A professional, ethical hacker career is mostly about using and applying the knowledge and skills of a certified ethical hacker. It also demands a range of other factors such as creativity, social intelligence, and continuous learning. If you wish to pursue an ethical hacker career or become a cyber security expert, here are some skills you should have according to Ec Council:
a) Programming Skills
As a white-hat hacker/ethical hacker/security analyst, your primary task is to find vulnerabilities in networks so that they can be rectified before black hat hackers exploit them and you become a certified ethical hacker. Numerous programming languages can help you do this job efficiently, such as Perl, Python, Ruby on Rails, etc. For those planning to move into the development field, too, learning these languages will prove highly beneficial to their career prospects.
b) Knowledge of Networking
Network engineers are the people who design, implement and maintain computer networks. Ethical hacking or security analysts work closely with these individuals since they understand which network parts require additional protection. If you want to become an ethical hacker, learning more about networking will help you learn how networks actually function.
c) Scripting Language Skills
There are numerous scripting languages that professionals in the information technology sector can use. Since an individual can’t learn all of them, you should focus on learning one such language well enough to gain proficiency in it. Learning these languages help white hat hackers save time while performing their daily functions to protect information systems from vulnerabilities. For instance, learning Python scripting language will help you write custom scripts for scanning, attacking, and securing networks.
d) Penetration Testing Skills
Penetration testing is the process of testing computer systems to find vulnerabilities by simulating an outside attacker. Ethical hackers can use various tools during penetration testing, such as network scanners, web application security testing tools, etc. To become a professional ethical hacker/security analyst, it is best to learn about these tools thoroughly before using them. Programmers should learn the C++ programming language well enough since it can be used to create several types of software penetration-testing tools. If you want to learn more about this increasingly popular technology, you should have a look at our comprehensive Penetration Testing training course.
e) Social Engineering Skills
Social engineering involves the process of manipulating people into giving up sensitive information that hackers can use in order to gain unauthorized access to systems. A professional, ethical hacker should consider learning more about social engineering since black hat hackers widely use it. Although tools can automate this hacking method, it is better if an ethical hacker learns the fundamental concepts well enough before using them during a penetration test.
There are several reasons as to why you must learn social engineering. If you want to know whether a person is trustworthy or not, feel free to ask a simple question: Would you give your credit card details or share personal information over the phone? If he says “NO”, trust him! Many individuals say “YES” even though they have no idea about the consequences. If you are not sure whether someone has good knowledge about computers, ask him technical questions or try to be as specific as possible while asking a question. What kind of viruses infect phones? Do you need antivirus software on your phone? If they do not know the answer, they might be a hacker who does not want to disclose his identity.
f) Wireless Networking Knowledge
It is best if certified ethical hackers learn more about wireless networks since they require unique security measures for protection from threats such as unauthorized access and data interception by third parties. At times, people might want to sell their homes after learning that it is near a school or hospital, which means there will soon be demand for wireless networks in the area. If you want to become a professional, ethical hacker, wireless network hacking skills will definitely help you in getting the job of your dreams.
Conclusion
If you are looking forward to becoming a professional certified ethical hacker, you should choose one particular area of study which interests you the most. For instance, if you have good technical knowledge about network attacks, it will be difficult for someone to exploit your vulnerability. Once you get more comfortable with the subject matter, try taking related certification exams in order to become an expert in it, or you can gain cyber security certification.
Suppose several companies lack security professionals and do not care too much about the salary package offered to employees. In that case, there is no doubt that information security jobs can lead you towards a rich and lavish lifestyle with ethical hacker certification.