PDF download Download Article PDF download Download Article

In the last few decades, there's been an increasing demand for ethical hackers (also known as white hat hackers) as they protect the computer systems from dangerous intrusions. Ethical hackers are technically skilled IT pros with a strong desire to solve problems and prevent malicious hackers from causing damage to network systems. To be a professional ethical hacker you require motivation, dedication, initiative, self-education and formal training in ethical hacking.

1

Keep your hacking ethical.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Newbies who are keen to become a Black Hat need to keep in mind that "A day of glory is not worth years in prison".
  2. Advertisement
2

Seek out job opportunities for ethical hackers.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Seek positions with government organizations, banks, financial institutions, military establishments and private companies.
3

Keep current on your skills.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Read on your own to know the areas where you need to improve, and what you need to learn to refine your focus. Technology changes rapidly, and a good ethical hacker must be willing and eager to keep up with the new technological developments.
    • Stay connected to the hacker community by sharing technical information and ideas.
  2. Advertisement
4

Choose whether to focus on hardware or software.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Though knowledge of both is required but the decision will help you to know where to begin. You must be aware of every function, every component of computer on which you will have to work on.
5

Gain some programming knowledge.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Languages such as C, Python, or Java are important for hackers. These programming languages can be learned by taking formal programming courses and reading books. It will help you to read and write code.
  2. Advertisement
6

Become a Unix geek.

PDF download Download Article
  1. This operating system is regarded as the original operating system built by hackers. Also learn about Windows and Mac OSX.
7

Take professional certification courses.

PDF download Download Article
  1. There are a wide variety of courses available for IT security professionals in "Ethical Hacking” or “Internet Security” which would help you to expand your knowledge in ethical hacking. Get certified as it would help you to succeed in the vanguard of your profession.
  2. Advertisement
8

Experiment on your own.

PDF download Download Article
  1. Learn how to take control of the situations and how to prevent a computer from getting hacked.


Expert Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How can I build skills as a hacker to test web security?
    Tyrone Showers
    Technologist
    Tyrone Showers is a Technologist and the Co-owner of Taliferro Group, an IT consulting company based in Seattle, Washington. With over 35 years of professional experience, he specializes in API Design, e-Commerce, Operational Efficiency, and website development. He has a B.S. in Computer Science from DeVry Institute of Technology.
    Technologist
    Expert Answer
    To build skills as a hacker requires a lot of trial and error. The best way is to dive into the intricacies of web technologies and protocols. Understanding the underpinnings of web protocols like HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 can provide unique insights into potential security vulnerabilities. The newer protocols have nuances that have yet to be widely understood, potentially opening up new avenues for security testing. Exploring browser internals, such as how JavaScript engines work and their rendering processes, can provide a clear perspective on how web applications interact with browsers. Attaining this knowledge can help identify security flaws. For example, a deep dive into the Document Object Model (DOM) or Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) is often overlooked. Understanding how APIs are constructed and the common security oversights helps uncover vulnerabilities.
  • Question
    How can a hacker be placed in a government job?
    Community Answer
    Government jobs look for hackers with professional wit, knowledge and skill in protecting their networks from exploits and other intrusions. Hackers who solve cyber crimes can work as a cyber security analyst. There are also Certified Ethical Hacker courses designed to teach students additional hacking skills.
  • Question
    Where do I start if I want to become an ethical hacker?
    Chris Sdogkos
    Community Answer
    If you want to become an ethical hacker, you should learn a programming language first.
See more answers
Ask a Question
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Show More Tips

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Testing your "ethical" hacks on a dummy computer or friend can help you test your hack's functionality and diagnose any glitches or bugs.
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Things you’ll need:

      • Computers
      • Zeal to learn new things
      • Enjoy your work
      • Be Anonymous.

      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about programming languages, check out our in-depth interview with Tyrone Showers .

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 411,910 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Harshit Gupta

        Nov 22, 2016

        "It was good to read the data. Was really fantastic, but I got confused about my path now."
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement