How to Become an Ethical Hacker? [Job & Future]

Last updated on 16th Jul 2020, Blog, General

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• An ethical hacker is a person who hacks into a computer network in order to test or evaluate its security, rather than with malicious or criminal intent.
• So, if you wish to become an ethical hacker, there aren’t any easy methods to become one.
• It is easy to script a kiddie and load up Armitage or Fast-track and fire every exploit known to man at a target. But there is no use at firing Linux exploits at a Windows box.

Prerequisite Knowledge Required

• In order to enter into the IT security field as a white hat, you should be well versed in the following areas

1. Networking
2. Programming
3. Databases
4. Operating systems (Linux and Windows)

• If you are sure that you have good knowledge in the above-said areas, then you can start learning about hacking. When you have knowledge about the fundamentals of IT, you can learn how to break some of the underlying vulnerabilities within computer architecture.

The below-mentioned activities can help you in this

Stay Legal!

• It’s important never to engage in “black hat” hacking–that is, intruding or attacking anyone’s network without their full permission.
• Engaging in illegal activities, even if it doesn’t lead to a conviction, will likely kill your ethical hacking career. Many of the available jobs are with government-related organizations and require security clearances and polygraph testing

What areas to concentrate on in order to build a foundation

• Networking — Cisco courses are really good. There are many CCNA courses available.
• Programming — Learn languages like C++, Python/Ruby, and PHP.
• Databases — Work with MySQL and MSSQL and make your own database to know how it works.
• Operating systems — Most types of Linux are similar to one another, I use Debian on a lot of servers and Kali. Additionally, it is worth understanding the more obscure areas of Windows such as the registry.

Learn UNIX/LINUX

• Almost all the best-operating systems for hacking is based on Linux kernel, so favorite operating systems of hackers are always Linux. UNIX/LINUX is an open-source operating system that provides better security to computer systems. It was first developed by AT&T in Bell labs and contributed a lot in the world of security.
• You should install LINUX freely available open-source versions on your desktops as without learning UNIX/LINUX, it is not possible to become a hacker.

Kali Linux

Parrot Security OS

Ethical hacker

• An ethical hacker is a person who hacks into a computer network in order to test or evaluate its security, rather than with malicious or criminal intent.
• So, if you wish to become an ethical hacker, there aren’t any easy methods to become one.
• It is easy to script a kiddie and load up Armitage or Fast-track and fire every exploit known to man at a target. But there is no use at firing Linux exploits at a Windows box.
• In order to enter into the IT security field as a white hat, you should be well versed in the following areas

1. Networking
2. Programming
3. Databases
4. Operating systems (Linux and Windows)

• If you are sure that you have good knowledge in the above-said areas, then you can start learning about hacking. When you have knowledge about the fundamentals of IT, you can learn how to break some of the underlying vulnerabilities within computer architecture.

The below-mentioned activities can help you in this

Stay Legal!

• It’s important never to engage in “black hat” hacking–that is, intruding or attacking anyone’s network without their full permission.
• Engaging in illegal activities, even if it doesn’t lead to a conviction, will likely kill your ethical hacking career. Many of the available jobs are with government-related organizations and require security clearances and polygraph testing

What areas to concentrate on in order to build a foundation

• Networking — Cisco courses are really good. There are many CCNA courses available.
• Programming — Learn languages like C++, Python/Ruby, and PHP.
• Databases — Work with MySQL and MSSQL and make your own database to know how it works.
• Operating systems — Most types of Linux are similar to one another, I use Debian on a lot of servers and Kali. Additionally, it is worth understanding the more obscure areas of Windows such as the registry.

Learn UNIX/LINUX

• Almost all the best-operating systems for hacking is based on Linux kernel, so favorite operating systems of hackers are always Linux. UNIX/LINUX is an open-source operating system that provides better security to computer systems.
• It was first developed by AT&T in Bell labs and contributed a lot in the world of security. You should install LINUX freely available open-source versions on your desktops as without learning UNIX/LINUX, it is not possible to become a hacker.

• Kali Linux
• Parrot Security OS

How To Become a Hacker?

• In relation to security of computer and information systems, a hacker is a person who focuses on security mechanisms of computer and network systems in order to locate and fix the loop holes if there is any.
• There are many expert programmers and networking wizards present in the market who are part of communities and shared cultures that finds its history back in the decades to the first time-sharing minicomputers and the earliest ARPANET experiments.
• Members of such cultures or communities were the first established hackers. Silently breaking into computers and phone systems with the help of devious tricks have come to symbolize hacking in popular cultures and communities. But, these famous cultures are much more complicated and moralistic than most of us know.

Below mentioned steps will make you understand the whole process of how to become a hacker:

Run on OS which is similar to UNIX, like Linux

• UNIX as well as UNIX-like OS are the operating systems of the Internet. Though a person can learn how to use Internet without knowing UNIX, but he cannot be a successful hacker without understanding UNIX.
• Because of this must learn criteria, the hacker communities today revolve around UNIX. There are various OS, which are similar to UNIX, the most popular being Linux, which a person can run alongside Microsoft Windows on the same machine. Learn how to hack for beginners in this part.
• The best way to start the installation of UNIX in the system is to boot up a device called a live CD or USB, which is a distribution that runs entirely off a CD or USB without the need of modifying the hard disk.
• Apart from Linux, there are few other OS similar to UNIX, such as the BSD systems. The BSD systems that are the most popular ones are FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD and DragonFly BSD. Just like Linux, all the above mentioned BSDs are open source.
• A UNIX operating system that is available under FreeBSD is MacOS on Darwin. Darwin is available on “ http://opensource.apple.com” and is completely free & open source. UNIX being the core of the system and because of the growing popularity of MacOS, many people who had Linux applications have now ported to MacOS.
• Those programs are available with a package manager like Homebrew, Fink, or MacPorts. Or else, a person can just run Linux on a Mac alongside MacOS.
• A person is also free to run operating systems like Open Indiana, which is based on the open source release of the Solaris operating system before it was taken over by Oracle and had it converted into closed source. Linux applications does not find compatibility with Open Indiana and Solaris that are made on UNIX System V.
• It is suggested that MacOS, BSD or Linux must only be used, as they are more popular and have more programs available for them.

Learn HTML

• If programming is new to a person, then he must learn basic HyperText Mark-Up Language because proficiency in HTML is a must for any hacker.
• A person in his browser must open the page source information in order to examine the HTML, for example- Go to Web Developer > Page Source in Firefox and learn the code.
• HTML can be written in a basic word processing program like Notepad or Simple Text, which can be saved as ‘yourCoolFileName.HTML.’ Now, these saved files can be uploaded on a browser and the coder can see his work translated.

Gain the knowledge of Programming

• If a person’s ultimate goal is to become a master ethical hacker, then he will be needing more than basic English for writing his masterpiece. Programming languages play an important part in Hacker’s life.
• Python is the best language for hacking because it cleanly designed, well documented, relatively kind to beginners, compelling, flexible and well-suited for large projects.
• It is considered as a good first language in programming.
• For advanced level of programming, the next best alternative language available is Java.
• Similar to Python but different from Java is JavaScript as it is a C-based language and completely new-user friendly. Substitute of JavaScript is PHP C, which is a core language for UNIX. If a programmer knows C, then learning C++ will be a cakewalk for him because it is closely related to C.
• A smart person is one who starts by using good platforms like Backtrack 5 R3, Kali or Ubuntu 12.04LTS.

Be a Creative Thinker

• After learning the basic skills of hacking, an aspiring hacker must start thinking artistically. Established hackers are like engineers, artists and philosophers and brought together inside one person.
• True hackers ‘work as intensively as they play and play as intensively as they work.’ For them, the boundaries between “Play”, “Work”, “Science”, and “Art” all tend to disappear or merge into a high-level creative playfulness.
• To be hackers must read science fiction and attend science fiction conventions, which serves as an opportunity to meet hackers and proto-hackers.
• They can even learn martial arts because the kind of mental discipline required in martial arts is the same as the one required in hacking.
• Those types of martial arts which emphasize on enhancing mental discipline, relaxed awareness, controlling power, rather than raw strength, athleticism, or physical awareness. Tai Chi is best suitable for hackers.

Make a habit of Solving Problems

• Hackers have a belief that sharing information is a moral responsibility, so whenever anyone solves a problem, they should make the information public to help those who share the same problem.
• No hacker is ever obligated to give away all his creative products. But, the hackers who does it are the ones who get the highest respect from their co-hackers.

Resources

• If you’re interested in ethical hacking, you can consult many useful resources for more information. To start, check the resources section of the EC-Council site. A quick Amazon search will reveal many books on ethical hacking and the CEH certification, as well.
• With some googling, you can find simple hacking how-tos, which may motivate you even more. Consider downloading the Firefox add-on Firesheep or the Android app Droidsheep, and hijack your online accounts via Wi-Fi (but don’t use these tools to hijack others’ accounts–you could find yourself in legal trouble if you do).
• Another option is to experiment with the BackTrack live CD. Try enabling WEP security on your wireless router at home, and then take a stab at cracking it. Check out Hack This Site to test and expand your skills.
• You could even set up a Linux box with Apache or buy a used Cisco router and see what you can do with it. If you want to play with malware, consider downloading–cautiously, and at your own risk–a malware DIY kit or a keylogger, and use it to experiment on a separate old PC or virtual machine.
• Like other IT areas, hacking has conventions and conferences dedicated to it, such as DefCon, one of the oldest and largest of these.
• Such gatherings can be a great place to meet and network with peers and employers, and to discover more about hacking. DefCon also has affiliated local groups in select areas.
• And remember, never attack or intrude on anyone else’s network or computers without full written permission.