The ethical hacking, is a practice of attacking an IT system in a legal and ethical way. The purpose is to discover and correct any vulnerabilities before hackers exploit them.
Ethical hackers are IT professionals with specialised knowledge and skills, who work under the permission of the organisation wishing to test the security of its system. These professionals use the same techniques and tools as hackers, but with the aim of improving security rather than damaging information systems.
Read about: Tips of an ethical hacker to protect yourself from hackers
Ethical hacking, also known as penetration testing, is a technique that incorporates attacks on digital systems with the consent of their owners. Ethical hackers apply the same methods and tools as true malicious hackers, but with the aim - as stated above - of discovering and fixing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
How does ethical hacking protect against cybercrime?
Through the technique of ethical hacking, businesses and organisations strengthen their security against cyber attacks, avoiding the leakage, loss or destruction of their data. Ethical hacking offers IT professionals valuable knowledge, preparing them to deal with cyber attacks and understand the methods of hackers.
It is therefore essential to ensure a safer online environment, as it contributes to the development of effective IT security strategies and standards.
Advantages and disadvantages of Ethical Hacking
Ethical hacking comes with certain obstacles. Firstly, finding individuals with both the necessary technical skills and the necessary ethics to join ethical hackers is a major difficulty. Secondly, there is the constant threat that information obtained through ethical hacking may accidentally end up in the wrong hands.
Investing in the recruitment and training of experts in cybersecurity (ethical hackers), and in upgrading security systems is important but expensive. Despite the significantly high cost, the majority of companies perceive this investment as fully justified, considering the high economic impact that can result from a security breach.
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However, ethical hacking also offers significant benefits. Firstly, it empowers businesses by detecting potential weaknesses in their systems before they become targets of hacker attacks, and it also increases customer confidence by demonstrating that the business is taking serious care of the protection of their personal data.
