A recent survey, titled “The Global State of Information Security Survey 2022,” highlights significant concerns among business leaders regarding the security risks associated with emerging technologies, such as automated and robotic systems.
The survey, which interviewed 9,500 executives, reveals that 39 percent of respondents are worried about the loss or compromise of sensitive data, while over 32 percent believe that the quality of products could be jeopardized. The risks associated with the systems can be easily identified by Ethical hacking. There are 5 phases of ethical hacking which we will learn about in the blog later
Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue; it has become a critical factor affecting an organization’s brand equity. High-profile entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla, also place top priority on security to protect their businesses.
As organizations increasingly move into the digital space, safeguarding data against hacking and cyber-attacks has never been more crucial. Recognizing the potential dangers, companies are exploring proactive solutions, one of which is ethical hacking. This approach allows organizations to identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited, thereby strengthening their defenses and protecting their valuable assets. Let’s see how Ethical hacking differs from actual hacking and what are the phases of Ethical hacking.
What Is Ethical Hacking And How It Is Different From Hacking?
Ethical hacking, also called “ White hat hacking” involves a legal attempt to breach the system and find security threats. Ethical hacking and hacking are two sides of the same coin, but their implications and purposes differ.
Ethical hackers work with explicit permission from system owners to probe for weaknesses before malicious hackers can exploit them. Their activities, which include penetration testing and vulnerability assessments, are governed by formal agreements defining their work’s scope and limits. The ultimate goal is to enhance security and protect valuable data from potential threats.
In contrast, hacking, often associated with “black-hat” hackers, refers to unauthorized attempts to breach systems for malicious purposes, such as stealing data, causing damage, or disrupting services. Unlike ethical hackers, these individuals operate without permission, and their actions are illegal and harmful. They exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain or to inflict harm, rather than to improve security.
While ethical hackers play a crucial role in safeguarding digital environments, illegal hacking poses significant risks and challenges. Understanding the distinction between the two is essential for fostering a safer and more secure cyber landscape. Let’s see why organizations recruit Ethical hackers and what are the major phases of Ethical hacking.
Why Do Organisations Recruit Ethical Hackers?
Ethical hackers are hired by organizations to improve their overall security strategy by identifying weaknesses within a firm’s infrastructure. White-hat hackers, also called ethical hackers, are people who emulate hackers to find security gaps and eliminate them before the black-hat hackers waste any time exploiting them. Their expertise enables organizations to discover vulnerabilities in their systems, networks, and applications that can help an organization know what needs to be fixed.
This therefore means that by hiring ethical hackers, firms will be in a position to improve their security, safeguard important information, and also meet requirements of legal requirements. They work to perform penetration tests, vulnerability scans, as well as social-engineering tests to establish tough lines of defense against multiple forms of cyber threats. Their work also serves as a protective layer against possible breaches as well as creates and reinforces a security-consciousness level in the organization. These days, adversaries get more and more professional when conceiving and launching their attacks, and having ethical hackers helps counter them systematically.
What Are The Major Phases Of Ethical Hacking?
Ethical hacking is an authorized legal way of testing system security to find loopholes that intruders can use. The process generally unfolds in five key phases: planning, reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, and reporting processes in Ethical hacking. All of them work as an important step to ensure proper assessment of the situation on the security level. Let’s have a look at the five essential phases of Ethical hacking.
1. Planning
The planning phase or the pre-engagement phase is one of the basic steps of ethical hacking. As part of test planning, the following aspects must be determined; the extent of the test and its goals, which systems, networks, or applications are to be tested. In this phase, the aspects of ethical hacking work in cooperation with the organization fall into the rules of engagements, which are the methods to be employed, the data to be collected, and that which is prohibited. Moreover, it defines the period when this engagement is going to take place and any legal concerns that have to be taken into account are enumerated. It helps both parties to understand the scope of the project and the responsibilities expected so as to reduce conflict and conform to the laws and regulations.
2. Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the process of gathering as much information as possible regarding the target environment also referred to as information gathering. This phase is divided into two types: These are passive and active reconnaissance, respectively. There are a variety of tools that fall under the categorization of passive reconnaissance which involves the collection of information through open sources available on the internet or the ‘clear’ web, through browsing social networks, freely available databases, etc. It assists ethical hackers in getting the structure of the target and some of its weaknesses without touching the systems of the target. In active reconnaissance, the attacker directly communicates with the target for instance, performs network scan and query systems in an attempt to learn about the target and its network, operating systems, and applications. Information collected during reconnaissance activities is very relevant in planning for the next phases.
3. Scanning
The last phase of ethical hacking is the recon or scanning phase where hackers try to find out the active host targets, ports, and services that are active with refers to hosts. This entails the application of different means and methods in identifying the target’s network and opportunities for exploitation. Scanning aims to generate a map of the target network and systems that will give an insight into areas of vulnerability. This phase assists in the determination of an attack surface that forms the basis for the evaluation that will be made in this phase.
4. Exploitation
This is the phase whereby ethical hackers proceed to try and penetrate the vulnerabilities that had been earlier discovered in their attempts to gain control and or access to the said systems. This is the phase where a hacker gets to go through the motions of a real attack to evaluate how much the weakness of the target system can be taken advantage of, as well as measure the likelihood of exploitation. The techniques that can be applied can range from simple software exploits to Social Engineering. The idea is not to raise harm but to learn how weaknesses can be exploited by malicious doers. In this stage, ethical hackers may also try to discover other accounts to escalate their privileges within a system to establish how profound the threats are.
5. Reporting
The last process in ethical hacking is reporting where all the information obtained from the previous stages is recorded and presented to the concerned organization. This report outlines some of the risks that have been identified, the ways that risks have been leveraged, and the consequences on the organization. It also gives proposed solutions for fixing the problem including installing patches, altering the configuration, and expanding the security policy among others.
Conclusion
The five phases of ethical hacking are planning, reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, and reporting. It forms a structured approach to assessing and improving cybersecurity. Each phase builds upon the previous one, ensuring a thorough and systematic evaluation of potential security risks. By following these phases, ethical hackers provide valuable insights that help organizations safeguard their digital assets and enhance their overall security.
If you’re passionate about cybersecurity and ethical hacking, there’s never been a better time to get started. With the right skills and strategies, you can build a successful career and enjoy a lucrative salary in the Ethical hacking industry.
Are you ready to kickstart your career in ethical hacking and unlock your earning potential? At Appin Technology Labs, we offer comprehensive ethical hacking training that equips you with the skills and certifications needed to excel in this high-demand field.
