What Is an Ethical Hacker and Why Do You Need One?

Records show that almost 23 million security breaches have been reported within the first half of this year. Which is why it’s no surprise that many businesses are turning to an ethical hacker to ensure they are protected. However, you may find yourself wondering what is an ethical hacker and why do I need to hire one?

First, it’s important to know that cyber attacks are very real. They happen every day. Most importantly, you are not immune to them. In the case of your personal identity, a cyber attack can wreak havoc. However, a cyber attack on your business holds the potential to undo everything you’ve worked so hard for. Read on to learn more about ethical hackers and why they might be the vital piece your team is missing. The decision could be what saves your company from a malicious hacker attack.

What is an Ethical Hacker?

An ethical hacker is an important part of ensuring the security of your business or program. Ethical hackers are often used by businesses that involve a high volume of confidential information. This includes banks, credit unions, or other government sites. To avoid identity theft or having their system corrupted by hackers, these companies will hire ethical hackers to check for any “holes in the fence”. An ethical hacker will often do this by scanning ports in search of vulnerabilities, checking patch installations, and engaging in social engineering concepts. An ethical hacker may also look into potential employee fraud risks that may occur within the company. Ethical hackers can be hired for either long term or short term projects, and while they do have a wealth of technical information they typically don’t fall into the category of “bad-hacker-turned-good” that you may have seen in movies.

Ethical Hacker Myths

As the concept of ethical hackers becomes more mainstream, there’s no surprise that there are a number of myths that arise with the position. One myth widely believed is that ethical hackers or “white hat hackers” are not as knowledgeable as malicious or “black hat” hackers. The fact is, ethical hackers hold as much intelligence and skill as any other hackers found in the web, what matters is their experience, not their intentions. Another myth is that simply hiring an ethical hacker to perform one test is enough. Now, if you are only financially capable to commit to one test with an ethical hacker, it will be better than nothing. However, it’s important to know there’s no guarantee that your system is safe. To be sure that there is no chance of a hack occurring, an ethical hacker will have to check a number of methods over an extended period of time.

What are the Qualifications of an Ethical Hacker?

Ethical hacking is not a run of the mill IT job, which is why it comes with its own host of qualifications. The qualifications you should be looking for in an ethical hacker will really depend on the type of software you’re working with and the tests that will be performed. However, some general qualifications may include EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker certification, Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG) approval, and passing a two-level penetration test. Still, it’s important to remember that a hacker that simply comes with a vast amount of technical knowledge might be enough to keep your software safe. If you really want to be sure you’re hiring the right ethical hacker, we suggest giving them a short test that doesn’t involve access to any of your private data.

The Current State of Cyber Crime

If you’re surprised to hear that “ethical hacking” is actually a thing, don’t be. Cybercrime continues to create a vulnerable environment for those who use the web. One recent Government Security Breaches Survey shows that 74% of small organisations experienced some form of cybersecurity breach in the last year. Take into account the amount of private information transferred across the web on a daily basis, and it’s easy to see why the stakes are so high. Hackers are targeting both large and small organisations at a rapid (and often automated) rate. Larger companies that have fallen victim to hacks, like Target, have faced a massive backlash from their customers due to the invasion of privacy.

Why Do You Need One?

So why is an ethical hacker important to your company? Today it’s rare for any business of any form to not have some form of private and important information saved online. Whether it’s the social security numbers of your employees that are used for payroll or the credit card numbers of customers that trust your site is secure, there are countless ways a cyber attack can wreak havoc on your business. This is even more critical if you have developed your own software platform, such as an app or program, in which others will be entrusting you with sensitive information. It’s your legal responsibility to provide security, and the only way to truly test that your business is hacker-proof is by hiring a hacker.

What Can an Ethical Hacker do For You?

There are a number of tasks and projects that an ethical hacker can take on to help ensure the security of your company. These responsibilities may include: These tasks could take a few months, or you may choose to hire an ethical hacker as a permanent part of your team. If your company involves frequent software updates, it may be worth it to hire a full-time ethical hacker.

How Much is an Ethical Hacker?

The salary of an ethical hacker ranges on the role they are fulfilling, the project, and the sensitivity of the information. Ethical hackers can be hired almost like a freelancer on a project-by-project basis, or they may be hired as a full-time position. The salary may also change depending on whether or not the ethical hacker is hired by a government agency or an agency of defense. The average salary of an ethical hacker can range between $50,000 to $100,000 per year in the first year of employment. This will also depend on the ethical hackers experience and education. Within a few years, most ethical hackers will earn $120,000 and up annually. If this seems like a steep amount, it’s important to keep in mind the alternative. How much money could you lose in the event of a malicious hacker attack?

Is Ethical Hacking Legal?

While ethical hacking may sound like something straight out of a crime thriller, by definition it is entirely legal. In fact, since ethical hacking does no harm and actually protects, it’s not considered any threat to the legal system. In fact, you may find that you already have worked with ethical hackers in the past, just under a different name. An ethical hacker may be titled as a “security analyst“, “information security consultant” or even a “network security specialist”. In reality, “ethical hacker” is just a cool and useful way of saying the individual used skills commonly used by hackers to better protect your business.

Where to Find an Ethical Hacker?

Hiring an ethical hacker doesn’t mean having to take a trip to the dark web. There are easier (and more legal ways) to get the help you need to protect your business. But first, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you want from your ethical hacker. You’ll have to be able to communicate your expectations, so no ahead of time what you’re looking for. Be direct with specific questions to better determine what tests need to be done. You can choose to hire an ethical course hacker through an organisation or you can choose to enroll your own team members in ethical hacking courses if they show a strong proficiency in technology. Either way, you’ll want to have your potential ethical hacker complete a penetration test before investing in their services.

Keeping Your Business Secure

Knowing what an ethical hacker is is just one aspect of cybersecurity recruitment. It’s important to have every area of your business covered to ensure all information is secure. It’s also important to know that this isn’t an overnight process, in some cases, it’s better to prolong a launch than to put out an insecure product. If you want to ensure you aren’t facing any security risks with your programs, feel free to contact us today so you can begin taking the right steps to protect your business, customers, and information.