Ethical Hacking – An Offbeat Career Prospect

Ethical Hacking - An Offbeat Career Prospect

The word 'Hacking' gives one jitter since a hacker breaks into one's computer system and steals or manipulates all the confidential data, for example, bank account details, email account passwords, corrupting important files on the system through bugs or viruses, etc.

The list is endless but what we see above are the most vulnerable areas and hackers feast on them whenever they get an opportunity. Since we are heavily dependent on the internet from sharing important official files to posting pictures of personal life, hackers have made the internet their hub of illegal operations. Yesterday, there was a news about hacking several Google and Yahoo accounts.

Hacking is a clear and present danger which needs to be brought under control in order to prevent the irreversible damage being caused to millions of people.
Imagine you are tagged in an indecent post on your Facebook wall and all your friends, as well as relatives, get to see that post; it sure is the most embarrassing situation, sometimes leading to serious consequences.

Is There A Solution?

Yes. There is a solution to pull the reins of these hackers. The hackers we are dealing with are just like ghosts - no identity and no evident traces. They can be categorized as unethical hackers as they break the privacy policies of internet usage without any hesitation. The unethical hackers use the ever advancing technology for their personal gain. Recently, there is another set of hackers that is gaining popularity and they are called as 'Ethical Hackers'.

What Is Ethical Hacking?

Ethical hacking, as the name itself suggests, is a type of hacking practiced in order to prevent unethical hacking. Now, that is what we call as tit for tat. Ethical hacking has brought hacking in news for the right reasons. A company or a person performs ethical hacking to find out if there are any threats on a computer or network.

Ethical hacking helps to avoid threats to a system security and identify vulnerable factors that can be easily manipulated by an unethical hacker. However, an ethical hacker to has to follow certain rules to carry out his functions:

• Obtain a written permission to dig into a particular network and find out the security threats.

• Function without disturbing the privacy of a company or an individual.

• Close all the ethical hacking related works in order to keep them out of reach of malicious hands.

• Inform the concerned software or hardware maker if you come across any security threats in a company's software or hardware. This can save many important data of that company and help it take necessary measures to avoid threats in future.

Criticism

Since the time cyber crime hit the world of internet, hacking became its notorious companion. There is no doubt that the havoc hacking has been wreaking throughout the world is unpardonable. Hence, many people are against encouraging 'ethical hacking'. For them, hackers or cyber criminals will remain so forever and their job can never be considered ethical. They question the moral responsibility of these ethical hackers who get to probe a network and private data of a company or an individual. The critics see no guarantee of ethical conduct from hackers when they have all the private information at their disposal.

A Tough Yet Excellent Career Opportunity:

The criticism hurled at hackers is not easy to tackle but taking hacking to a new level and translating its image into an ethical one is an uphill task; at the same time, it is an interesting opportunity towards a unique career.

Hackers are not always harmful and as mentioned earlier, there is a new set of hackers who are prepared to solve the issue of cyber crime. These anti-illegal hacking individuals are lending aid to several organizations in curbing threats to their software and hardware and build a strong security system.

Become A Certified Ethical Hacker:

International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) provides certification in Ethical Hacking. Aspirants will need to attend an exam where they will be given 4 hours to solve 125 multiple choice questions. Apart from this council, there are many authorized centers that provide training in ethical hacking.

Eligibility:

Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology (BSc. with specialization in IT, Computer Science, etc.) or an advanced diploma in Network Security.

Salary:

A fresher can earn around 3.6 lakh per annum and a highly qualified and experienced ethical hacker can earn up to 30 lakh per annum

List Ethical Hacking Institutes: