Job Opportunities, Trends and Requirements in Ethical Hacking [2024 Edition]
The question of what a career in ethical hacking will be has been around for a long time, and today, we will look into the latest job opportunities, trends, and requirements. Ethical hacking career is the career choice many engineers seek not only for challenging jobs but also for the role of an ethical hacker who plays well and never gets bored.
This might put you in the situation of wondering if I should get certification in ethical hacking. But go for it because not only does it help you in your job, but it helps you to level up your skills and knowledge.
First, understand what ethical hacking is.
Any machine or digital system is vulnerable to attack or intrusion; most might have a more advanced security system, while others might not. Here is where Ethical Hacking plays an essential role.
It’s all about preventing unwanted access, thefts, and attacks. It’s legitimate to get access to the business’s network and systems to detect potential threats before hackers exploit them.
Ethical hacking is essential in larger businesses such as MNCs and the banking sector, where consumer and company data must be safeguarded. Hence, businesses use ethical hacking to keep their consumers and details safe.
Job Opportunities in Ethical Hacking
In today’s Information Technology sector, there is a rapidly increasing requirement for ethical hackers because of the cloud tech solutions, which also pose a growing threat to data privacy.
· Security Engineer: It assesses existing IT systems and infrastructures for flaws before implementing IT security measures to sidestep unauthorized access, data change, or theft.
· Penetration Tester: This job requires hacking into the computer or looking for vulnerabilities in different computer applications. The major roles of penetration testers are planning, developing penetrative tests, collaborating with other employees to improve business security, etc.
· Ethical Hacker: Due to the rise in cyber risks, governments and businesses are continuously looking for Ethical Hackers who can assist them in defending their businesses from cyber threats and incidents.
· Network Security Analyst: The development, management, and connection of corporate WAN, LAN, and other server architecture are handled through network security analysts.
· Network Administrator: The network security administrator generates the network security protocols and conducts checks only to ensure they are executed properly.
Skills Requirements for Ethical Hacking Job Role
Suppose you are willing to start your career in ethical hacking. In that case, you must have skills and knowledge in networking, programming, databases, and operating systems, both UNIX/Linux bases and Windows-based. You need to understand its protocols.
You must be aware of cyberattacks involving phishing, social engineering, trojans, insider attacks, identity thefts, etc. You need to know how to undertake appropriate evasion techniques and countermeasures.
Along with this, you need to have a strong knowledge of the essentials of the IT sector. You must also learn languages such as HTML, JavaScript, SQL, Python, C, and C++.
Trends in Ethical Hacking
· AI-Driven Ethical Hacking: AI is composed to revolutionize ethical hacking. AI-driven tools and algorithms can improve the speed and accuracy of vulnerability assessments, threat detection, and automated penetration testing.
· Quantum Computing Challenges: The advent of quantum computing poses different opportunities and challenges for ethical hacking. Ethical hackers are exploring ways to secure systems despite potential quantum threats and emerging quantum-resistant cryptographic procedures.
· Blockchain Security Assessments: As blockchain technology grows and gains traction, ethical hackers concentrate on security assessments for blockchain-based systems. It involves the evaluation of smart contracts, consensus mechanisms, and overall blockchain network security.
If you keep up with the business news, you know many cyberattacks and how they evolve. Hence, it showcases the increasing need for ethical hackers. In 2024, you can expect competitive salaries for ethical hackers based on their experience level.
Final Thoughts
If you want to work in ethical hacking, you will need the experience and expertise to think of an attacker. Certification will help you here, but having prior experience is also considered. Here, you will get a glimpse of trends in ethical hacking, job opportunities, and what skills you need to improve.
