What is ethical hacking?

Ethical hacking means receiving explicit permission to attempt to bypass a company’s networks through penetration testing, SQL injection and other means. The goal is to identify vulnerabilities or weaknesses in company systems as well as ways to better defend their servers, devices and data from cyberattacks.

Ethical hacking is a valuable first step for any company looking for insight into their network security. It helps satisfy several core cybersecurity priorities, from network defense to regulation compliance. Many companies depend on regular cybersecurity tests to audit their own information security strategies.

Many companies depend on ethical hackers to secure their networks. A professional certification known as Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) trains professionals in specific methods of keeping digital property safe from cyberattacks.

Organizations that conduct regular penetration testing of their in-house computer systems will be better protected from cybercriminals. They’ll achieve higher levels of security through regular tests on system networks that identify weaknesses and how to patch them. When security breaches do occur, companies trained in ethical hacking are also better prepared to respond.

Ethical hacking occurs when companies give IT professionals permission to attempt a cyberattack as a way to test the defenses of their computer network. By contrast, malicious hacking occurs without company permission — often without any company knowledge. While a CEH is motivated to improve a company’s cybersecurity measures, malicious hackers exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain or financial reward.

While ethical hackers use a variety of techniques, they usually refrain from certain network attacks that may cause harm. Instead, a CEH attempts to breach company networks while doing as little damage to the system or users as possible. For example, they do not typically use forms of malware that can permanently damage computers or internal data.

Malicious hackers do not follow these guidelines. They are content to damage a network’s infrastructure while extracting valuable information. This means they often use aggressive malware, ransomware, phishing schemes, brute-force strategies and zero-day exploits to work their way into secure systems.

Many different professionals conduct hacking. Despite their similar skill sets, they operate with varying philosophies. Some follow white hat protocols, using their skills to help companies identify and patch system vulnerabilities. Others maliciously attack networks to access and sell the information. Still others are considered “gray hat” — alternating between malicious and ethical hacking practices.

White hat hackers use their skills for good, helping companies identify and understand where their systems could use IT improvement. They operate strictly within the law and only exploit a company’s systems with explicit permission.

Certified ethical hackers and penetration testers are synonymous with white hat hackers. Though they’ll use techniques to execute data breaches — including penetration testing, vulnerability assessments and social engineering — they don’t seek personal gain from these actions. Instead, they work to help companies fortify their networks before malicious actors can get in.

Black hat hackers deliberately operate outside of the law. They use unethical data exploitation techniques to illegally access a company’s networks, devices and data. Once inside a company’s network, they often take information hostage until a fee is paid. In other cases, they steal personal information and deliberately disrupt the network’s infrastructure.

Many black hat hackers operate in teams. They populate online forums or underground marketplaces, where they steal and sell personal data for high prices.

Sometimes gray hat hackers operate inside of the law, even sharing information on hacking techniques with companies looking to fortify network security. In other cases, they operate illegally — using illicit hacking practices or exploiting networks without permission.

Gray hat hacking blends white hat and black hat strategies. They maliciously hack systems, using newfound network access to explore data and applications. However, they may also focus on warning companies about security vulnerabilities.

Most ethical hacking takes place in five stages. Let’s break down each stage, and how hackers go about the process. 

During the reconnaissance stage, hackers gather as much information and data as possible in a particular network. Hackers also spend time auditing security and identifying potential entry points to scan in the next step.

The information hackers gather depends on the network itself. For example, ethical hackers might come across details like IP addresses, email addresses, databases or webpage links.

Using information gathered during reconnaissance, ethical hackers directly scan systems for weaknesses. This means focusing on specific areas of a network that might be particularly vulnerable to hacking attempts. It might also mean scanning specific applications connected to company networks that could serve as a viable point of entry.

Network mapping is a major priority during the scanning stage. This occurs when hackers map a network in terms of range, hosts and associated devices. This helps hackers achieve a much better understanding of a company’s network infrastructure, as well as the access permissions they might find inside.

Insight becomes action in this third stage, as ethical hackers attempt to exploit vulnerabilities they’ve identified. They might use techniques in code injection, buffer overflow or authentication bypass to gain unauthorized access to specific ports or files. Hackers might use social engineering techniques if they identify weaknesses in a company’s workforce.

Once they gain access to a network, ethical hackers attempt to widen their scope of visibility. Where malicious hackers would begin to steal information or install malware, ethical hackers only document their findings. They record specific steps that explain how they broke into the network.

After obtaining access to a network, ethical hackers work to maintain it. This stage mimics a malicious hacker’s attempts to hold a network open long enough to take control of the system. That process typically involves rootkits and malicious software that more easily enables unauthorized access to a particular system or network.

If an ethical hacker is actively working against a company’s IT team to hack a network, they often practice persistence — techniques to reestablish network access after it is cut off. They might also simulate a backdoor attack that establishes consistent network access even if the original entry point is patched. 

Many ethical hackers will further simulate a real-world attack by “covering their tracks” after the hack has concluded. This means hiding evidence that an attack took place. Hackers might modify registry values, revise log files or delete data that suggests illicit network entry.

A first step in hiding hack evidence is revising event logs. Event logs typically record major actions within a specific network, from user login times to file access. Malicious hackers may try to clear these logs to avoid raising suspicion within the organization they just hacked. Ethical hackers follow suit, attempting to erase this evidence before presenting a report to the hiring company.

Certified ethical hackers use a variety of tools to help save time when scanning networks, identifying vulnerabilities or performing actual exploits.

 Here are some of the most popular resources:

• Metasploit: An open-source tool that helps hackers introduce custom code into a network for testing and potential exploitation.
• Nmap: An open-source tool, short for Network Mapper, that helps scan systems and perform network inventory tasks before proceeding with any exploitation.
• Nessus: A remote security tool that scans devices for vulnerabilities, one port at a time. 
• Acunetix: A dynamic hacking tool that automatically scans for more than 4,500 common vulnerabilities across scanned web applications.

Ethical hackers often use a combination of tools for a single hack, depending on their objectives. Together, these tools help accomplish all five stages of an ethical hack — from reconnaissance through network exit and reporting.

Ethical hackers face a unique set of challenges each day at work, particularly in staying up to date with techniques.

It’s their job to simulate a malicious attack. To do so, they must stay updated on the latest malware, phishing and hacking trends. They also need to regularly update their tools and their own skills in cybersecurity as hacking practices evolve.

An ethical hacker can also face challenges in maintaining compliance. Unlike other professionals, they attempt to emulate illegal activities. Even as they attempt to breach a company’s networks, they can only perform activities that follow legal guidelines.

Ethical hackers need explicit permission from a company before breaching their systems. Without that permission, hackers’ actions are considered malicious — subject to criminal charges under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. 

They should follow responsible disclosure practices. This means fully revealing all security vulnerabilities after examining a company’s security. It also means allowing that company sufficient time to fix vulnerabilities before making information public.

Becoming an ethical hacker involves a combination of education and hands-on experience.

Many students begin their journey in the field of ethical hacking with a computer science, cybersecurity or technology degree. These programs teach important skills in cybersecurity, IT, data science and related subjects.

Many pursue education in cyber and network defense to reinforce skills like network analysis and risk management. You can further strengthen your knowledge with a certificate in digital forensics, learning even more about network traffic and threat reporting.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) categorizes an ethical hacker as a type of information security analyst. The average salary can vary based on several factors, like location, employer and years of experience. As of May 2023, information security analysts earned between $69,210 and $182,370, with a median wage of $120,360, according to BLS*.

Here are some of the responsibilities of an ethical hacker:

• Conducting vulnerability assessments that identify a wide range of network weaknesses.
• Penetration testing to identify if it’s possible to breach a company’s systems, including its networks and data.
• Explaining to companies how and why their networks are vulnerable to external cybersecurity threats.
• Educating company employees on how they can guard against cyberattacks.

The exact tasks of an ethical hacker depend on the employer’s needs. For example, some ethical hackers spend more time assessing networks for threats. Others serve more of an educational role in helping employees take personal responsibility for data and network safety.

*Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of University of Phoenix. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. University of Phoenix does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.