The world is moving towards storing information in the cloud, where virtualization has become the trend. This transition has increased the vulnerability of systems, creating a pond that hackers are free to fish in. Security concerns are the downside of virtualization. To truly harness the benefits of the cloud, companies need to keep an eye on their security. Hacking tactics evolve continuously, so only an expert professional can address this challenge.
Hacking is a word that we hear a lot. There are many negative connotations associated with hacking, like when we hear about cyber-attacks and data breaches on the news. Bringing some ethics into hacking may be a comforting idea, since there’s an implication that ethical hackers are on the right side of the law. In reality, ethical hacking is an excellent career choice to pursue.
The rise of IT security and ethical hackers is a direct result of the growing number of threats in the computer world as technology advances. People and media are slow to accept the term ethical hacking. Fundamentally a bodyguard for computer systems, an ethical hacker is someone who follows ethical principles to protect information and systems from unethical hackers, also called crackers.
Recently, many organizations have faced cyber-attacks leading to the growing need for professional ethical hackers who can safeguard their networks. Ethical hackers are good people with the same skills as cyber terrorists. They are the ultimate security professionals who know how to find vulnerabilities in the system just like a malicious hacker. The difference is that they use this knowledge to help close the gap and make the system more secure.
Ethical hackers have other responsibilities in addition to finding and patching security exploits. They scan ports, examine patch installations, and make sure that these elements cannot be exploited. They also engage in dumpster diving, which means they look for and clean the trash and passwords from browsers and hard drives. This important information must be hidden from malicious hackers who could use it to generate an attack.
Investigating networks by trying to bypass and crack wireless encryption is another role of ethical hackers, as is handling employee fraud issues. Making false attacks to test how well the organization reacts helps test the strength of the security infrastructure. This information ultimately helps organizations strengthen their defenses.
What will it take to be an ethical hacker? A good knowledge of networking and programming will give you a great boost before you jump into the world of cyber security. Programming is the basis for every information technology job today. Being a capable programmer opens a lot of doors for you in different and exciting fields. Why waste time when you can start today? Register for free and try RoboGarden now.
