Contents:
1. What is hacking?
2. What is Ethical hacking?
3. History of Hacking
4. Types of hackers
5. Hacking methods
6. What do Ethical hackers do?
7. Ethical hacking process
8. The pros of ethical hacking
9. The cons of ethical hacking
1. What is hacking?
The simple definition of hacking is the unconventional way of using system which we are not supposed to use. It means hacking is to expand the capabilities of any electronic device to use them beyond the original intentions of the manufacturer.
Computer hacking is the most popular form of hacking nowadays, especially in the field of computer security, but hacking exists in many other forms, such as phone hacking, brain hacking, etc. and it's not limited to either of them.
2. What is ethical hacking?
The work of ethical hacking is still considered hacking because it uses knowledge of computer systems in an attempt to in some way penetrate them or crash them. This work is ethical because it is performed to increase the safety of the computer systems.
3. History of hacking
As a matter of fact, the first hackers appeared in the 1960's at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and their first victims were electric trains. They wanted them to perform faster and more efficiently. So, is hacking always bad? Not really. It only depends on how to use it.
During the 1970's, a different kind of hacker appeared: the perhaps or phone hackers. They learned ways to hack the telephonic system and make phone calls for free. John Draper, built a blue box that could do this and the Esquire magazine published an article on how to build them. Fascinated by this discovery, two kids, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, decided to sell these blue boxes, starting a business friendship which resulted in the founding of Apple.
By the 1980's, phreaks started to migrate to computers, and the first Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) appeared. BBS are like the yahoo groups of today, were people posted messages of any kind of topics. The BBS used by hackers specialized in tips on how to break into computers, how to use stolen credit card numbers and share stolen computer passwords.
During the 1990's, when the use of the internet widespread around the world, hackers multiplied, but it wasn't until the end of the decade that system's security became mainstream among the public.
Today, we are accustomed to hackers, crackers, viruses, Trojans, worms and all of the techniques we need to follow to combat them.
4. Types of hackers
White hat hackers:
Also referred as Ethical Hacker or sometimes called as Sneakers. A White Hat Hacker mainly focuses on securing corporate Network from outsider threat. They are with good intention who fight against Black Hat.
Black hat hackers:
Also referred as Cracker. A Black Hat Hacker's intention is to break into others Network, and wish to secure his own machine. They often uses different techniques for breaking into systems which can involve advanced programming skills and social engineering.
Grey hat hackers:
They are Skilled Hacker who sometimes act legally and sometime not. In simple word you may call a Grey Hat hacker as Hybrid between White Hat and Black Hat hacker
5. Hacking methods
Phishing Method
Phishing is the method that you are familiar with. You create a Fake Account and ID in yahoo and fool your friends by telling them to send the victim's ID, their own ID and their own Password in your Fake Yahoo Account.
Brute Force Hack
Brute Force Hack is a Hacking which takes much time to get Password of the Victim and it needs a Hacker to learn about Java Scripts and all the non-sense.
Fake Login Hack
Fake Login Hack is the Hacking used by most of you for your goal by creating a Fake Login Page and telling your friends to login there and the Password would come to you. Cookie Steal Hack- Cookie Steal Hack is somewhat similar to Fake Login Hack as you prepare a Cookie Stealer and tell your friends to open your Cookie so that his Password would come to you.
Web Mail Hack
Web Mail Hack is the toughest method to learn for Hacking as it also needs a Hacker to learn about Java Scripts, Computer Tricks and much more and there is also a software for this type of hack.
6. What do ethical hackers do?
An ethical hacker's evaluation of a system's security seeks answers to three basic questions:
· What can an intruder see on the target systems?
· What can an intruder do with that information?
· Does anyone at the target notice the intruder's attempts or successes?
While the first and second of these are clearly important, the third is even more important: If the owners or operators of the target systems do not notice when someone is trying to break in, the intruders can, and will, spend weeks or months trying and will usually eventually succeed.
7. Ethical hacking process
Ethical hacking process involves as follows
ü Preparation.
ü Foot printing.
ü Enumeration and fingerprinting.
ü Identification of vulnerabilities.
ü Attack-exploit the vulnerabilities.
8. The pros of ethical hacking
1. It enables you to find out the problem: Ethical hacking enables you to get beyond the numbers. By this I mean, you can truly figure out what is going wrong, if at all. Are there any breaches in your network? Can a hacker get through them? Which breach is the one that should be seen to and rectified first. Ethical hacking, if done correctly can answer all these questions and more.
2. Helps you build up a risk management program: Ethical hacking is becoming popular because it can help people to set up a proper and informative risk management program. Once you or your company conducts such tests you can make more informed decisions about what changes you need to make in technology. You need to think of ethical hacking in terms of it being a security tool. Test the most crucial systems first such as database or email servers etc.
3. Helps you to think like the enemy: This is probably one of the biggest advantages ethical hacking has to offer. It helps you to think and try and figure out.
9. The cons of ethical hacking
1. It provides only a snapshot of what is happening: This is one of the biggest disadvantages that ethical hacking has. Ethical hacking provides only a snapshot of your company’s security. You may hire a hacker to find out potential threats, but at the end of the day, you are not really safe from these threats. Yes, the hacker may tell you that the security you have in place will ward off new threats. However, no one can predict what these threats might be.
2. Losing data: There is always the chance of data being lost and servers crashing while hacking is being carried out. Anything can go wrong during hacking and you should be prepared for any eventuality. A system that is unstable or overloaded might crash while the testing is being carried out.
3. Being given a false sense of security: This is closely linked to the snapshot you get after ethical hacking is carried out. You may have the best hackers but they might just overlook a critical point. A rogue hacker will then definitely be able to get in and breach the system.
Conclusion
ü Testing is an essential part of any data security program.
ü An ethical hack can reduce the potential exposure of the company to criminal hackers.
ü “It takes a Thief to Catch a Thief”.
ü The periodic ethical hacking and review exercise would enhance the security and mitigate possible loopholes being exploited.
Reference:
Wisegeek.com
Whatisthehacking.com
Wikipedia.com
No comments:
Post a Comment