Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethical Hacking

Hacking is a rapidly spreading global phenomena. Hackers are individuals with technical capabilities that modify data to gain control of networks to breach and steal sensitive information. But, once again, not all hackers are evil. As technology evolves, they open the gates for enormous opportunities, and along with opportunities comes the risk. In this article, we will discuss the ethical hacking advantages and disadvantages. It will also help you make an informed decision in case you are contemplating enrolling in a CEH certification course or cyber security training.

However, before delving into the ethical hacking advantages and disadvantages, let us first understand some of the fundamental aspects of ethical hacking. 

Ethical Hacking: An Overview

The phrase "ethical hacking" refers to ethical hackers' way of breaking into a system with prior permission to identify vulnerabilities so that they can be patched before a person with malevolent intent performs some forbidden task. These individuals work for a cybersecurity firm. Many companies engage them to carry out hacking operations. In a business, ethical hacking aims to safeguard systems against intruders, ensure firm data privacy, and eliminate any potential threats. 

What is the Goal Of Hacking?

Even though ethical hacking advantages and disadvantages form an indispensable part of the process, such type of hacking has its own set of goals and objectives. Hacking could be carried out for many different reasons, both beneficial and harmful. The possible reasons why people engage in hacking activities like just for fun, Show-off, Obtaining vital information, Putting the system at risk, obstructing privacy, and Extortion of funds.

Hacker Type

Ethical hacking is a technique used to protect a system or data from being hacked. The fundamental goal of hacking and cyber-attacks leaves some room for user prevention. 

• White Hat Hacker 

White Hats are typically software developers who hack for good purposes while adhering to business and organizational norms. It's a slang term for an ethical hacker. 

• Black Hat Hacker 

Black Hats purposefully misuse data with no apparent goal or purpose other than to cause havoc. To protect against Black Hat hackers, improved cybersecurity is a must. 

• Gray Hat Hacker 

Gray Hat Hacker: A black and white hat hackers hybrid. They generally hack for fun, and while they may breach rules in the process, they do it without malice or the aim of harming people or causing system damage. 

How Ethical Hacking Is Performed ?

Ethical hacking is a skill to access critical information by breaking the computer network through the entry or exit points of the network. It involves systematic procedure. In the ethical hacking method, ethical hackers commonly follow a six-step procedure. 

• Reconnaissance 

This is the main stage where the Hacker attempts to obtain information about the target. It entails identifying the target and determining the target's IP address range, DNS records, and network. 

• Scanning

At this point, the hacker begins to test an objective computer or organization for vulnerabilities that can be exploited. It includes tools such as dialers, network mappers, sweepers, port scanners, and weakness scanners to inspect data. 

• Gaining Access

In this stage, the hacker uses information obtained through surveillance and checking to plan the framework of the objective's organization. The hacker has finished identifying and checking the organization and has concluded that they have a few options for gaining access to it. 

• Maintaining Access

This is the interaction after a hacker has successfully gained access to a system. By gaining access, the hacker creates a few alternative entrances into the framework that he can use in the future if he requires access to the seized framework. In this cycle, Metasploit is the most popular tool. 

• Reporting

The final step in the ethical hacking process is reporting. In this section, the Ethical Hacker compiles a report detailing his findings and work, including the instruments used, flaws discovered, success rate, and project metrics. 

A coin always has two sides to it. Educating a person on the ins and outs of hacking to prevent him from using his expertise maliciously can always be beneficial. Still, it also risks teaching the same skills to help a hacker hack with the wrong intent. 

System technology keeps developing and changing throughout time, advancing to a more elevated level. Operating frameworks must adapt to changes in the systems and keep up with them. Hacking must be approached and taught in the context of an ethical principle. Those who wish to educate themselves can do so through alternative methods of learning that do not necessarily fall under the category of moral or immoral. 

The ethical hacking advantages and disadvantages can be understood as follows. 

Know more about different phases of ethical hacking. 

Ethical Hacking's Benefits

The following are some of the advantages of ethical hacking. 

• This plays a key role in the battle against cyber terrorism and national security breaches. 
• It helps in preventing possible hacker attacks. 
• This supports the development of a system that is resistant to hacker intrusion. 
• Banking and financial institutions will be much safer due to proper ethical hacking measures. 
• It supports detecting and closing security flaws in a computer system or network. 

Ethical hacking is equally critical in securing vital information to prevent terrorist attacks or national security breaches. It may also aid in the reduction of crime rates. Military organizations safeguard their assets since they have spent time and money developing weapons and putting together an effective arsenal that works on software. Surveillance systems are used to manage air control, and if they are compromised, a lot could be jeopardized. 

Ethical Hacking's Disadvantages

While the goal of hiring ethical hackers is to safeguard your company from cyber-attacks, you should be aware that there are hazards involved. Here the following are the Ethical hacking's disadvantages: 

• It has the possible capacity to corrupt an organization's files or data. 
• They might use the critical information they've gathered for nefarious purposes. As a consequence, dependable programmers are required to succeed in this particular framework. 
• The company's costs will rise as a result of engaging such individuals. 
• This method may jeopardize someone's privacy. 
• This system is unconstitutional. 

SMEs And Applying Ethical Hacking

Ethical Hacking and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises are under pressure to implement proper security precautions. Businesses are constantly vulnerable to high-level cyber and system attacks because of the vast amount of data generated and stored in their systems. Since there are no preventive measures in place, confidential information is constantly leaked within enterprises. 

Hacking, on the other hand, can be utilized wisely or disastrously. Grey Hat hackers look for security breaches within organizations for the good of society, believing that this is far more important than the importance of customers. SMEs are smaller businesses, and enforcing stringent security measures to prevent attacks would be prohibitively expensive for them. Ethical hacking is expensive, and some ethical hackers contradict their ethics by charging high fees for their services to a corporation. 

It is impossible to avoid or dismiss the company's hacking knowledge requirement. As a result, smaller businesses and organizations must seek out alternate but effective ways to safeguard their data and systems against potential attacks. Accessing open free web tools for penetration testing is a simple and cost-effective way for SMEs to protect personal data and information. All data must be preserved on external infrastructures in this situation. 

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Wrapping Up 

The ethical hacking advantages and disadvantages lay a significant impact on the way tasks are performed and their end-results. To guarantee that an organization's security is effective, it should be tested regularly. As businesses and organizations work and grow in a complex environment handling security, rules, guidelines, technology, and sophisticated communications as well as operations, the system must be handled and examined holistically. Ethical hacking solutions should be carefully evaluated and deployed to prevent jeopardizing an organization's integrity. Check out the Knowledgehut CEH certification course.