Ethical hacking career choice

Just want to start a debate whether ethical hacking can be a career choice?


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5 Surefire Tips to Protect Your Computers from Hackers

Hacking attacks are constant worry and perennial headache for any network administrator. More interestingly and ironically, the best defense against them comes from hackers themselves. But these hackers are of a different kind and breed - they are 'ethical hackers'.

While companies and government organizations all across the world are spending huge sums on hiring professional network security experts or ethical computer hackers, you can make your computer secure by being a little more careful and by keeping your system equipped with next generation anti-hacking solutions. Let's see how...

1. Always use the latest version of anti-virus software applications. With good anti-virus software, whenever a hacker tries to access your machine you would be warned about it so that you can take necessary steps before any damage is done.

2. Always keep the firewalls in active mode as it will prevent unauthorized entry by the hackers.

3. Keep checking the programs running on your system on a regular basis. In case, you come across some program that you might not have installed or which does not form part of standard operating system, then be alert and cross check it as it might be some sort of spam.

4. To minimize risk against virus attacks and hackers, keep your operating system up to date as it allows the machine to be aware of the latest discovered security holes. If you don't do that, you are just giving open invitation to the hackers who just evolve from every failed or 'taken care of' hacking attack.

5. Never ignore the patches when they arrive for installation. Usually what happens is that a hacker makes a way to enter your computer through some common programs. By installing security fixes and patches you make your computer safe from hackers as they are developed with the sole motive to fix security related issues.

Well, these tips are just the primary precautions to keep your system safe from the hands of hackers. But it's better to take help of experts to take care of security measures. Many companies nowadays employ ethical hackers with knowledge of network security, cracking and hacking to counter the menace of criminal hacking.

Let me explain a little more. Hackers are broadly categorized into three groups:

- Black-hat hacker- These are the malicious or criminal hackers that break into networks or computers, or create computer viruses.

- Grey-hat hacker: These are skilled hackers who have mixed characteristics of white and black-hat hackers. They usually hack for fun or challenge but in the process can do some pretty damaging things.

- White-hat hacker: These are ethical hackers whose task is to provide security and protection to IT systems. Such people are employed by companies to enhance their IT security and keep their network systems free of hackers and spammers.

Ethical hacking is thus fast becoming a chosen career option for young IT pros given the fact that the IT security market worldwide is growing by leaps and bounds. There are various courses available for computer hacking and network security training. Professional cracking tutorials and other courses prepare IT security pros for attractive careers in big organizations.

Ethical Hacking Course for a Bright Future

Also known as white hat hacker, an ethical hacker is an expert in anti-hacking techniques who works to prevent malicious hackers from stealing or damaging important data and ensure that computer systems and networks are safe.

Generally, these type of ethical hackers work day and night to provide security to IT systems. At times, they can even break into any other system in the course of an investigation on the ground of doubts. Both black hat hackers (also known as crackers) and white hat hackers essentially do the same thing, but an ethical hacker has altruistic motivations.

How To Become An Ethical Hacker
Earlier to become an ethical hacker there were three main ways - a history or expertise in malicious hacking, being a bright computer science graduate, and possessing a training background in systems or administration or a combination of all three.

Nowadays it has become easier for people to become an ethical hacker as there are many private institutions and colleges, who are offering full-time ethical hacking training, embedded system training, network security training and many more courses.

The ethical hacking training courses have been designed on the basic principles of how to catch a thief by employing their own tricks against them. Usually, an ethical hacking training course covers the following topics, such as:

• Basics of networking
  
• Basics of operating systems
  
• Basics of databases
  
• Techniques of windows hacking
  
• Restoration of deleted files
  
• Editing of registries
  
• Cracking of password
  
• Counter measure of password breaking
  
• Computer forensics
  
• Firewalls
  
• Network hacking
  
• Security tools
  
• Hacking tools
  
• Tracking of e-mail
  
• Router hacking
  
• Port scanning
  
• Vulnerability of windows platform
  
• Viruses and their mode of spreading
  

After the completion of the course, one gets the opportunity to practice hacking in an ethical way to ensure the security of confidential and important data. Moreover it also instills in students a strong ethical sense of what they should and shouldn't do as security professionals.

Major benefits of ethical hacking training course

For students, a good ethical hacking training course helps to build a successful career in many big and small IT firms or other corporate firms. The future prospect of ethical hackers is bright as more and more companies are taking all possible steps to ensure security of various data and networks.

A full time ethical hacking training course opens doors for those who want to build a professional career in teaching. This course will never be out of market and in future many more private institutions, colleges and universities will include the ethical hacking training course in their curriculum given the ever-burgeoning market demand for IT security professionals.

The benefits of training ethical hackers are much higher as compared to the risks associated with it. But it is essential to do the course from a reputed institution or college to get the maximum benefit.