If you want to stop
Malicious hackers from invading your network, first you've got to
invade their minds.
Computers
around the world are systematically being victimized by rampant
hacking. This hacking is not only widespread, but is being executed so
flawlessly that the attackers compromise a system, steal everything of
value and completely erase their tracks within 20 minutes.
The
goal of the ethical hacker is to help the organization take preemptive
measures against malicious attacks by attacking the system himself; all
the while staying within legal limits. This philosophy stems from the
proven practice of trying to catch a thief, by thinking like a thief.
As technology advances and organization depend on technology
increasingly, information assets have evolved into critical components
of survival.
If
hacking involves creativity and thinking 'out-of-the-box', then
vulnerability testing and security audits will not ensure the security
proofing of an organization. To ensure that organizations have
adequately protected their information assets, they must adopt the
approach of 'defense in depth'. In other words, they must penetrate
their networks and assess the security posture for vulnerabilities and
exposure.
The
definition of an Ethical Hacker is very similar to a Penetration
Tester. The Ethical Hacker is an individual who is usually employed
with the organization and who can be trusted to undertake an attempt to
penetrate networks and/or computer systems using the same methods as a
Hacker. Hacking is a felony in the United States and most other
countries. When it is done by request and under a contract between an
Ethical Hacker and an organization, it is legal. The most important
point is that an Ethical Hacker has authorization to probe the target.
An
Ethical Hacker is a skilled professional who understands and knows how
to look for the weaknesses and vulnerabilities in target systems and
uses the same knowledge and tools as a malicious hacker.