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Cybersecurity is more important today than ever before. As companies and individuals rely more on technology and the internet for daily activities, the risk of cyberattacks also increases. Hackers are always looking for vulnerabilities to exploit in systems and networks. One of the best ways to protect against these threats is by learning ethical hacking. Ethical hackers use the same tools and techniques as malicious hackers, but they do it legally with authorization to help strengthen security. Now you can learn these critical skills for free with the new Ethical Hacker course from SkillsForAll.com.
Who is an Ethical Hacker?
An ethical hacker, also known as a white hat hacker, is a cybersecurity professional who applies hacking techniques to uncover weaknesses in systems, networks, and applications. The goal is to find vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors before they get a chance.
Ethical hackers must have permission from the owner of the system they are testing. They follow a strict code of ethics and only break into systems for authorized testing purposes. Ethical hacking is also known as penetration testing or red teaming.
Some common responsibilities of an ethical hacker include:
Performing vulnerability assessments on systems, networks, web applications, mobile devices, and more
Trying to gain unauthorized access to resources by circumventing security controls
Identifying weaknesses that could allow cybercriminals to steal data or launch attacks
Documenting discovered vulnerabilities and providing remediation recommendations
Keeping knowledge and tools up to date as hacking techniques evolve
Ethical hackers help organizations improve their defensive security measures. They take on the mindset of real attackers to stay one step ahead.
There are some skills are required to become a good ethical hacker. Here are some of the basic skills a ethical hacker should have.
Programming languages like Python, Java, C++
Networking protocols and concepts
Operating systems internals like Linux, Windows
Web application vulnerabilities
Cryptography fundamentals
Social engineering concepts
A certified ethical hacker is highly valued in any cybersecurity team. Top technology firms like Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Intel hire ethical hackers to continuously test and enhance their security.
What is Ethical Hacking?
Ethical hacking refers to authorized penetration testing conducted to identify security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors. The goal is to find weaknesses before criminals can take advantage of them.
Ethical hackers use many of the same tools and techniques as criminal hackers but without malicious intent. Activities can include:
Footprinting and reconnaissance to gather information about the target
Scanning networks and systems for open ports and known vulnerabilities
Launching simulated attacks against systems to test their security controls
Attempting to circumvent authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access
Analyzing source code for bugs and logic flaws
Intercepting traffic to uncover unencrypted data
Physically accessing facilities to test physical security controls
All these activities are done with explicit permission from the organization and aimed at improving defenses. Ethical hackers must follow strict guidelines to ensure their work is legal and does not cause damage.
Importance of Ethical Hacking
Ethical hacking provides immense value for strengthening the security posture of organizations. Some key benefits include:
Proactively finds weaknesses – Ethical hacking allows organizations to uncover vulnerabilities on their systems before cybercriminals have a chance to detect and exploit them.
Validates security controls – Penetration testing verifies that existing security controls are working as intended and highlights any gaps.
Raises staff awareness – Seeing how an ethical hacker can break into systems makes staff more conscious about security issues.
Fulfills compliance requirements – Many industry regulations and standards mandate regular penetration testing. Ethical hacking helps meet these compliance needs.
Saves money – Addressing vulnerabilities proactively is much less costly than dealing with a successful breach. Ethical hacking provides a great ROI.
Improves risk management – Knowing where the vulnerabilities lie allows organizations to make smart decisions about security priorities and investments.
As attacks become more sophisticated, ethical hacking will continue growing in importance as a critical security practice.
What is the Need for Ethical Hacking?
The increasing frequency and impact of cyberattacks underscores the need for stronger defensive security. Traditional security measures like firewalls and antivirus software are no longer enough. Skilled hackers are finding new ways to circumvent these defenses every day.
Ethical hacking fills an important gap:
It provides insights into the latest attack vectors and how systems can be compromised. Defenders can then address these risks appropriately.
It tests security holistically from an attacker viewpoint. Technical controls are only one part of the picture. Ethical hacking also evaluates physical, human, and other elements.
It keeps pace with the real-world threat landscape. Hacking tools and techniques evolve rapidly. Ethical hackers incorporate the latest methods into their testing.
It uncovers unknown “zero-day” vulnerabilities that automated scans cannot detect. The human expertise of ethical hackers is needed to find weaknesses that exist in complex systems.
As long as there are weaknesses that can be exploited, the need for ethical hacking will remain. Organizations that embrace proactive security testing will have a distinct advantage over the competition.
Learn Ethical Hacking for Free with SkillsForAll
SkillsForAll.com offers a free comprehensive Ethical Hacker course to help you get started with professional penetration testing. The self-paced online course provides everything you need to kickstart an ethical hacking career.
Course Overview
The course contains 10 modules covering all the essential topics like footprinting, social engineering, hacking wired and wireless networks, exploiting web apps, cloud and mobile hacking, and more.
You’ll gain practical hands-on experience through 34 unique labs inspired by real-world scenarios. The interactive labs provide a safe environment to practice ethical hacking techniques.
The course follows an engaging narrative with a gaming feel to keep you motivated. You’ll take on the role of an ethical hacker for the fictional company YazooTech and experience the full penetration testing lifecycle.
Once you complete all the modules, you can validate your skills with the culminating course exam. Earn the Ethical Hacker course badge to showcase your achievement.
Course Curriculum
Here is a look at some of the key topics covered in the course:
Introduction to ethical hacking and penetration testing methodologies
Planning, scoping, and engaging with clients
Passive and active reconnaissance and footprinting
Network, web app, and wireless scanning and vulnerability identification
Executing social engineering attacks like phishing and pretexting
Advanced hacking techniques like SQL injection, cross-site scripting, ARP poisoning
Post-exploitation techniques like maintaining access and covering tracks
Tools for information gathering, vulnerability scanning, exploitation, and more
Reporting and communicating results to stakeholders
With comprehensive theory paired with hands-on labs, you’ll gain the end-to-end skillset required for professional penetration tests.
Duration and Pricing
This self-paced course is designed to take around 70 hours to complete. Since it is available for free through SkillsForAll.com, you can learn at your own pace without worrying about any tuition costs.
The course is available 24/7 and you have lifetime access so that you can return and repeat lessons anytime.
For Beginners and Experts
The Ethical Hacker course is suited for those at the beginner or intermediate skill levels. No prior ethical hacking experience is required. By starting from the basics, it allows even total beginners to build expertise from the ground up.
But it also goes deep enough into advanced techniques to benefit more seasoned cybersecurity professionals looking to expand their skillsets. Whether you’re just breaking into the field or a veteran looking to sharpen your pen testing abilities, you will get value.
The course is highly hands-on using an interactive cyber range environment. You’ll get extensive practice that grounds the theoretical concepts with practical experience.
Start Learning Now
With cybercrime on the rise, ethical hacking skills are in high demand. But earning all the credentials and certifications can be very expensive.
SkillsForAll.com eliminates the cost barrier with this free Ethical Hacker course. You have nothing to lose by enrolling today and starting the first module.
Within a few weeks, you can pick up in-demand skills and add ethical hacking experience to your CV. Advance your cybersecurity career while doing your part to help build stronger defenses.
Bottom Line
Ethical hacking is critical for proactively finding security vulnerabilities before the bad guys do. The field provides interesting work with lots of opportunities. SkillsForAll’s self-paced online course gives you a risk-free way to gain proficiency in ethical hacking for free. Learn the tools and techniques used by professional pen testers, get hands-on practice, and validate your skills – without spending a dime. Enroll now and embark on your ethical hacking journey today.
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Arun KL
Arun KL is a cybersecurity professional with 15+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, cloud security, vulnerability management, Penetration Testing, security operations, and incident response. He is adept at designing and implementing robust security solutions to safeguard systems and data. Arun holds multiple industry certifications including CCNA, CCNA Security, RHCE, CEH, and AWS Security.
