essay on ethical hacker

Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of Hacking Essay

Introduction, ethical implications, legal implications, social implications.

Roughly 80 percent of our community currently relies on intricate computer supported systems. With the growing utilization of computer and rapid increase of the internet has resulted to numerous good things: online trade, e-banking, call centres, e-mail etc. The enhancement of system protection with a view of preventing unethical hacking has become a significant issue to community.

There are various methods of protecting an information system; it appears that the ethical hacking offers an improved method. Thus, whether to integrate or not integrate the “ethical hacking” in institutions of higher learning has become a fascinating debate. This essay evaluates the ethical, lawful, and social inferences of this concern.

So as to discuss the ethical, lawful, and ethical inferences of this concern, people need an understanding of the phrase ethical hacking. Raymond asserts that ethical hacking is a phrase used to mean computer hackers, people who attempt to enter secure networks with a view of learning the network’s weakness in order that it can be fixed (Raymond 2003). The query arising from this definition is whether the phrase is ethical or not ethical.

Ethics regarding computer systems claims partially that all data belongs to people and that no limitations or boundaries for preventing exposure of this data (Goheen & Fiske 2007). From hacker’s viewpoint, independence of information comprises the access to system passwords and the program itself. This autonomy in addition comprises the right of accessing data stored on systems.

Often, a hacker argues that the independence of data principles give him or her the right of having unlimited contact with system applications, e-mail and codes. At this instant, the ethical level of hacking has changed to “computer cracking” (Kephart et al. 2010).

When the data in any computer device has become accessible to all, there are no such things like confidential information, and there is in addition no seclusion issue. Training people to be ethical hackers is the same as training people to break into someone’s property and analyze the weakness of that property.

If ethical hacking has been trained in institutions, how does one know the trainees will not “hack” into the systems? If a student finds a really chief weakness, how does one know that he or she will not take advantage of it, or brag concerning it especially on the internet?

Additionally, teaching people ways of hacking into people’s systems is in addition a raid of someone’s seclusion, Boulanger (1998) claims that the intrusion of someone’s seclusion is ethically not correct. One may contend that it is justifiable the hackers are only attempting to assess the vulnerability of that computer application without accessing individual information or private data.

However, the moment the hacking knowledge has been imparted to people, it is erratic that the hackers will not utilize this knowledge to access some private data.

Once the hackers realize that the confidential data is useful for personal use, items like banking details, health information, credit details, workforce information, and defence details are likely to be changed by the hackers. Obviously, when such event occurred, it appears that the training on ethical hacking may not be an excellent approach.

Most governments lack an apparent regulation stating that whether the hacking knowledge to be learned as an option in institutions is lawful or illegal. However, most of the nations have embraced an integrated system crime policy which prevented hacking. Florida, a state in United States, was the first state to embrace an integrated system crime policy which prevented hacking operations in the early 1980s (Goheen & Fiske 2007).

In United Kingdom, the federal legislations have endorsed that illegal intrusion into, or alteration of, secured information it is not allowed in the law (Boulanger 1998). Clearly, if hacking into someone’s system is considered as an integrated system offense, so the training of ethical hacking turns out to be insignificant.

Indeed, ethical hacking is not only the method that can enhance computer protection. Software like raid-detection applications can secure an integrated application from operations that suggest illegal or unsuitable operation. Firewalls can protect systems from intrusion.

However, if ethical hacking courses are being learned by people, it is anticipated that the operations regarding ethical hacking are allowed by the computer user before. Otherwise, these operations will be regarded as a crime against the legislation.

In the contemporary world, companies and government depend very much on computer systems and internet. Sufficiently securing a company’s data records is an indispensable concern. Most of the companies have integrated protection software or applications like firewall or hack-detection devices with a view of protecting their data sets and to rapidly notice possible intrusions.

IBM system Journal argues that certain companies have realized that among the excellent methods of evaluating the hacker possibility to their advantages would be to have an autonomous system protection professional try to intrude their systems (Boulanger 1998).

This might be an excellent method of evaluating the computer weakness. However, allowing intrusion test staffs enter its computer applications, the company may experience several threats. For instance, the intrusion test personnel may be unsuccessful in identifying possible weaknesses; important protection details may be exposed, escalating the threat of the organization being prone to potential intrusion (Kephart et al. 2010).

Some companies even sponsor their computer application personnel to learn about ethical hacking in institutions of higher learning. Basically, the individual to be coached is anticipated to be of integrity. Otherwise it will not be an ethical way of approaching the issue.

In testing the protection and the other aspects of computer application is not something new. But during the initial phases of internet nobody knew of ethical hacking even regarding hacking itself, but with time an individual is more aware regarding the protection of his or her information, particularly because of attackers.

Ethical hacking is simply a protection system or means of securing data it is not a final answer to hacking. Organizations cannot relax simply because they have used ethical hacking. With the current ineffective protection regarding the internet, legal hacking may be the only adequate method of filling protection gaps and avoid system threats.

However, teaching legal hacking to people would just increase the level of hacking in the world. Regardless of the motivation the objective in this case is to enhance present system protection; no one can estimate what is likely to occur once the individual completes the training in hacking operations.

And if there are more hackers in community, it would just implies the threat of the computer being attacked by hackers will increase. Thus, it is unsuitable to train ethical hacking as a career in institutions of higher learning.

Boulanger, A 1998, ‘Catapults and grappling hooks: the tools and techniques of information warfare’, IBM System Journal , vol. 37 no.1, pp. 106-114.

Goheen, M & Fiske, R 2007, Computer security penetration exercise , MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

Kephart, J, Sorkin, G, Chess, M, & White, R 2010, ‘Fighting computer viruses,’ Scientific American , vol. 277 no. 5, pp. 88-93.

Raymond, S 2003, The new hacker’s dictionary , MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

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Title: a survey on ethical hacking: issues and challenges.

Abstract: Security attacks are growing in an exponential manner and their impact on existing systems is seriously high and can lead to dangerous consequences. However, in order to reduce the effect of these attacks, penetration tests are highly required, and can be considered as a suitable solution for this task. Therefore, the main focus of this paper is to explain the technical and non-technical steps of penetration tests. The objective of penetration tests is to make existing systems and their corresponding data more secure, efficient and resilient. In other terms, pen testing is a simulated attack with the goal of identifying any exploitable vulnerability or/and a security gap. In fact, any identified exploitable vulnerability will be used to conduct attacks on systems, devices, or personnel. This growing problem should be solved and mitigated to reach better resistance against these attacks. Moreover, the advantages and limitations of penetration tests are also listed. The main issue of penetration tests that it is efficient to detect known vulnerabilities. Therefore, in order to resist unknown vulnerabilities, a new kind of modern penetration tests is required, in addition to reinforcing the use of shadows honeypots. This can also be done by reinforcing the anomaly detection of intrusion detection/prevention system. In fact, security is increased by designing an efficient cooperation between the different security elements and penetration tests.

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Ethical Hacking Methodologies: A Comparative Analysis

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Unlocking the Benefits of Ethical Hacking: The Importance of Ethical Hackers in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is now a significant concern for both people and corporations in the modern digital environment. It’s critical to safeguard your sensitive information and preserve your digital assets in light of the rising number of cyber attacks and data breaches. Ethical hacking is one technique to improve your cybersecurity.

Ethical hacking is essential for improving cybersecurity because it enables businesses to find systemic weaknesses and put the right security solutions in place. A proactive approach to cybersecurity may prevent firms from suffering large losses as a result of data breaches .

In this article, we’ll explore the value of ethical hacking for cybersecurity, the job of ethical hackers, and how to become one. To help you comprehend the real-world applications of ethical hacking and see how it might assist in safeguarding your digital assets.

On this page:

What is Ethical Hacking?

The importance of ethical hackers in cybersecurity, the role of ethical hackers, how to become an ethical hacker, ethical hacking case studies.

A method called “ethical hacking,” commonly referred to as “penetration testing,” involves skilled individuals known as “ethical hackers” finding and using vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks with the owner’s consent.

RELATED: Understanding the Penetration Testing Lifecycle: Penetration Testing Phases & Tools

Ethical hacking aims to identify and eliminate any security problems before a malicious hacker takes advantage of them.

With the owner’s consent, ethical hackers employ the same methods and resources as malevolent hackers to find and disclose security flaws. To assess their security posture and find weaknesses, they simulate assaults on networks and systems. Following the discovery of vulnerabilities, they provide suggestions for enhancing security and defending against possible dangers.

Ethical hacking is crucial for a system or network to remain secure. It aids companies and organizations in identifying and addressing security flaws, which may otherwise lead to major monetary losses, reputational harm, and a decline in consumer confidence.

Web application testing, network testing, wireless network testing, and social engineering testing are a few examples of the many sorts of ethical hacking. The process of ethical hacking is a complete examination of a system’s or network’s security posture, including the identification of possible vulnerabilities, testing the system’s or network’s resistance to assaults, and communicating results to stakeholders.

RELATED: Software Application Security: Best Practices all Businesses must follow

Network scanners, vulnerability scanners, password-cracking tools, and packet sniffers are some of the instruments utilized in ethical hacking. Ethical hackers use these tools to find security flaws and possible attack routes that malicious hackers may use.

Ethical hacking is a proactive method of cybersecurity that aids companies in identifying and resolving security flaws before bad actors may take advantage of them. It’s an essential part of any organization’s cybersecurity strategy and has to be done on a regular basis to keep systems and networks secure.

A number of factors make having ethical hackers as part of your cybersecurity plan very necessary. Ethical hacking plays a significant role in boosting cybersecurity.

You can proactively defend your company against potential threats and secure your systems and networks by incorporating ethical hacking into your cybersecurity strategy.

Here are some important things to think about:

Identifying Vulnerabilities

Ethical hackers can aid in locating weaknesses in your systems and networks, such as flaws in software and hardware, configuration issues with your network, and inadequate security procedures.

RELATED: Vulnerability Assessments: 4 Crucial Steps for Identifying Vulnerabilities in your Business

Enhancing Security

Ethical hackers can help organizations implement security measures that guard against potential threats by pointing out security flaws and suggesting security enhancements.

Testing Security Measures

To make sure they are operating properly and offering sufficient protection against potential threats, ethical hackers can test security measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems , and access controls.

Compliance Mandates

Security assessments and penetration testing are routinely performed by many firms, particularly those in highly regulated sectors. Ethical hackers can aid in ensuring that these requirements are met.

RELATED: Technology Compliance Mistakes Businesses must avoid

Reputation Management

A successful cyber attack can harm a company’s reputation and cost its customers’ trust and money. Ethical hackers can aid in preventing cyber attacks and safeguarding the reputation of an organization by identifying vulnerabilities and putting in place the necessary security measures.

Cybersecurity Insurance

A few policies impose regular security audits and penetration tests as a condition of coverage. Organizations may use ethical hackers to assist them in meeting these standards and keeping their insurance coverage.

RELATED: Cybersecurity Insurance: Who needs Cyber Liability Insurance & What does Cyber Insurance cover?

With the owner’s consent, ethical hackers’ job is to find and disclose weaknesses in computer systems and networks.

In contrast to criminal hackers, ethical hackers try to strengthen security rather than find flaws to exploit.

You may proactively defend your company against possible attacks and keep your systems and networks secure by incorporating ethical hacking into your cybersecurity plan.

Following are some crucial tasks ethical hackers do in cybersecurity:

• Identifying Vulnerabilities: Ethical hackers utilize their talents to find gaps in software and hardware, network setup issues, and lax security procedures in computer systems and networks.
• Conducting Security Assessments: Security assessments are carried out by ethical hackers to analyze the security state of a system or network. To detect vulnerabilities, they use several tools and methods. Then they communicate their findings to relevant parties.
• Providing Recommendations: Once ethical hackers have located weaknesses, they advise how to strengthen security and guard against possible dangers. These suggestions include applying software updates, enhancing access restrictions, or altering security regulations.
• Penetration Testing: To assess the efficacy of a company’s security measures, ethical hackers do penetration testing. To assess systems’ and networks’ defenses against attacks and find weak spots, they simulate assaults on systems and networks.
• Social Engineering Testing: Ethical hackers also do social engineering testing to gauge a company’s capacity to recognize and thwart social engineering assaults like phishing and spear phishing.
• Reporting Findings: Ethical hackers provide thorough summaries of their discoveries, which include flaws, possible attack routes, and suggestions for improvement. These studies are essential for enterprises to strengthen their security posture and defend against possible attacks.

To become an ethical hacker, technical expertise, real-world experience, certifications, a solid ethical foundation, a network of peers, and remaining current with emerging trends and methods.

These methods may help you acquire the abilities and information needed to succeed as an ethical hacker and improve cybersecurity.

• Acquire Technical Skills: Computer systems and networks, including operating systems, programming languages, and network protocols, need ethical hackers to have a solid grasp of them. These abilities can be attained through formal education, professional certifications, and hands-on training.
• Gain Practical Experience: An ethical hacker needs to have real-world experience. Participating in bug bounty programs, hacking contests, or working on open-source projects are all ways to gain experience.
• Get Certified: The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and Offensive Security Certified Professional are two ethical hacking credentials offered (OSCP). Your knowledge and experience in ethical hacking may be shown with the aid of these certificates.
• Develop a Strong Ethical Mindset: A strong ethical mindset is necessary for ethical hacking. The repercussions of their actions and the potential harm that can result from exploiting vulnerabilities must be understood by ethical hackers. Following ethical principles and possessing a strong sense of integrity and accountability is crucial.
• Build a Network: In ethical hacking, developing a network of like-minded people may be quite beneficial. You may participate in forums, conferences, events, and online groups to make contacts and spread information.
• Stay up-to-date: Since ethical hacking is a topic that is continuously changing, it’s essential to keep up with the newest methods, resources, and fashions. Attending training sessions, participating in online courses, and reading trade periodicals are all ways to keep informed.

Ethical hacking case studies are real-life examples of how ethical hacking has helped organizations improve their security posture and protect against potential threats.

By working with ethical hackers, organizations can proactively protect against potential threats and maintain the security of their systems and networks.

Here are some ethical hacking case studies:

United Airlines

Security researcher Chris Roberts discovered a flaw in United Airlines’ Wi-Fi system in 2015 that gave him access to the aircraft’s navigational systems. Roberts demonstrated the vulnerability by manipulating the aircraft’s course while onboard. United Airlines worked with Roberts to address the vulnerability and improve its security.

In 2019, security researcher Saugat Pokharel identified a vulnerability in Starbucks’ website that allowed attackers to access customers’ personal information, including names, addresses, and email addresses. Pokharel reported the vulnerability to Starbucks, who promptly fixed the issue and awarded Pokharel a bug bounty.

In 2016, the Department of Defense launched “ Hack the Pentagon ,” a bug bounty program that invited ethical hackers to identify vulnerabilities in the department’s computer systems. The program resulted in over 1,400 vulnerabilities being reported and helped the department improve its security posture.

In 2013, security researcher Khalil Shreateh discovered a vulnerability in Facebook’s system that allowed him to post on anyone’s timeline, even if they were not friends with him. Shreateh reported the vulnerability to Facebook, but the company initially ignored his report.

Shreateh then exploited the vulnerability to demonstrate the seriousness of the issue, which led to Facebook fixing the issue and awarding Shreateh a bug bounty.

Ethical hacking plays a critical role in maintaining the security of computer systems and networks. Ethical hackers employ their skills and experience to uncover vulnerabilities and possible threats, enabling businesses to address and mitigate these risks proactively.

Organizations may strengthen their security posture and guard against possible breaches, data theft, and other cybersecurity dangers by collaborating with ethical hackers. Ethical hacking is a vital aspect of the cybersecurity industry and provides a valuable service to both businesses and individuals.

Becoming an ethical hacker requires technical skills, experience, and the right mindset. With the increasing demand for cybersecurity professionals, the field of ethical hacking offers exciting career opportunities for those interested in making a positive impact in the world of technology.

Malcolm is an advocate for digital privacy, specialising in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security and Internet of Things. Prior to joining BusinessTechWeekly.com, Malcolm advised startups, incubators and FTSE100 brands as a Risk Security Consultant. Malcolm is an avid reader, and devotes much of his time to his family in Hampshire.

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How to Become an Ethical Hacker in 2023 — A Step-by-Step Guide

Have you wondered what it takes to be an ethical hacker?

Ethical hacking is also known as “white hat” hacking or pentesting. It is the practice of using hacking techniques and tools to test the security of a computer system.

The goal of an ethical hacker is to improve the security of the system. This involves identifying and addressing weaknesses that can be exploited by malicious hackers.

Ethical hacking involves simulating the types of attacks a malicious hacker might use. This helps us find the vulnerabilities in a system and apply fixes to prevent or reduce them.

Recent reports say that the demand for Cybersecurity engineers is at an all-time high. If you are thinking of a career in cybersecurity, this is a perfect time.

Whether you are new to the field or have some experience under your belt, this guide will help you get started on your ethical hacking journey. So let’s dive in!

Learn the Different Types of Cyber Attacks.

The first thing you have to do is understand the different types of attacks. This will help give you an idea about what you will be dealing with as a cybersecurity engineer.

Here are some common types of cyber attacks.

• Malware attacks: These attacks involve the use of malicious software. This includes viruses or ransomware that lock the system and ask for payment. You might remember the Wannacry ransomware that ravaged businesses in 2017.
• Phishing attacks : These attacks use fake emails, websites, and social media messages. This attack tricks users into giving out their private information like logins, credit card details, and so on.
• Denial of service (DoS) attacks: These attacks try to crash a target system using too much traffic. A server can only handle a specific number of requests. If the server exceeds its capacity due to a DoS attack, it will become unavailable to other users.
• SQL injection attacks : These attacks involve injecting malicious code into a database. This happens due to poor security practices in building a web application. If successful, hackers can take over and even destroy an entire database.
• Cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks : These attacks involve injecting malicious code into a website. For example, if your website has a comments section without proper checks, malicious scripts can be injected into it. This script can then get saved into your database and also run on your customer’s browsers.
• Password attacks: These attacks involve attempting to guess or crack passwords. There are many tools available like John the Ripper and Hashcat .
• Wireless attacks: These attacks involve targeting wireless networks like cracking a company’s WiFi. Once a hacker gains access to the WiFi, they can listen to every computer that connects to that WiFi.

These are a few examples of the many types of cyber attacks that exist in today’s world. It is important that you understand different types of attacks and their impact. This will help you plan your training as well as choose a sub-category to specialize in.

Develop Your Skillset

Now that you know the different types of cyber attacks, how do you develop your skillset? Here are five steps that will help you move from beginner to professional.

Learn Linux Fundamentals

Most servers run on Linux operating systems. Though most users use Windows, Linux is still the dominant server operating system in use. From AWS to Azure, most cloud servers are also deployed using Linux.

You can opt-in for Linux certifications like the Red Hat Certification or Linux essentials . You can also play Wargames in OverTheWire to learn some practical Linux commands.

Also, here's a beginner-friendly course that teaches you the basics of Linux for ethical hacking.

Learn Networking Fundamentals

Learning networking is essential for cybersecurity. It helps you understand how computers talk to each other. Understanding protocols, architecture, and topology also help in building effective security measures against attackers.

A solid understanding of networking also helps with incident response and forensics. A strong networking background will get you from beginner to intermediate in a shorter time frame.

I would recommend this Youtube playlist from Neso Academy. They have done a great job in putting all the Networking concepts together.

Learn Basic Programming

There is no alternative to learning to code in 2023. Tools like ChatGPT only enhance the way you work, they don't do it for you. So you need some programming basics. Or you will run into the risk of remaining a Script Kiddie .

Programming knowledge helps you understand how computer systems work. Knowing programming also helps you to create secure software and systems. Programming skills are also needed to analyze and reverse-engineer malicious code. This is a crucial skillset for both offensive and defensive Pentesters.

Try these two resources:

• Learn basic Bash scripting
• Learn basic Python programming

TryHackme Pathways

TryHackMe is a platform that provides virtual rooms for learning cybersecurity skills. These rooms are interactive and they help you learn the method of finding and exploiting vulnerabilities. This is all done in a simulated network, so you will get some real-world practice without causing any damage.

They have also grouped rooms together to create pathways. These pathways help you to focus on a single topic, for example offensive security, defensive security, web app security, and so on.

Here are two pathways you can start with:

• Introduction to Cyber Security
• Junior Penetration Tester

Labs / Certifications / Community

Once you have completed the above steps, you can call yourself a mid-level ethical hacker. The next step is to get proficient by gaining some real-world hacking skills.

Here are the things you can do:

• Join HackTheBox and start cracking some virtual machines.
• Prepare for a certification like Pentest+ or OSCP
• Join a community like Stealth Security to keep learning about new tools and techniques.

By doing these steps and continuing to learn and practice, you can build a strong skillset. Do note that ethical hacking requires a strong foundation in Linux and networking, so don’t skip those steps.

Pentesting Tools to Learn

There are a few tools you should learn if you want to be an effective and skilled ethical hacker. These tools are industry-standard and will most likely be used in the company you are looking to get into. Let’s look at each one of them.

• Nmap : Nmap is a popular scanning and enumeration tool. Nmap helps us to find open ports, services, and vulnerabilities in a system. This is usually the first tool you will learn as an ethical hacker. You can read more about it here .
• Wireshark: Wireshark helps us to analyze networks. When you connect to a network , you can use Wireshark to see the packets of data in real-time. As an offensive tool, Wireshark also helps to perform man-in-the-middle attacks. You can read more about it here .
• Burpsuite : Burpsuite is an all-in-one web application auditing tool. Burpsuite helps us to debug issues in web apps, capture requests and responses, and even brute-force login attempts. Burpsuite is also popular among bug-bounty hunters.
• Metasploit : Once you have found a way to get into a system, Metasploit will help you generate the payload. Metasploit is a powerful tool that comes with a lot of scanners, payloads, and exploits. You can also import results from other tools like Nmap into Metasploit. You can read more about it here .
• Nessus : Nessus is an all-in-one scanner that helps us find vulnerabilities. It also provides recommendations on how to resolve those vulnerabilities. Nessus is a paid tool with a limited free option but is commonly used in enterprises.

I have also recently written a blog post on the top ten tools you need to know as an ethical hacker , so you can check it out if you are interested.

In conclusion, ethical hacking is a valuable and rewarding career choice. Given the gap in demand and available security engineers, this is the perfect time to start a cybersecurity career.

Just remember that ethical hacking requires a strong foundation in networking and Linux, so don’t skip those lessons before you start working with a pentesting tool.

Hope you enjoyed this article. You can find more about my articles and videos on my website .

Cybersecurity & Machine Learning Engineer. Loves building useful software and teaching people how to do it. More at manishmshiva.com

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Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Ethical Dilemma — Exploring Ethical Hacking, Cyber Threats, and Defensive Measures

Exploring Ethical Hacking, Cyber Threats, and Defensive Measures

• Categories: Ethical Dilemma National Security

About this sample

Words: 1230 |

Published: Feb 13, 2024

Words: 1230 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

Table of contents

Role of hacker, hacking and hacking stages, necessity of hacking, types of hackers, malware threats, ethical hacking process, devices for ethical hacker, preventing reconnaissance, conclusion:, references:, investigate:.

• Script Kiddie: These hackers don’t care about hacking. They just copy the code and use it for a virus. A common script kiddie attack is Denial of Service attack.
• White Hat: These hackers are professionals. They help to remove vulnerabilities from system and performs security audit of security test plan.
• Black Hat: These people are crackers who provide harm to system by gaining unauthorized access to an asset.
• Grey Hat: These hackers lie between good and bad hackers and might decide to reform and become a good hacker.
• Green Hat: They care about hacking and becomes full blown hackers.
• Red Hat: These are vigilantes of hacker’s world. They shut down themselves by uploading viruses, DOS and accessing their computer to destroy it.
• Blue Hat: These are security professionals invited by companies to explore vulnerabilities in software before launching it.
• Worms: Worms have an ability to self-replicate to spread to other computers.
• Virus: Viruses are the most infectious type of malware. It self-replicates by copying itself to another program.
• Trojan: Trojan virus is designed to spy on victim’s computer access file and extracts sensitive data.
• Spyware: is a software that gathers information about person or organization without their knowledge that may send this information to another individual.
• Rootkits: it is a fraudulent computer program to provide continued privileged access to computer while actively hiding its presence. This might take complete control of a system. It is difficult to locate.
• Establish the test target
• Select test environment
• Define test scope
• Determine test restrictions
• Determine test window details
• Obtain access credentials
• Obtain stakeholder approval
• Nmap: Is a Network Mapper to audit network and OS security for local and remote hosts. It is a well for being fast and for delivering thorough results with security investigation thoroughly.
• Wireshark: It is a network packet analyzer. A network packet analyzer will try to capture, filter and inspect network packets and try to display that data packet as detailed as possible. It is an excellent debugging tool if we are developing network application.
• Nessus: It is a scanner that scans for vulnerabilities and configuration errors of network attack. It deals with software flaws, missing patches, malware and misconfiguration across variety of operating systems, devices and application.
• IronWASP: It is another great tool. Its free open source and multi-platform, perfect for those who need to audit their web servers and public applications.
• BurpSuit: It is an advanced platform to support entire testing of web applications. It is a collection of tools bundled together which in turn help in exploiting security vulnerabilities.
• Ettercap: This is the most useful tool for man in the middle and network sniffing attacks. Sniffing includes catching and interpreting the data inside a network packet on TCP/IP protocol.
• QualisGuard: This Software as a Service vulnerability management tool designed for scanning, mapping, and identifying malware on website.
• Aircrack: this tool cracks vulnerabilities for wireless connections and tests for card and driver’s capabilities.

Preventing Active Reconnaissance

• restricting the outside services
• assuring users know their external footprints
• Using Intrusion Prevention System technology

Preventing passive reconnaissance

• blacklisting systems
• thwarting bots using Captcha’s
• using third party registration data to provide services instead of using the actual person or organization registering the domain.
• B. Kevin, “Hacking for dummies”, 2nd Edition, 408 pages, Oct 2006
• D. Manthan “Hacking for beginners”, 254 pages ,2010
• Matte Walker”, Certified Ethical Hacker”, TMH, 2011
• Michael Gregg, “Certified Ethical Hacker”, 1st Edition, 2013
• Sean-Philip Oriyano, “Certified Ethical Hacker Study Guide v9”, Study Guide Edition, 2016
• Gurpreet K. Juneja, “Ethical Hacking: A technique to enhance information security” international journal of computer applications (3297:2007), vol. 2, Issue 12, December 2013
• J. Danish and A.N. Muhammad, “Is Ethical Hacking Ethical?”, International journal of Engineering Science and Technology, Vol 3 No.5
• http://www.pentest-standard.org/index.php/ PTS_Technical_Guidelines

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Ethical Hacking Essay Sample

Ethical Hacking Essay

Today, one of the most sought after individuals and/or  companies  are those who employ ethical hackers. Although the term “hacking” might seem vague and distrustful for most individuals because of how hackers are portrayed in mass media such as unlawful and people who are hunted by the government. Nevertheless, there are plenty of times when hacking is useful and productive.

In some cases, hacking can be used to fix systems and software, and more importantly to prevent future probabilities of these systems being hacked themselves. This useful application of hacking is called ethical hacking. Ethical hacking simply means attempting to hack one’s system, network, or software in order to identify the threats to it and mitigate it in the future. In other words, ethical hackers are the “preventers” for hackers such as black hats, who are generally regarded as cyber criminals for trying to infiltrate security systems simply for their own gain. Another term for these ethical hackers are “white hats” and most industries today, ranging from digital companies, security providers, and especially banks have hired them.

Because of the demand for these ethical hackers more and more people today are engaging and trying to learn to hack, both inside and outside educational systems. For one, this is important since it is believed that the  technologies  today and the abilities of the companies which create them, are just in their inception and thus more and more companies would need the help of these ethical hackers in the future. In other words, an increase in the jobs available even in the comforts of their own homes and just as any online jobs, could mean the decongestion of our cities.

However, not all people are thrilled with the continuous increase of white hats in the society. For them, since white hats are just humans and are equipped with the knowledge that black hats have, then more black hats could also come from this population. Adding to the fact that these white hats are usually allowed more freedom with the use of such technologies, these increases the worrying of these people. Following from the statements above, it is apparent that the number of white hats is continuously increasing. Therefore, in response to this situation and the potential risks that it carries in the future, I believe that it is necessary that more rules and regulations must be established in order to prevent any thing detrimental that might happen not only for these technologies but also for the people who use them. One of the most prominent tech savvy and entrepreneur in the world, Elon Musk, has already warned us about the dangers of AI.

He said in an interview that “the machines will win”. In line with this, I believe that hacking (both ethical and unethical) is one of the things that would determine the fate of the world as AI technology continues to grow. For one, black hats might start the use of “destructive AIs” which could pose potential dangers for the existence of human life in this planet. On the other hand, White hats could then serve as the saviors if and when such a time comes. Countering the decisions that AIs could make regarding how the world should run, especially when taking the human factor is a part of its equation.

In conclusion, what this means is that hacking could be productive and essential for the advancement of technology in the world especially in this ever growing environment. However, as this trade grows, additional rules and regulations must be placed in order to keep hacking more helpful than destructive.

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The Paris Olympics’ One Sure Thing: Cyberattacks

“We will be attacked,” the official responsible for fending off cyberthreats said. To prepare, organizers have been hosting war games and paying “bug bounties” to hackers.

By Tariq Panja

Reporting from London and Paris

In his office on one of the upper floors of the headquarters of the Paris Olympic organizing committee, Franz Regul has no doubt what is coming.

“We will be attacked,” said Mr. Regul, who leads the team responsible for warding off cyberthreats against this year’s Summer Games in Paris.

Companies and governments around the world now all have teams like Mr. Regul’s that operate in spartan rooms equipped with banks of computer servers and screens with indicator lights that warn of incoming hacking attacks. In the Paris operations center, there is even a red light to alert the staff to the most severe danger.

So far, Mr. Regul said, there have been no serious disruptions. But as the months until the Olympics tick down to weeks and then days and hours, he knows the number of hacking attempts and the level of risk will rise exponentially. Unlike companies and governments, though, who plan for the possibility of an attack, Mr. Regul said he knew exactly when to expect the worst.

“Not many organizations can tell you they will be attacked in July and August,” he said.

Worries over security at major events like the Olympics have usually focused on physical threats, like terrorist attacks. But as technology plays a growing role in the Games rollout, Olympic organizers increasingly view cyberattacks as a more constant danger.

The threats are manifold. Experts say hacking groups and countries like Russia, China, North Korea and Iran now have sophisticated operations capable of disabling not just computer and Wi-Fi networks but also digital ticketing systems, credential scanners and even the timing systems for events.

Fears about hacking attacks are not just hypothetical. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea, a successful attack nearly derailed the Games before they could begin .

That cyberattack started on a frigid night as fans arrived for the opening ceremony. Signs that something was amiss came all at once. The Wi-Fi network, an essential tool to transmit photographs and news coverage, suddenly went down. Simultaneously, the official Olympics smartphone app — the one that held fans’ tickets and essential transport information — stopped functioning, preventing some fans from entering the stadium. Broadcast drones were grounded and internet-linked televisions meant to show images of the ceremony across venues went blank.

But the ceremony went ahead, and so did the Games. Dozens of cybersecurity officials worked through the night to repel the attack and to fix the glitches, and by the next morning there was little sign that a catastrophe had been averted when the first events got underway.

Since then, the threat to the Olympics has only grown. The cybersecurity team at the last Summer Games, in Tokyo in 2021, reported that it faced 450 million attempted “security events.” Paris expects to face eight to 12 times that number, Mr. Regul said.

Perhaps to demonstrate the scale of the threat, Paris 2024 cybersecurity officials use military terminology freely. They describe “war games” meant to test specialists and systems, and refer to feedback from “veterans of Korea” that has been integrated into their evolving defenses.

Experts say a variety of actors are behind most cyberattacks, including criminals trying to hold data in exchange for a lucrative ransom and protesters who want to highlight a specific cause. But most experts agree that only nation states have the ability to carry out the biggest attacks.

The 2018 attack in Pyeongchang was initially blamed on North Korea, South Korea’s antagonistic neighbor. But experts, including agencies in the U.S. and Britain, later concluded that the true culprit — now widely accepted to be Russia — deliberately used techniques designed to pin the blame on someone else.

This year, Russia is once again the biggest focus.

Russia’s team has been barred from the Olympics following the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, although a small group of individual Russians will be permitted to compete as neutral athletes. France’s relationship with Russia has soured so much that President Emmanuel Macron recently accused Moscow of attempting to undermine the Olympics through a disinformation campaign.

The International Olympic Committee has also pointed the finger at attempts by Russian groups to damage the Games. In November, the I.O.C. issued an unusual statement saying it had been targeted by defamatory “fake news posts” after a documentary featuring an A.I.-generated voice-over purporting to be the actor Tom Cruise appeared on YouTube.

Later, a separate post on Telegram — the encrypted messaging and content platform — mimicked a fake news item broadcast by the French network Canal Plus and aired false information that the I.O.C. was planning to bar Israeli and Palestinian teams from the Paris Olympics.

Earlier this year, Russian pranksters — impersonating a senior African official — managed to get Thomas Bach, the I.O.C. president, on the phone. The call was recorded and released earlier this month. Russia seized on Mr. Bach’s remarks to accuse Olympic officials of engaging in a “conspiracy” to keep its team out of the Games.

In 2019, according to Microsoft, Russian state hackers attacked the computer networks of at least 16 national and international sports and antidoping organizations, including the World Anti-Doping Agency, which at the time was poised to announce punishments against Russia related to its state-backed doping program.

Three years earlier, Russia had targeted antidoping officials at the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics. According to indictments of several Russian military intelligence officers filed by the United States Department of Justice , operatives in that incident spoofed hotel Wi-Fi networks used by antidoping officials in Brazil to successfully penetrate their organization’s email networks and databases.

Ciaran Martin, who served as the first chief executive of Britain’s national cybersecurity center, said Russia’s past behavior made it “the most obvious disruptive threat” at the Paris Games. He said areas that might be targeted included event scheduling, public broadcasts and ticketing systems.

“Imagine if all athletes are there on time, but the system scanning iPhones at the gate has gone down,” said Mr. Martin, who is now a professor at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford .

“Do you go through with a half-empty stadium, or do we delay?” he added. “Even being put in that position where you either have to delay it or have world-class athletes in the biggest event of their lives performing in front of a half-empty stadium — that’s absolutely a failure .”

Mr. Regul, the Paris cybersecurity head, declined to speculate about any specific nation that might target this summer’s Games. But he said organizers were preparing to counter methods specific to countries that represent a “strong cyberthreat.”

This year, Paris organizers have been conducting what they called “war games” in conjunction with the I.O.C. and partners like Atos, the Games’ official technology partner, to prepare for attacks. In those exercises, so-called ethical hackers are hired to attack systems in place for the Games, and “bug bounties” are offered to those who discover vulnerabilities.

Hackers have previously targeted sports organizations with malicious emails, fictional personas, stolen passwords and malware. Since last year, new hires at the Paris organizing committee have undergone training to spot phishing scams.

“Not everyone is good,” Mr. Regul said.

In at least one case, a Games staff member paid an invoice to an account after receiving an email impersonating another committee official. Cybersecurity staff members also discovered an email account that had attempted to impersonate the one assigned to the Paris 2024 chief, Tony Estanguet.

Millions more attempts are coming. Cyberattacks have typically been “weapons of mass irritation rather than weapons of mass destruction,” said Mr. Martin, the former British cybersecurity official.

“At their worst,” he said, “they’ve been weapons of mass disruption.”

Tariq Panja is a global sports correspondent, focusing on stories where money, geopolitics and crime intersect with the sports world. More about Tariq Panja