixes put in place and avoid being sued by customers whose identity has been stolen. You also need to make sure you hire an ethical hacker willing to communicate with you and provide updates on their progress.
Having an ethical hacker in the team can help you with dumpster diving. They can find sensitive information that was lost or thrown away. They may also be able to use wireless communication to hack into old cell phones and computers, which will help them create a better network security system.
An ethical hacker can help in port scanning processes and penetration testing. They will be able to find out what types of software and browsers your company employees use. Hiring an ethical hacker may help you with creating better firewalls and developing security routines. You’ll know which information needs extra protection and how to implement those protections without inconveniencing your employees.
Ethical hackers will also provide advice on the best ways to secure your company’s data. The more you know about how criminals will look for vulnerabilities, the better prepared you will be in preventing security breaches. An ethical hacker can help you run a cybersecurity crisis simulation. You’ll get a better idea of how your company will respond to cyber attacks, which may help you create strategies for future use.
An ethical hacker can teach you more about passwords, password management, and password policies. This will help you avoid the mistakes that many companies make regarding data breaches that come from poor password protection.
Summary
When you hire an ethical hacker to help you with cybersecurity, they can let you know what types of security systems are out there that may be able to meet your company standards. They may also suggest how best to secure connections between different companies, especially if any of those connections go through third-party servers.
In conclusion, a good ethical hacker will give you the peace of mind that no one with ill intent can breach your company data and use it for their gain. However, you need to be aware that even the best security systems have risks associated with them. A good ethical hacker will be able to find those vulnerabilities before anyone else does, though it is up to you to make sure no criminals get their hands on your company data.
YouTube: Learn Ethical Hacking – CEH Journey (Playlist by NetworkChuck)
Photo credit: The feature image has been done by Claudiu Maxim. The statistics infographic has been done by Statista based on the source data of Datto. The photo in the body of the article was taken by Claudia Cotici.
Source: Wikipedia / Gavin Wright (TechTarget)
