Learning the Basics of Ethical Cybersecurity Hacks
Ethical Hacking is the practice of intentionally probing systems, networks, or applications to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses, but with permission and a goal to improve security. Unlike malicious hacking, ethical hackers work to protect systems by finding and fixing these weaknesses before they can be exploited by cybercriminals.
Ethical hacking typically involves several stages, which help hackers find vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them:
Reconnaissance: This is the information-gathering phase. Ethical hackers collect data about the target, such as domain names, IP addresses, and potential entry points. This can be done through public information or social engineering techniques.
Scanning: After gathering information, ethical hackers scan the target system for vulnerabilities using specialized tools to identify open ports, outdated software, or weak configurations.
Gaining Access: Once vulnerabilities are identified, hackers attempt to exploit them to gain access to the system, much like how a cybercriminal would. However, they do this only within agreed boundaries and report everything back to the organization.
Maintaining Access: In some cases, ethical hackers may attempt to maintain access to see how long an attacker could stay inside the system without being detected.
Reporting: The final phase involves compiling a report for the organization, detailing the vulnerabilities found, how they were exploited, and providing recommendations for fixing the security issues.
Active and Passive Reconnaissance
Passive Reconnaissance is like the quiet detective, gathering information from a distance without ever revealing your intentions. It's stealthy and leaves no trace. In the digital world, this might involve things like checking publicly available data on social media, WHOIS records, or analyzing the target’s network traffic without directly engaging with it.
Active Reconnaissance, on the other hand, is more direct and interactive. You’re actively probing the target to uncover vulnerabilities or weaknesses. In the digital world, this might involve actions like port scanning, pinging the target, or using tools to directly test the system’s defenses. While it provides more detailed information, it can trigger alarms or alerts from security systems, putting you at risk of detection.