For those who are interested in problem solving, communication, and IT security, ethical hacking is a great career choice. This is how to become a white-hat hacker. IT security professionals then use the results of these penetration tests to fix vulnerabilities, strengthen security, and reduce a company’s risk components. Penetration testing is not an informal business. It involves some planning, which includes getting permission from the administration to conduct assessments. After that, it is necessary to work as safely as possible. These assessments often contain the same methods attackers use to break into a community.
Education and Background Necessities
White hat hacking requires a lot of problem solving and communication skills. White hat hackers must have a steady intelligence and conventional sense, solid technical and organizational knowledge, impeccable judgement, and the ability to keep cool under stress.
A white hat must also assume the role of a black hacker with all their devious and nefarious activities. White hat hackers are ex-black hat hackers who were caught and for many reasons determined to leave behind a life of crime and put their skills to work in an optimistic (and legal) way.
There is no standard training for white hat hackers. Each group can set its own requirements. However, a bachelor’s degree or grasp’s in data security, computer science, and even math can provide a solid foundation.
Many people don’t go to college. A navy background, especially in intelligence, could help your resume be seen by hiring managers. Employers who require safety clearances can also benefit from military service.
Pertinent Certifications
Candidates can get in the door by obtaining various white-hat hacking and security-related IT certifications, even if they don’t have a lot of hands-on experience.
The EC-Council offers a great place to start: the Certified Moral Hacker (CEH), certification. The CEH credential is vendor-neutral and CEH (Certified Ethical Hackers), professionals are highly in demand. According to PayScale, the average wage for an ethical hacker is $90,000. The EC-Council states, on the consulting side, that CEH professionals can expect to be paid $15,000-$ 45,000 per task.
The mid-level CEH credential is focused on enumeration and system hacking, as well as SQL injection, Trojans and viruses, along with denial of services (DoS). Candidates must also provide information on cryptography, penetration testing and firewalls as well as honeypots.
Candidates without previous work experience are recommended to take a CEH coaching class of five days by the EC-Council. Students should be proficient in Linux techniques administration, familiar with TCP/IP, and have knowledge of virtualization platforms. However, self-study options are also available to help candidates pass the only exam. The EC-Council requires that candidates have at least two years of data security experience, and that they pay a $100 utility fee.
To become a white hat hacker, you must adhere to the legal aspects of hacking. This includes not engaging in illegal or unethical hacking activities and protecting intellectual property. Candidates must adhere to the EC-Council code of ethics as part of the certification course. They should not be associated with malicious hackers or unethical hacking actions.
The SANS GIAC curriculum, along with the CEH is well worth a look. This group has granted more than 1,65,000 credentials to date. Candidates who start with GIAC Security Administration certifications, starting at the GSEC would likely be better positioned to climb a lively and well-respected security curriculum. Each of the GIAC Penetration Tester, GIAC Exploit Researcher, and Superior Penetration Tester are important for white hat hackers.
Mile2 offers another set of certifications in ethical hacking. The Pen Testing Hacking sequence consists in the foundational Certified Vulnerability Assessor, the Certified Skilled Ethical Hacker and the Certified Penetration Testing Engineer (CPTE), before moving on to the Certified Skilled Ethical Hacker and finally the advanced-level Licensed Penetration Testing Advisor. Veterans who are eligible can use their GI Invoice benefits to get cyber safety certifications and coaching via mile2.
Associated Certifications in Forensics
It’s always a good idea to dabble in computer forensics.
