How Does Ethical Hacking Work? What Are Its Different Types?

Introduction

Ethical hacking refers to an authorized attempt to get unauthorized access inside a system, data, or computer. With a rise in cybercrimes, vital data of an organization are under constant threat from various malicious hackers and other digital crimes. This is where ethical hacking can be used to detect flaws within the existing systems and improve security to protect the system or data from the black hat or malicious hackers. Ethical or white-hat hackers help organizations identify vulnerabilities within their systems before the black-hat hackers detect and exploit those loopholes for their benefit. With a rise in technologies, there are different types of hacking like Computer Hacking, Password Hacking, Website Hacking, Network Hacking, Email Hacking, etc. To prevent unauthorized access by outsiders, businesses hire ethical hackers like Security Analysts, Penetration Testers, Security Engineers, etc., to save their organizations and systems from potential cyber-attacks. Various institutes offer Ethical Hacking Online course for individuals and company employees to learn the basics and advanced skills of ethical hacking. These skills are vital to safeguard one’s business and system from significant data loss.

This article is about ethical hacking, how it works, and the various types of ethical hacking. Read on to learn more.

How Does Ethical Hacking Work?

As mentioned earlier, ethical hacking protects an organization or a system from potential black-hat hacker-led cyber-attacks. Ethical hackers are legally hired by the authorities to penetrate an organization to detect loopholes and provide solutions to solve them. At present, the ethical hacking process involves three steps: Simulating An Attack, Gathering the Data, and Reporting And Demonstrating the potential threats.

Let us look at the process of ethical hacking in detail.

1. Simulating An Attack

The first step in ethical hacking involves simulating an attack on the given system. In this step, the ethical hacker imitates an attack to penetrate the system and detects the vulnerable sections.

2. Gathering Data

This is the second and most important step in the ethical hacking process. In this step, the hacker gathers all the relevant data by extensively studying the systems. This data is used to overview the system and its vulnerabilities. The ethical hacker analyses the system’s potential risks and strengths based on this information.

3. Reporting And Demonstrating

Reporting and demonstrating is the last stage of the ethical hacking process. In this, the ethical hacker demonstrates potential threats and provides a detailed report based on the information gained. In addition, the hackers may also suggest various solutions to resolve the system’s vulnerabilities.

Different Types Of Ethical Hacking

Let us look at the various types of ethical hacking.

1. Black-box Testing: In this, the hacker does not have prior knowledge of the system and is required to test the software from outside the system before entering it. Black-box testing is used to detect the security holes in a system that a black-hat hacker could exploit.
2. White-box Testing: In this, a hacker has all the information about the system, its working processes, weaknesses, etc. White-box Testing is used to understand how well a system works. Some examples of White-box Testing include code inspections, designing reviews, data-flow analysis, statement coverage, etc.
3. Gray-box Testing: It is a combination of Black-box Testing and White-box Testing. In this, the hackers have some information about the system, but not all of it, and use their knowledge to derive the remaining information.
4. Web Application Hacking: It is the process of exploiting the loopholes in web applications to gain access to the data.
5. Hacking Wireless Networks: It is the process of gaining unauthorized access to a computer network by exploiting the system’s loopholes.
6. Social Engineering: In this type of hacking, hackers persuade people to reveal various confidential information. Social engineering hacking is of three types: Computer-based, Mobile-based, and Human-based.
7. System Hacking: This involved hacking a computer system to access sensitive data.
8. Web Server Hacking: In this, hackers attack a web server in order to access data, private information, passwords, or business information.

Conclusion

To summarise, ethical hacking is an effective method to protect the sensitive data of organizations or systems. The authorities legally hire ethical hackers to penetrate a system and detect vulnerabilities and potential threats. The information provided by ethical hackers is used to improve the system’s security to protect the data and the system. Ethical hackers simulate an attack, gather all the vital information, and provide reports demonstrating the system’s vulnerabilities. One can join the Ethical Hacking Training in Delhi to learn more about this technique to help individuals or organizations protect their systems and data. The different types of ethical hacking include Black-box Testing, White-box Testing, Gray-box Testing, Web Application Hacking, Web Server Hacking, Hacking Wireless Networks, etc.