In today, context, malicious online activities have become part and parcel of our lives. Nowadays, hackers are coming up with creative ways to infiltrate networks and systems. In order to prevent a hacker from taking over your system and gaining access to personal or official data, it is important to think like a hacker. There is a common belief that all hackers engage in malicious activities. But there are many ethical hackers who use their skills proactively to protect entities.
Who is a White Hat Hacker?
An ethical hacker or white hat hacker uses penetration testing techniques to identify vulnerabilities and test the IT security of an organization. Penetration testing involves a lot of planning as it involves the same techniques used by hackers to breach a network for real. A white hat hacker must get permission from the management to perform and must then run the tests safely. A white hat hacker reports vulnerabilities, bugs, and weaknesses that are then rectified by professionals to strengthen the IT security of the organization.
Background and Skills a White Hat Hacker Must Have
In today’s modern technology-driven world, organizations can hire white hat hackers according to their requirements. But holding a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, information security, or even mathematics can act as a strong foundation if you aim to become a popular white hat hacker.
A white hat hacker needs to have problem-solving skills, communication skills, ability to adapt and envision, intelligence, impeccable judgment, strong technical and organizational skills, and the ability to remain calm even in a tense situation. For individuals who are not college-bound, a military background in intelligence will help your resume stand out among employers. Many employers also demand candidates who have military service, as they would prefer to employ those who have a security clearance.
Sometimes, a white hat hacker must have the skills to think like a black hat hacker. He is one who attempts to find and exploit computer security vulnerabilities for malicious reasons or personal financial gain.
Roles and Responsibilities of a White Hat Hacker
- Select, design, and create suitable tools for testing.
- Performing the penetration test on networks, web-based and mobile applications, and computer systems.
- Planning the penetration test.
- Documenting methodologies.
- Reviewing physical security and performing social engineering tests wherever appropriate.
- Staying updated with the latest testing and ethical hacking methods.
- Reporting on findings to a range of stakeholders.
- Making suggestions for security improvements.
- Enhancing existing methodology material.
- Reviewing findings and providing feedback to clients.
Need for Certifications
In today’s technology-driven world, it is important to upgrade your technical knowledge to become a successful white hat hacker. Nowadays, the demand for technical professionals is not limited only to the technology industry but has also extended to industries across various verticals such as education, banking, healthcare, finance, retail, manufacturing, advertising, and the government, to name a few.
Enrolling in certifications will help you understand the practical techniques and will act as a conceptual framework for your security training.
Benefits of an Ethical Hacking Certification
Some of the notable benefits of holding a certificate in ethical hacking are:
- You will be able to get a clear idea of the risks and vulnerabilities that affect organizations.
- You will understand the tools of the trade. Your misconceptions about hacking will be solved. You will gain a fair idea of the work a white hat hacker does.
- You will be able to understand the various network scanning and enumeration techniques.
- You will be able to develop your knowledge in the field of system hacking and hijacking methods, and malware analysis procedures and countermeasures.
- You will be able to learn how the exploits evolve.
Certified White Hat Hacker
The certified white hat hacker certification offered by the Global Tech Council is a specialized, self-paced course that trains individuals on topics ranging from information security, the evolution of hacking, basics of white hat hacking, information security laws, history and use of cryptography, network topologies, cryptography challenges, basics of footprinting and enumeration, scanning networks and applications, and malware threats. You will also gain hands-on experience in Whois, Google Dorks, netdiscover, NMap, Metasploit, and Burpsuite basics.
This training will provide you with the best knowledge about various issues relating to cybersecurity and information security. Ethical hacking is in huge demand now in the present era as all the important tasks involve the cyber world. It is important for everyone to learn about ethical hacking. Global Tech Council provides a comprehensive learning experience through their detailed and easily understandable learning materials that have been put together by a team of acknowledged blockchain and industry experts. Enrolling in this certification will certainly make a difference in the way you are looked at by employers, and you will gain the perfect competitive advantage to land lucrative jobs and stand out among your peers.