Ethical hacking, also known as penetration testing or white hat hacking, involves intentionally probing computer systems, networks, and applications to find and fix security vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. Ethical hackers use the same tools and techniques as their malicious counterparts, but they operate with permission and within legal boundaries to improve security.
Key Aspects of Ethical Hacking
- Authorization and Legality:
- Ethical hackers always have explicit permission from the system owner before conducting any tests.
- They operate within the legal framework and follow organizational policies.
- Objectives:
- Identify security weaknesses in systems, networks, and applications.
- Assess the potential impact of vulnerabilities being exploited.
- Provide recommendations for improving security measures.
- Techniques and Tools:
- Reconnaissance: Gathering information about the target using both passive and active methods.
- Scanning and Enumeration: Identifying open ports, services, and potential entry points.
- Exploitation: Attempting to gain unauthorized access using vulnerabilities found during scanning.
- Post-exploitation: Assessing the impact of a breach, including data access and system control.
- Reporting: Documenting findings, and potential impacts, and providing remediation recommendations.
