Hiring an ethical hacker is worth looking into if you rely on trade secrets, sensitive customer data, or research, the loss of which would be highly problematic. The goal of ethical hackers is to find weak points in your network and then strengthen them to ensure the highest possible level of security.
Here we spell out the benefits of engaging an ethical hacker, what concerns you should be aware of, and how to find a truly ethical hacker.
What Defines an Ethical Hacker?
In our culture, the most commonly known c level contact list hackers are considered Black Hat, meaning they perform their work for personal gain or to advance the goals of a criminal organization. These are the cybercriminals most likely to be behind. Any malware that gets into your network and to be the beneficiaries of the sensitive data they get access to as a result. In other words, Black Hat hackers are the bad guys.
A Gray Hat hacker is someone who might use similar skills for purposes that are somewhat less malign. For example, they might seek to find vulnerabilities in a company system, then approach the company requesting payment for their knowledge. They might even work as a White Hat hacker for their day job and perform questionable activities (such as helping a “hacktivist” organization like Anonymous) on their own time.
Benefits of Ethical Hacking
The benefits of ethical hacking b2b content marketing using industry 4.0 as an example become obvious in what doesn’t happen. Ethical hacking can help you avoid many of the common tactics threatening businesses today, including email phishing, device theft, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and unsecured networks.
At its best, ethical hacking serves to shore up your network, improve the process you use to detect threats, and train your internal security team to be aware of the methods malicious hackers use.
However, the benefits of ethical hacking don’t work after the fact. In other words, ethical hacking is a measure you must take proactively before the bad guys strike. If you are the victim of a cyberattack and you bring in an ethical hacker who explains how the Black Hats penetrated your network, it’s too late, the damage has already been done. That’s not to say that, in such a situation, you shouldn’t get advice to help you avoid a subsequent incident. But so much the better if there’s no first incident either.
Ethical Hacking Concerns
Given the negative connotations of the term “hacker,” it’s natural to wonder if a hacker of any kind is a safe person to hire for your business. To keep your network secure, put those doubts aside and start thinking of the term “hacking” a bit differently. The word really just means to break into a system. The differences between ethical and unethical hackers lie in the reason they do it and the permissions they have to do so.
Another concern might be that — no matter saudi data how ethical someone might appear to be — they still get access to your sensitive data and infrastructure. That’s a valid concern, which is why it’s important to thoroughly vet any individual or penetration testing company you want to hire. While there is currently no licensing needed to be an ethical hacker, the EC-Council and the Sans Institute both offer certifications around it.