It’s an old saying that everything has two sides; good and evil. And so is the case with advancements in the digital world as well. While technological advancements have made our lives easier and more convenient, it is not bereft of some negative impacts as well. For example, addiction to digital devices among toddlers. While they may not sound so serious, the biggest concern is data privacy and security.

With our over-reliance on technology, and them becoming vulnerable to various kinds of cyberthreats, ethical hackers are the ones whose roles are increasingly becoming important in protecting our digital world and devices.

In this article, let us check out the lucrative career of ethical hackers and understand how to become one.

Who is an Ethical Hacker?
You must have often heard about hacking and this particular term also resonates with something negative, villainous, and fishy. However, there are various types of hackers including:

• Black hat hackers (malicious hackers or cybercriminals)
• White hat hackers aka ethical hackers
• Gray hat hackers - nobody knows what they are up to when they hack a system. They may either offer their help to organizations or even cause damage if they don’t get their demands fulfilled.

So, ethical hackers are good hackers who use their ethical hacking skills in a controlled environment, and with proper permission from the organization, not to cause any harm but to identify vulnerabilities within their security systems so as to rectify them within time before an actual hacker breaches the security of the system.

They use the same cybersecurity tools, technologies, and techniques used by malicious hackers to breach the security. Also, their role isn’t just to identify vulnerabilities but also to recommend mitigation strategies and enhance the overall security of an organization.

If you are looking to get into a cybersecurity career, then the role of an ethical hacker is a great option to consider.

Career overview
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job of Information Security Analyst (a category that also includes ethical hackers) is projected to grow by 28% by 2026. This means, there are going to be huge cybersecurity job opportunities for ethical hackers in the coming years.

Not just increased opportunities, ethical hackers also enjoy great salary packages in the US.

Here’s what various platforms mentioned their annual average salary in the US:
• Talent.com - $122,500
• Salary.com - $110,184
• Zip Recruiter - $135,269
• Payscale - $104,420
• Glassdoor - $150,000

These numbers indicate an attractive pay package they can get.

Skills Required to Become an Ethical Hacker

To become a successful ethical hacker in your cybersecurity career, you must be good at various cybersecurity skills as well as some interpersonal skills to maximize your success. Let’s have a look at some important skills:

1. Technical Skills
- Must have in-depth knowledge of operating systems such as Windows and Linux.
- Should understand networking protocols (TCP/IP)
- Knowledge of programming languages like Python and Java is recommended
- Should be familiar with various ethical hacking tools and methodologies

2. Problem-Solving Skills
Ethical hackers also need to be good at solving problems. They should be proactive in identifying threats and vulnerabilities and come up with a fast response to mitigate such problems.

3. Analytical Skills
Strong analytical skills are a must so that they can interpret complex data and identify patterns that could indicate security risks.

4. Communication skills
As an ethical hacker, you must also be good at communicating your findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

5. Collaboration skills
You will also need to work with various cybersecurity professionals in the team to successfully patch the vulnerabilities. So, you need to be good at collaboration and teamwork.

Steps to Become an Ethical Hacker
Well, there isn’t a single way to become an ethical hacker. However, there are certain basic steps you can follow to reach this position:

• Earn formal educational qualifications such as a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information security, cybersecurity, and related fields.

• Pursue ethical hacking certification to validate your ethical hacking skills. Following are some renowned certifications for this role:
o Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
o Certified Cybersecurity Consultant (CCC™)
o Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
o CompTIA PenTest+
o GIAC Pen Tester (GPEN)

• Gain practical experience through internships, competitions, contributing to open-source security projects, bug bounty programs, etc.

Remember, the world of cybersecurity is evolving rapidly, and you need to be updated with the latest cybersecurity tools and technologies to successfully combat malicious hackers and remain one step ahead of them. Enrolling in and updating your cybersecurity skills with the latest cybersecurity certifications will be very beneficial in your cybersecurity career.

Conclusion
So, this was an overview of the exciting and challenging career of an ethical hacker. The digital world brings both opportunities and challenges with it. And as we are more and more inclined towards technology for all our daily chores, it is important to protect the systems and networks from malicious hackers.

Ethical hackers are one of our saviors who work tirelessly to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities before they are exploited by real hackers. So, if this field excites you, learn the top cybersecurity skills, validate your ethical hacking expertise with top cybersecurity certifications, and get started with this career path.

Interesting..

But what is ur motive of writing all these?? I even tot u re offering to enrol students, I would have made enquiries cus I want to learn hacking