Cybersecurity and ethical hacking are essential in today’s digitally connected business world. As more businesses go online, cybercrime is becoming a serious problem. Cybercrime would be compared to a nation, ranking it third in terms of economic power after China and the United States.
Cybercrime costs worldwide are expected to rise by 15% annually, reaching $10.5 trillion in 2025. This is an increase of $3 trillion from 2015. This is the largest transfer of economic wealth ever made, and it puts innovation and investment incentives in jeopardy. Cybercrime is 10 times more than annual natural disaster damage across the globe, and will soon become more lucrative than all of the global illicit drug trade combined. Cyber security professionals and ethical hackers are highly sought after.
An authorized attempt to gain illegal access to a computer system or software is known as an ethical hack. Ethical hacking is the imitation of malicious attackers’ activities and methods. This method aids in the detection and treatment of security vulnerabilities that can be fixed before malicious hackers exploit them.
White hats are cybersecurity professionals who engage in ethical hacking. They play an important role in improving security in organizations by performing preventative activities. Ethical hacking is designed to improve the security of a computer network rather than cause harm. It is done with permission from the asset owner or organization.
An ethical hacker, in simple terms, is someone who uses the same tools and skills as malicious hackers without having any harmful intentions. Ethical hacking is essential because it allows organizations to spot potential threats before they become a problem.
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This guide will discuss the certification of an ethical hacker (CEH), and what that means. We will also discuss how to become certified ethical hacker, the job duties of CEH certified professionals, and the range of salaries for these IT specialists.
What are the Essentials of Ethical Hacking (
Let’s first define some terms before we begin.
- Black Hat Hacker Malicious hackers who illegally gain access to computers and networks in order to profit or for personal gain are called unethical hackers, security crackers or security thieves. This kind of hacking is prohibited by law.
- White Hat Hacker – These computer security experts work within the legal framework to assess a system’s security, and use similar methods to black hat hackers.
- Grey Hat Hacker Hackers who hack into computers without authorization but don’t exploit or steal. These hackers inform the system administrator of security holes in most cases. Sometimes, this type of hacking can be legal and sometimes illegal.
Many essential protocols must be adhered to when ethical hacking (white hat), is being done. These elements include:
- Remaining within the Legal Bounds – Before performing their vulnerability assessment and cyber security procedure, ethical hackers must obtain approval. To ensure that their system security testing is within the legal boundaries and those established by an organization, ethical hackers must define the scope of the work.
- Reporting Existing security vulnerabilities – Any flaws discovered during the security assessment must be reported immediately to the company by a white hat hacker. These hackers should also give repair instructions.
- Data Sensitivity – Ethical hackers might be asked to sign confidentiality agreements and other restrictions based on the investigation firm.
Ethical Hacking
Anyone who wants to be ethical hackers needs to have a good understanding of ethical hacking standards. They will also need to have the right certifications that are part of an ethical hacking security package. These certifications include being a Certified Ethical Hacker, Advanced Penetration Testing Specialist or EC-Council Licensed Security Analyst.
This certification process is not for everyone. It is a great way to improve your skills and get a job with an organization that uses ethical hacking methods.
This job requires a solid knowledge of ethical hacking principles, minimal education requirements, completion of the required training and certification courses in ethical hacking, and job experience. This requires a deep understanding of IT and computer technologies. These are the skills required to be an ethical hacker.
Technical Skills
- Cybersecurity Concepts & Technologies
- Cloud computing
- Web Application
- Scripting
- Advanced TCP/IP
- Wireshark and Tcpdump
- Virtualization
- Database skills
- Digital Forensics
- Networking skills
- Cryptography
- Kali Linux Operating System Skills
- Wireless network technologies
Soft Skills
- Problem solving skills
- Communication skills
- Analytical skills
- Persistence
- Creativity
- Patience
Why ethical hacking is important
White hat hacking has become a necessity as businesses go digital. Ethical hackers must behave as dangerous hackers to uncover vulnerabilities that could help the company’s growth.
White-hat hackers may expect to be well paid and have good employment prospects in the future. Cyber security professionals have additional incentives to study this discipline. Here are some of these benefits:
- Understanding the Malicious Hacker’s Way of Thinking – To become a cyber security expert you need to understand the tactics and strategies of your opponent. If someone is knowledgeable about this topic, they can protect an organization’s network security and its most important assets from theft. This goes beyond security. This is a must-have tool for network specialists. They need to find and fix any weaknesses that malicious hackers might use to gain access to an organization’s network. Due to data breaches and cyber attacks becoming more frequent, ethical hacking has grown in scope.
- Software Quality Assurance Skills – A quality assurance tester and an ethical hacker have many things in common. White hats can validate many software functions under different conditions, even though security testing isn’t something that’s done often. They can be useful in performing a practical security test, as they can provide valuable information to ensure that the software’s security meets industry standards. This helps in the creation of tools to detect and eliminate well-known vulnerabilities. Code authors can create error-free code and then check their programs for any coding errors.
- Understanding Regulation Compliance – Organizations should increase their security standards to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), and other similar regulations. Ethical hacking is attractive for those who are not familiar with the software or network of a company. It allows them to identify and protect their networks and software. Staff responsible for strategic planning and administration should be familiar with common attacks. They can use this knowledge to help develop risk-management policies.
- A Career-Advancing Chance. Employers recognize and value individuals who prove their worth on a regular basis. Entry-level candidates don’t have a good grasp of the field. White hat hacking can be beneficial for both entry-level and long-term staff, in terms of career progression and advancement. This is a great addition to anyone who wants to work in software or IT. This would be a rare talent. This knowledge will allow the student to develop the right attitude, tools, strategies, and methods for cybersecurity. They will learn about best practices in the industry that can help them reduce risks.
What are the Average Salary and Job Opportunities for Ethical Hacking?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Information Security Analyst’s Outlook, cybersecurity ranks among the fastest-growing jobs in the country. BLS predicts that information security analyst demand will rise by 33% by 2030. This is far more than the average growth in employment. Information security analysts earn about $103,590 annually ($49.80 an hour).
Is ethical hacking in high demand?
There will be more than 3.5 millions cybersecurity job opportunities around the world between 2021 and 2025. The best way to get into the field is to learn ethical hacking. By demonstrating competence, knowledge and distinction, certifications are a great way to stand out from other applicants at entry-level.
The EC Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker certification is a prerequisite to many cybersecurity jobs. The CEH certified professional must have a good understanding of the tools and tactics used by hackers and penetration testers. They also need to know the steps that must be taken.
Ethical Hacker Salary Expectations
The job will determine the typical salary for a CEH. Because the CEH credential is applicable to many security activities within many organizations, the expected earnings may vary. Candidates who have this accreditation can be eligible for better-paying jobs, or more money in their current position, provided they meet the requirements.
According To Indeed, these are the average salaries for cybersecurity professionals working in occupations that require or frequently require CEH certification.
- IT Security Specialist – $50,513 per annum
- Penetration Tester: $111,303 per annum
- Security Engineer -$102 836 per annum
- Information Security Analyst -$82 989 per annum
- Security Officer -$49.904 per annum
- Senior Information Security Analyst -$115 718 per annum
- Network Security Engineer – $115,407 per annum
- Cloud Engineer – $118.152 per annum
- Application Security Engineer -$111.832 per annum
Learn Your Way To Ethical Hacking
If you are looking to become an ethical hacker, patience is a key quality. While you can’t expect to make a living and get high-ranking, there is still potential. While no one can be an ethical hacker overnight , the path to becoming one requires constant growth and significant returns on investments.
The First Foot Forward
An ethical hacker’s first step is to complete a computer science education. However, two separate tests are required to pass the CompTIA certification. These tests test the person’s ability to deconstruct and reassemble PCs and their knowledge of computer components.
You must have at most 500 hours of experience in professional computing to be eligible for this credential. You can expect to earn an average annual salary of $44,000 at this stage of your career. Before you can advance in your career, you must first acquire expertise and a Network+/CCNA certificate.
Network+ certifies fundamental network knowledge. This certification validates your ability to manage and troubleshoot.
Network Support & Engineering
Once you have completed your training, your next step in your career is networking support. You’ll be responsible for tasks such as monitoring, updating and deploying cybersecurity software. This course will teach you about network security and help you to become a network engineer.
After working in network support for some time, you might expect to earn between $60,000 and $65,000 per year. From now on, you’ll be planning and building networks instead of just keeping them up. Security should be the focus of your ethical hacker approach.
You can work on security certifications like Security+, CISSP and TICSA now or never. The Security+ accreditation is recognized by the US Department of Defense. It covers access control, identity management and cryptography.
Onto Information Security
This is an important step on your journey to become an ethical hacker, as you will be handling information security for the very first time. Information security analysts spend their careers performing penetration testing and trying out new security measures. Focus on penetration testing to gain hands-on experience using some of the available ethical hacking tools.
At this stage in your career, it would be a good idea to seek a Certified Ethical Hacker certificate (CEH). This guide will teach you everything you need to be a great ethical hacker.
Details of the CEH Exam
There are 125 multiple-choice question total for the CEH certification exam. 75 percent is the pass mark in the CEH exam. There are many examination forms offered by the EC-Council, each designed to certify a different category. An exam form is a set of questions that has been used as a test. Each question is rated by the EC-Council to provide knowledge comparisons.
Each exam form or bank of questions has a passing score that ranges between 60% and 85%. The difficulty level for each question bank is different, which affects the passing score. Examiners will cover scanning techniques, hacking techniques, port scan types, as well as expected return answers. It is beneficial to test-takers to be able use programs such as Nmap, Wireshark and Snort.
At least 18 years old is required for the applicant. The applicant must be at least 18 years old to take part in the training course and the exam. A letter from the institution of higher education that is accredited nationally will be required to verify this.
The exam will be proctored at a physical testing centre by certified staff. You can take the EC-Council certification exam at any of several Pearson VUE testing centers.
The $100 application fee for the EC Council Professional Certified Wireless Engineer certification exam must be paid. After receiving all information, the approval process can take between five and ten days. After their application has been approved, a candidate must purchase an exam voucher at the EC-Council Online Store. An exam voucher from the EC-Councilstore costs $1,199.
Practitioners must have 120 credits in Continuing Professional Education (CPE), within the three-year period to maintain their CEH accreditation. These credits can be earned by many means, including attending conferences and writing research papers. They can also be used to give training sessions in related fields. CPE credit can generally be earned for several hundred dollars per year.
Conclusion
This certification is a great option for professionals as it can be used to show that you are able to think like an opponent. Although it is often just another step towards “top of industry”, it is an important one that should not be ignored.
The CEH credential certifies that a cybersecurity specialist is more than just following established procedures. They are capable of devising innovative ways to keep one step ahead.
You must pass a rigorous examination to earn the certification. To keep your certification valid, you will need to take continuing education credits every three year. These milestones will give you the skills you need to become an ethical hacker.
Because it is a certification that shows you have exceptional network security skills and penetration testing skills, the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), is one of today’s most sought-after cybersecurity qualifications.