Welcome again dear NetworkSecLearners to today’s article in which we are going to dive into a fascinating world that often sounds mysterious, controversial and even a little scaring : Ethical Hacking. Wow, wow, are you already scared? 😂 If so, please don’t be. 🙏
We are not here to teach you how to hack systems and break the law. On the contrary, Ethical Hacking is all about protecting systems by thinking like the bad guys (the ones breaking the law) but working for the good side.😊
Before moving on, let me ask you a simple question : have you ever wondered how security experts find bugs before hackers do? Or how companies test their systems for vulnerabilities? That is exactly what Ethical Hackers do! They are like digital detectives who break into systems WITH PERMISSION with the goal to identify vulnerabilities before the bad guys do. The most important thing to remember is that Ethical Hackers unlike the bad guys only try to break into systems after receiving PERMISSION.
So, you should never try breaking into any third-party systems without formal PERMISSION otherwise, you are breaking the law and that can land you in jail.😉
In the next sections, we will discuss what Ethical Hacking really is (and isn’t), the different types of hackers, some real-world examples of Ethical Hacking and then we will show you some common tools used by Ethical Hackers. At last, we are going to show you how to start your journey into this exciting field and present some popular certifications.
This is going to be a very exciting tutorial, so grab a cup of coffee and sit comfortably to read till the end. 🙏🙏 I hope you will enjoy this article and maybe even become an Ethical Hacker to contribute to a more secure world. 😊 I’m counting on you!
Oh, wait a second, before diving deeper into the topic, I forgot to remind you that Ethical Hacking is not about causing harm but about building trust and making systems safer.
1. Definition of Ethical Hacking
I am sure you have already heard some hackers stories where they hacked computer systems to steal confidential information that value millions of dollars etc. You have already probably watched the Series Scorpion where the actor Walter managed to hack NASA systems at the age of 11 from the basement of his parents house. He is a genius in the series. Well, if you thought that this is Ethical Hacking, let me dear friends tell you that you are wrong.😂 You are not gonna learn here to hack systems for malicious activities. As Insisted in the Introduction, Ethical Hacking (also called White Hat Hacking or Penetration Testing) is the legal practice of testing computer systems, networks or applications for security weaknesses or vulnerabilities. Ethical Hackers use the same tools and techniques as malicious hackers but with one big difference : they have permission.😊 Have you got it? If not, let’s take the following analogy : Think of it this way : imagine you hire a locksmith to break into your house and check all the weak doors and windows. You want to fix the problems before a real thief shows up, right? That is exactly what Ethical Hacking is about : finding and fixing vulnerabilities before the real attackers find them. So, if somebody tries to hack a system without permission, even if they have good intentions, it is illegal and definitely not Ethical Hacking! If you have carefully read this section, you would have noticed that I mentioned “White Hat Hacking”. So, you maybe wondered what this means. Well, when it comes to hacking, you now know that there are bad hackers and good or legal hackers, right? White Hat Hackers are the good and legal ones. 😉 But wait, how do we call the other hackers? Good question, this is exactly what we are going to address in the next section. So, let’s go to the next section. 🙏
2. Types of Hackers
As promised, we are going to introduce the main characters in the world of Hacking because as you already know, not all Hackers are the same, some are good, some are bad and some are in between. In Cybersecurity, professionals use a special jargon to categorize hackers. We have the White Hat Hackers, the Black Hat Hackers and the Gray Hat Hackers.
2.1 White Hat Hackers
These are the Ethical Hackers, the heroes of the cybersecurity world. White Hat Hackers work with organizations to find and fix security flaws before real attackers can exploit them. They follow strict rules, always get permission and often work in roles like penetration tester, security analyst, or bug bounty hunter. I hope you are in this category, haha! 😊
2.2 Black Hat Hackers
These are the hackers you often hear about in the news or the cybercriminals. Black Hat Hackers break into systems without permission to steal sensitive data, install malware, commit fraud or cause harm. Their goal is usually personal gain and their actions are illegal. These are the ones Ethical Hackers are trying to stop! I am sure you will not be a Black Hat Hacker! 🙏
2.3 Gray Hat Hackers
Gray Hat Hackers are somewhere in the middle. They may find a vulnerability in a system without permission and sometimes report it but not always the right way. For example, they might publicly disclose the flaw before the company has a chance to fix it. While they don’t usually mean harm, what they do can still be illegal because they didn’t have permission in the first place. It is a gray area hence the name.😊
3. Real-World Examples of Ethical Hacking
You might be wondering whether Ethical Hacking is really used in the real world or not. Well, the answer is a big YES and it plays a crucial role in cybersecurity today. Ethical Hackers are not just theory or cool titles. They are professionals actively protecting systems, applications and networks every single day.
Let’s explore some well-known real-world examples that show how ethical hacking helps keep our digital world safer.
3.1 Bug Bounty Programs
Tech giants like Google, Facebook and Microsoft run what is called bug bounty programs. These programs invite Ethical Hackers from around the world to search for vulnerabilities in their systems and reward them with cash when they find one. Isn’t this great?😉 You are not asked here to solve issues but paid to find issues? This is really amazing if you are the type of person that is skilled in finding issues but don’t like solving them. 😊 It is a win-win situation because the hacker gets paid and the company fixes a security issue before it is exploited by criminals.
3.2 The Apple Pay Vulnerability
In 2021, a security researcher discovered a serious flaw in Apple Pay that allowed unauthorized payments to be made through a locked iPhone. Instead of abusing the issue, the Ethical Hacker reported it to Apple through responsible disclosure. Apple quickly fixed the vulnerability and acknowledged his contribution a perfect example of Ethical Hacking in action. If you wanna learn more about this matter, please, check this article.
3.3 Hack the Pentagon
Yes, you read that right! In Spring 2016, the U.S. Department of Defense launched a program called Hack the Pentagon inviting vetted Ethical Hackers to test the security of its public systems. The result? Over 100 security vulnerabilities were found and resolved all legally and with permission. If you wanna know more about this check this article.
As you must have guessed, these stories highlight how Ethical Hacking is more than just a skill. It is indeed a real profession that helps protect millions of users, systems and organizations. 🙏
4. Common Tools Used by Ethical Hackers
Ethical hackers need the right tools to get the job done just like a mechanic needs a wrench or a detective needs a magnifying glass. These tools help identify security flaws, test defenses, and analyze systems for vulnerabilities. I wrote last year an article on the most used Ethical Hackers tools. Do you remember? 🤔If no, there is no problem. As I am nice, here it is : Top 10 Tools For Penetration Testing In The World
Make sure you go through that article before continuing the reading of this article. Let’s look at some of the most popular Ethical Hacking tools used by professionals :
- Nmap
Also known as the “Network Mapper”, Nmap is used to scan networks, discover devices and find open ports. It is great for understanding how a network is structured and where potential weaknesses might be. - Wireshark
This powerful packet analyzer lets hackers capture and inspect network traffic. Ethical Hackers use it to see what data is being sent across the network very helpful for spotting things like unencrypted passwords or suspicious activity. - Metasploit
This is a famous penetration testing framework that helps Ethical Hackers simulate real-world attacks. It is also used to validate and test system defenses. - John the Ripper
This tool is used to crack weak passwords. It helps organizations understand how vulnerable their password policies really are.
These tools are widely used in Penetration Testing and are essential for anyone starting a career in Ethical Hacking. And guess what, the best part is that many of them are free and open-source so you can start learning without spending a cent. Sounds very interesting, right? I am sure you are wondering how you can start your Ethical Hacking journey. Let’s break this down in the next section.
5. How to Start Your Ethical Hacking Journey
After reading the previous sections, did you feel like joining the Ethical Hacking community? Well, if it is the case, this is awesome because I am about to show you how you can get started with your Ethical Hacking journey. Here is how to get started, step by step :
5.1 Build a Strong Technical Foundation
Before you start hacking, you need to understand how things work under the hood. Begin with learning these topics :
- Networking fundamentals :
Networking is the backbone of the internet and every connected system. Ethical Hackers need to understand how data flows between computers so it is a must to learn network topics like IP addresses, TCP/IP, DNS, ports and protocols, routers, and firewalls. Without this knowledge, it is impossible to analyze attacks, sniff network traffic or perform vulnerability scanning.
I wrote articles on Computer Networks which give you the necessary networking fundamentals which can be a great starting point. So, check them out! 😉 Here they are : Introduction To Computer Networks, Introduction to Computer Networks Ports and Protocols and Open System Interconnection (OSI) Model
- Operating systems :
Most servers, systems and IoT devices run on Linux or Windows. You will therefore need to be comfortable using the command line, managing files, running processes and understanding how each OS handles users, permissions and services. Linux especially Kali Linux is a favorite among Ethical Hackers because it comes loaded with security tools.
- Programming/Scripting :
You do not need to be a Software Engineer but you should learn how to read and write basic code. Python is the most popular language among Hackers because it is easy to learn and widely used for automation and exploits. You should also explore Bash scripting for Linux and JavaScript for web-related Hacking. Understanding code helps you recognize vulnerabilities and even write your own tools.
- How the web works :
Most attacks today happen on web-based systems like websites, web apps and APIs. That’s why it is important to know how HTTP/HTTPS, cookies, sessions, URLs and form submissions work. Learning how web servers and browsers talk to each other gives you the keys to understanding many types of vulnerabilities like XSS, CSRF, and SQL injection.
5.2 Practice in Legal and Safe Environments
Learning ethical hacking does not mean breaking into random systems online because as you already know, this is illegal and not Ethical at all. Instead, you should practice your skills in environments that are designed for learning and legally safe. These platforms simulate real-world systems with built-in vulnerabilities, so you can experiment without hurting anyone.
Here are some of the best and most beginner-friendly platforms to practice Ethical Hacking :
- TryHackMe :
TryHackMe is a fantastic online platform offering guided, hands-on cybersecurity labs for all levels from beginner to advanced. It teaches you through structured rooms, interactive tutorials and real-world hacking scenarios. It’s perfect for learning at your own pace and growing your hacking skills one step at a time.
- Hack The Box (HTB)
Hack The Box is another very popular platform among aspiring Ethical Hackers and professionals. It features virtual machines with realistic setups and hidden vulnerabilities. You connect to a private lab environment and try to “own” the machines by exploiting weaknesses just like a real penetration tester would do.
- Metasploitable
Metasploitable is a purposely vulnerable virtual machine created by the developers of the Metasploit framework. It is a great tool to practice common attacks like port scanning, privilege escalation or remote code execution in a safe, offline environment. You can run it on your computer using virtualization tools like VirtualBox or VMware.
5.3 Join the Community
Cybersecurity is a fast-moving world and being part of a supportive community can make all the difference in your Ethical Hacking journey. Surrounding yourself with people who share your passion will help you stay motivated, keep up with the latest tools and trends and accelerate your learning. Start by following cybersecurity experts and Ethical Hackers on platforms like Twitter (now X), LinkedIn and YouTube. Many of them regularly share tips, resources and insights from the field. You should also join active online forums and consider hopping into Discord communities where learners and professionals help each other out. Do not forget about security conferences, whether local or online these events are great for networking, practicing your skills and gaining hands-on experience in real-world scenarios.
And the best, join the networkseclearners community if it is still not the case by subscribing to the Newsletter. On this Website, you will learn everything necessary to become a great Ethical Hacker. 🙏😎
5.4 Prepare a Certification in Ethical Hacking
Getting certified is one of the best ways to prove your knowledge and stand out to employers in the cybersecurity industry. Certifications show that you not only understand the tools and techniques used in Ethical Hacking but also the Ethical and legal responsibilities that come with the job. They add credibility to your resume and open doors to better job opportunities. If you are just getting started, consider entry-level certifications like CompTIA Security+ which covers the basics of cybersecurity or eJPT (eLearnSecurity Junior Penetration Tester), a hands-on and beginner-friendly option. As you gain more confidence, you can aim for more advanced certifications like the CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) by EC-Council which is widely recognized and covers a broad range of Ethical Hacking topics. The CompTIA PenTest+ is also a great intermediate certification that focuses specifically on Penetration Testing and vulnerability assessments. For those seeking a real challenge, the OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) is a highly respected and practical certification that proves your ability to break into systems legally and ethically. Whichever path you choose, certifications will help you demonstrate your skills and show that you take Ethical Hacking seriously.
CONCLUSION
Congratulations dear NetworkSecLearners, you have just completed your first big step into the world of Ethical Hacking! 🎉 We have indeed explored what Ethical Hacking is, met the different types of hackers, learned from real-world stories, discovered essential tools and walked through how to begin your own journey from technical skills to certifications. It is clear now that Ethical Hackers are the good guys helping defend our digital world from cyber threats.
But don’t stop here because the journey is just beginning and there is so much more to learn and explore. The next logical step? Start practicing! And the good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get started. In our next article, we will introduce you to the best free platforms where you can learn and practice Ethical Hacking legally and safely. Whether you are a complete beginner or already know the basics, these platforms will help you sharpen your skills in real-world conditions.
If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends, colleagues or anyone who might be interested in cybersecurity. And don’t forget to leave a comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts, questions or your own experience in getting started as an Ethical Hacker.
Until then, keep learning, stay Ethical and remember that with great hacking power comes great responsibility. 😉 Thank you for reading and see you in the next article! 🙏