What is an Ethical Hacker?
According to Wikipedia’s definition of ethical hacking(white hat hacking), it is a term for a broader category than penetration testing. With the consent of the owner, white hat hacking aims to identify possible vulnerabilities in current systems. A whitehat is opposed to a black hat, which refers to a malicious hacker; this definitional dichotomy comes from Western movies, where traditionally the hero and the rival cowboy could wear white and black hats respectively. There is a third type of hacker, called a “grey hat”, who has good intentions but sometimes hacks without permission.
Unlike black or gray hat hackers, white hat hackers fully disclose any vulnerabilities they find to the company or product owner, who are responsible for fixing those flaws so they can be addressed before they can be exploited by malicious hackers.
White hat hacking tactics and skills include:
Social engineering
White hat hackers often use social engineering (“human hacking”) to discover weaknesses in an organization’s “human” defenses. Social engineering is about tricking and manipulating victims to do things they shouldn’t (make wire transfers, share login credentials, etc.).
Penetration testing
Penetration testing is designed to discover vulnerabilities and weaknesses in an organization’s defenses and endpoints so that they can be corrected.
Scouting and Research
This involves researching organizations to discover vulnerabilities in physical and IT infrastructure. The goal is to get enough information to find ways to legally bypass security controls and mechanisms without compromising or breaking anything.
Programming
White hat hackers create honeypots as bait to lure cybercriminals into distraction or help white hats gain valuable information about attackers.
Use a variety of digital and physical tools
This includes hardware and devices that allow penetration testers to install bots and other malware and gain access to networks or servers.
For some white hat hackers, the process is gamified in the form of bug bounty programs, which are competitions that reward hackers with cash for reporting bugs. There are even training courses, events, and certifications dedicated to ethical hacking.
Ways to protect yourself from hackers:
Use unique and complex passwords
Unique passwords are not easy to guess and ideally consist of upper and lower case letters, special characters and numbers. People often keep passwords the same for years, which makes them less secure. By cracking the password, hackers are one step closer to gaining access to the data. Avoid writing passwords down on paper and don’t share them with others. Password manager tools are an excellent way to manage passwords.
Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails
They could be part of a phishing scam trying to get your passwords, credit card numbers, bank account details, etc. Clicking on these links may download malware onto your device.
Disable and manage third-party permissions
On mobile phones, third-party apps that users download to their devices can turn on certain permissions without notifying the gadget’s owner. So location services, automatic uploads, data backup, and even public display of personal phone numbers are permissions set to green at install time. Managing these settings and starting permissions, especially those connecting to the cloud, is critical in protecting your data from hackers.
Install trusted internet security software on all devices
Internet security software like Kaspersky Internet Security blocks viruses and malware in real-time and prevents hackers from taking over your PC remotely. So no matter what device you use to access the internet, you and your family will always be protected.
Use a secure website
Use a shopping site with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. To check if a website has this feature installed, look at the URL, it should start with “HTTPS://” instead of “HTTP://”. The “S” stands for “safe”. There’s also a lock icon nearby, where it appears depending on your browser. Try to avoid saving payment information on shopping sites, if fraudsters hack the site, they will get your information.
Disable autofill option
It’s a time-saving feature, but if it’s convenient for you, it’s also convenient for hackers. All autocomplete information must be kept somewhere, such as the browser’s profile folder. This is the first place hackers go to find your name, address, phone number, and all the other information they need to steal your identity or gain access to your account.
Enable two-factor authentication
This adds a layer of security to the login process. When setting it up, you’ll still need to enter a username and password, but you’ll also have to verify your identity with a second authentication factor — usually a PIN sent to your phone. This means that an identity thief needs to know your login details and have your phone, which is unlikely.
Choose your apps wisely
Only download apps from trusted sources such as the Apple App Store or Google Play. Make sure to update your software and apps regularly, and get rid of old apps you don’t use.
Track or wipe
If your mobile device is stolen or lost, make sure your data is safe. You can install software that can wipe your phone’s information if you lose it. You can also set the device to lock itself after a preset number of failed login attempts.
About DeHacker
DeHacker is a team of auditors and white hat hackers who perform security audits and assessments. With decades of experience in security and distributed systems, our experts focus on the ins and outs of system security. Our services follow clear and prudent industry standards. Whether it’s reviewing the smallest modifications or a new platform, we’ll provide an in-depth security survey at every stage of your company’s project. We provide comprehensive vulnerability reports and identify structural inefficiencies in smart contract code, combining high-end security research with a real-world attacker mindset to reduce risk and harden code.
