Ethical Hacking Career: A Career Guideline For Ethical Hacker
In the recent times, cyber security industry has evolved tremendously across the globe. Now a days we witness frequent cyber-attacks which has made the organizations not only alert but has also compelled them to be proactive in their approach when it comes to cyber security. That’s where the role of Ethical Hackers starts.
Ethical Hacker is a professional in cyber security who has an authorization to assess & penetrate within the organization’s network structure to find out the existing loopholes & weakness so that they can fix those issues. Looking at how important and in demand these professionals are, there are big names in the market who are offering stunning career opportunities in the domain of Ethical Hacking. Before we look at how can we make a career in ethical hacking? Let’s quickly understand what is ethical hacking?
Ethical Hacking is a legitimate practice of entering into a system or network of an organization with an intention to identify if there are any security threats that exist. The primary motto of ethical hacking is to ensure that the network security system of the organization is strong enough. Ethical Hackers are also called as “White Hat Hackers”. The methods & techniques used by white hat hackers are same like black hat hackers but the only difference is that white hat hackers do these activities in lawful manner. Ethical hackers are accountable for different roles and responsibilities. For instance, they discover the security breaches and vulnerabilities that exist in the system or network of an organization, they scan the data flow/network activities on a daily basis to analyze the security level, they recommend various improvement plans for network security and they conduct penetration test on the latest embedded security measurements etc.
Now will look at the complete career path one needs to follow to get into Ethical Hacking:
1. Begin Your Journey With The Academics: The fundamental requirement is to make sure that your study field is related to Ethical Hacking i.e. Cyber Security. There is no such compulsion that one should have a specific educational background for initiating a career in ethical hacking however having a degree or an academic background relating to computer science or IT will of course give you an extra advantage by laying a strong foundation which will help you to make it big in the world of ethical hacking. It is recommended to pursue Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Cyber security or IT. One can also opt for specific programs or courses in ethical hacking. Further, many big organizations globally look out for these certifications while making hiring decisions.
2. Gain an understanding on Programming Languages & OS:
Anyone who aspires to become an ethical hacker must be an expert with the programming languages and the frameworks. This expertise enables the ethical hacker to identify programming errors, helps in implementation of security solutions, automation of tasks & much more. One should enroll for programming languages like C/C++, JAVA, Python, Ruby. Along with the programming languages, you should also learn about Operating systems like Linux, Unix, Windows, IOS etc… An exhaustive understanding of the functionalities of these OS and their respective commands will help you in becoming an opulent ethical hacker.
3. Potent Knowledge of Network & Security:
A good understanding of computer networks and cyber security concepts is an important aspect of ethical hacking. One is expected to have knowledge on computer networking & security right from the basic to advanced level. For instance, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), firewalls, cryptography, Denial of Service attacks etc…Apart from this, the other hacking concepts like Penetration Testing, Cloud Computing Malware, SQL Injection, Vulnerability Assessment are equally important. One can read on books, can look at various online tutorials that would widen one’s horizon of knowledge on computer networks & cyber security concepts.
4. Training Programs:
Ethical Hacking is very vast and exhaustive field and to expertise in this one needs to gain the knowledge from basic to advance level. Initially, you can begin learning by referring various books, online tutorials but to expertise you must interact with the professionals to gain some practical knowledge. Hence, it is recommended to attain some good training programs or boot camps so that you can get some real time experience in ethical hacking.
5. Get Certified:
When you are certified in ethical hacking, it means that your ethical hacking skills are evaluated and validated. These certifications will not only increase your knowledge and skills but will also make you an attractive hire for various IT giants even with minimum experience. There are ample of esteemed certifications in ethical hacking such as Certified Ethical Hacker, Global Information Assurance Certification, Offensive Security Certified Professional, Certified Vulnerability Assessor and many more. The most recommended certification in ethical hacking is Certified Ethical Hacker, as it is very much in-demand and renowned one. The exam consists of multiple choice questions and the duration is 240 minutes.
6. Go for It: In the initial level, one can take up entry level jobs like Security Analyst, Penetration Tester etc. Post gaining an experience at entry level then you can switch over to senior level jobs. Different job roles in ethical hacking are Network Security Administrator, System Manager, Web Security Manager, Information Security Manager, etc. As an ethical hacker you also get an opportunity to apply & work for government organizations like in their investigation department, Law & military enforcement. For being an ethical hacker you need to work on both technical skills & soft skills. Few qualities that ethical hacker should have are creativity, problem solving attitude & adaptability. Also there are few good books you should read while you are on your journey of becoming an ethical hacker like Hacking: A Beginner’s Guide to Computer Hacking, The Hacker’s Underground Handbook, Hacking the Art of Exploitation.
Summary:
I would like to conclude by saying that in the coming times the graph of Ethical Hacker’s will only go upwards & there is no looking down. So don’t waste your precious time in thinking… just follow the above mentioned path and become one of the most skilled ethical hacker and save the virtual world from the deceitful minds.
In the recent times, cyber security industry has evolved tremendously across the globe. Now a days we witness frequent cyber-attacks which has made the organizations not only alert but has also compelled them to be proactive in their approach when it comes to cyber security. That’s where the role of Ethical Hackers starts.
Ethical Hacker is a professional in cyber security who has an authorization to assess & penetrate within the organization’s network structure to find out the existing loopholes & weakness so that they can fix those issues. Looking at how important and in demand these professionals are, there are big names in the market who are offering stunning career opportunities in the domain of Ethical Hacking. Before we look at how can we make a career in ethical hacking? Let’s quickly understand what is ethical hacking?
Ethical Hacking is a legitimate practice of entering into a system or network of an organization with an intention to identify if there are any security threats that exist. The primary motto of ethical hacking is to ensure that the network security system of the organization is strong enough. Ethical Hackers are also called as “White Hat Hackers”. The methods & techniques used by white hat hackers are same like black hat hackers but the only difference is that white hat hackers do these activities in lawful manner. Ethical hackers are accountable for different roles and responsibilities. For instance, they discover the security breaches and vulnerabilities that exist in the system or network of an organization, they scan the data flow/network activities on a daily basis to analyze the security level, they recommend various improvement plans for network security and they conduct penetration test on the latest embedded security measurements etc.
Now will look at the complete career path one needs to follow to get into Ethical Hacking:
1. Begin Your Journey With The Academics: The fundamental requirement is to make sure that your study field is related to Ethical Hacking i.e. Cyber Security. There is no such compulsion that one should have a specific educational background for initiating a career in ethical hacking however having a degree or an academic background relating to computer science or IT will of course give you an extra advantage by laying a strong foundation which will help you to make it big in the world of ethical hacking. It is recommended to pursue Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Cyber security or IT. One can also opt for specific programs or courses in ethical hacking. Further, many big organizations globally look out for these certifications while making hiring decisions.
2. Gain an understanding on Programming Languages & OS:
Anyone who aspires to become an ethical hacker must be an expert with the programming languages and the frameworks. This expertise enables the ethical hacker to identify programming errors, helps in implementation of security solutions, automation of tasks & much more. One should enroll for programming languages like C/C++, JAVA, Python, Ruby. Along with the programming languages, you should also learn about Operating systems like Linux, Unix, Windows, IOS etc… An exhaustive understanding of the functionalities of these OS and their respective commands will help you in becoming an opulent ethical hacker.
3. Potent Knowledge of Network & Security:
A good understanding of computer networks and cyber security concepts is an important aspect of ethical hacking. One is expected to have knowledge on computer networking & security right from the basic to advanced level. For instance, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), firewalls, cryptography, Denial of Service attacks etc…Apart from this, the other hacking concepts like Penetration Testing, Cloud Computing Malware, SQL Injection, Vulnerability Assessment are equally important. One can read on books, can look at various online tutorials that would widen one’s horizon of knowledge on computer networks & cyber security concepts.
4. Training Programs:
Ethical Hacking is very vast and exhaustive field and to expertise in this one needs to gain the knowledge from basic to advance level. Initially, you can begin learning by referring various books, online tutorials but to expertise you must interact with the professionals to gain some practical knowledge. Hence, it is recommended to attain some good training programs or boot camps so that you can get some real time experience in ethical hacking.
5. Get Certified:
When you are certified in ethical hacking, it means that your ethical hacking skills are evaluated and validated. These certifications will not only increase your knowledge and skills but will also make you an attractive hire for various IT giants even with minimum experience. There are ample of esteemed certifications in ethical hacking such as Certified Ethical Hacker, Global Information Assurance Certification, Offensive Security Certified Professional, Certified Vulnerability Assessor and many more. The most recommended certification in ethical hacking is Certified Ethical Hacker, as it is very much in-demand and renowned one. The exam consists of multiple choice questions and the duration is 240 minutes.
6. Go for It: In the initial level, one can take up entry level jobs like Security Analyst, Penetration Tester etc. Post gaining an experience at entry level then you can switch over to senior level jobs. Different job roles in ethical hacking are Network Security Administrator, System Manager, Web Security Manager, Information Security Manager, etc. As an ethical hacker you also get an opportunity to apply & work for government organizations like in their investigation department, Law & military enforcement. For being an ethical hacker you need to work on both technical skills & soft skills. Few qualities that ethical hacker should have are creativity, problem solving attitude & adaptability. Also there are few good books you should read while you are on your journey of becoming an ethical hacker like Hacking: A Beginner’s Guide to Computer Hacking, The Hacker’s Underground Handbook, Hacking the Art of Exploitation.
Summary:
I would like to conclude by saying that in the coming times the graph of Ethical Hacker’s will only go upwards & there is no looking down. So don’t waste your precious time in thinking… just follow the above mentioned path and become one of the most skilled ethical hacker and save the virtual world from the deceitful minds.
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