Ethical hacking is a permitted procedure involving an ethical or white-hat hacker attempting to access computer systems, applications, or sensitive data without authorization. They mimic the methods or techniques that a malicious hacker might use to acquire vital information. Typically, it is used to discover security flaws to be addressed ahead of time, so black hat hackers cannot exploit them.
Ethical hackers are a significant part of today’s digital business environment. They help identify and eliminate vulnerabilities in the system, assist with compliance with regulations, and provide ethical hacking services for organizations that need them. Ethical hackers also make good money and have plenty of job opportunities available to them.
Before we get started, let’s make some of the terms clear.
Black Hat Hacker – Malicious hackers that illegally access computers and networks for profit or personal gain are considered unethical hackers or security crackers. This sort of hacking is prohibited by law.
White Hat Hacker – These are cyber security professionals who work within the confines of the law to test a system’s security and employ similar methods as black hat hackers. This is considered legal hacking.
Grey Hat Hacker – Hackers who break into systems without permission but do not utilize or steal from them. These hackers inform the system administrator about the flaws in most cases. This form of hacking is sometimes legal and sometimes illegal.
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With that out of the way, this article will discuss why ethical hacking is probably one of the best career choices an Information Technology professional could make.
The Importance and Benefits of Becoming an Ethical Hacker
Today, ethical hacking is very important because more businesses are becoming digitalized. Ethical hackers need to act like malicious hackers to find vulnerabilities that will help the company’s development with regulatory compliance and many other purposes.
As a white-hat hacker, you can look forward to getting paid well and having great job opportunities down the line. But there are other reasons why cyber security specialists should consider becoming proficient in this field. Among the benefits, we can include the following:
- Understanding the Malicious Hacker’s Mindset – To truly become a cyber security expert, you need to know how the enemy operates. So, if someone understands this subject, they will be able on their own to identify and eliminate potential threats for an organization’s network security, as well as safeguard its key assets from being stolen. This isn’t only relevant to cybersecurity. It is, nevertheless, a must-have for network defenders. They must discover and repair any potential flaws that a malicious hacker might use to access an organization’s network. In addition, because cyberattacks and data leaks have become more common these days, the scope of ethical hacking has grown.
- More Cloud Technology – Over the last few years, cloud computing has skyrocketed in popularity, and many businesses have been moving their resources and data to the cloud. As a result, the number and intensity of threats have risen over time, necessitating an increased demand for ethical hackers. Organizations worldwide have been employing ethical hackers on a vast scale to guarantee the most outstanding security for their companies and consumers. They also paid handsomely for their services.
- Gaining Development and Quality Assurance Skills – An ethical hacker and a quality assurance tester have several things in common. Although security testing is seldom performed, testers are responsible for validating a variety of software features under typical and extreme conditions. They may be helpful to do an effective security test because they can provide valuable information to improve the software’s security following industry norms and best practices. It also helps in the creation of tools for detecting and eradicating some well-known vulnerabilities. As a result, it will aid code developers in producing error-free codes while checking their programs for any coding flaws efficiently.
- More Regulatory Compliance – Organizations should enhance their security measures in light of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other comparable rules, which have added new criteria to make things simpler and penalize breaches. Individuals new to the business may find ethical hacking an attractive career option since it will help them spot and protect an organization’s networks and software. Even the individuals concentrating on management and strategic planning should be aware of typical assaults, which they can include in their skill set while formulating risk-management strategies.
- A Career-Advancing Opportunity. Employers value and reward people who continue to demonstrate their worth to the company from time to time. Typically, entry-level applicants have a basic understanding of their field. For both long-term and entry-level staff, learning ethical hacking can be beneficial for career development and progress. It’s a good extra for someone who wants to work in IT, software, or development. It would be a specialized skill that only a few individuals would have. This information will assist the student in developing the proper attitude, tools, and cybersecurity methods. It will also teach them about industry best practices that can help them reduce risks.
Ethical Hacking Salaries and Job Opportunities
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Information Security Analyst’s Outlook, cybersecurity employment is one of the fastest-growing professions in the country. According to BLS, 33% more people will work as information security analysts by 2030, which is much faster than expected growth. Average annual salaries also hover around $103,590 ($49.80 per hour).
As of 2021, there are over 3.5 million cybersecurity positions that are vacant worldwide. The most practical approach to enter the cybersecurity sector and take advantage of the talent shortage is to learn ethical hacking. Demonstrating competence and knowledge through certifications that may assist one to obtain a job is among the best methods to compete against other entry-level applicants.
EC-Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker(CEH) is one of the most well-known and accepted cybersecurity certifications, a prerequisite to obtaining many cybersecurity positions. A CEH certified expert is expected to know and understand the various tools and strategies employed by penetration testers, hackers, and network defenders, as well as the actions that must be taken. MyComputerCareer offers specialized training and certification preparation for becoming one of EC-Council’s Certified Ethical Hackers.
What Career Opportunities Does Ethical Hacking Provide?
After obtaining any CEH certification or training course, it’s critical to understand the value of the CEH credential and education. A candidate who has received the CEH certification may seek employment in a variety of fields, including but not limited to:
- IT Security Administration
- Cybersecurity Auditor
- Manual Ethical Hacker
- Network Security Engineer
- Cyber Security Consultant
- Network Engineer
- Infosec Security Administrator
- System Security Administrator
- Senior SOC Analyst
- Cyber Defense Analyst
- Warning Analyst
The job responsibilities list is far longer than what has been mentioned. Increased security risks have created a need for data protection and vulnerability analysis, which has resulted in the development of various and specialized job positions to secure and ethically hack information at different levels to avoid major catastrophes.
With MyComputerCareer, you will be excellently trained and positioned to take on the CEH v11 examination and earn the appropriate certification. You will also learn ethical hacking from experts in the field. We’re ready to help you succeed today. Contact us for more information!