It is important that an ethical hacker reports all vulnerabilities and weaknesses found in the course of penetration and intrusive activities. Any detection of weakness on a network or a system should be fixed immediately. The role of an ethical hacker is very crucial to the detection and prevention of the malicious hackers’ activities in an organization. The EHs must have the skills to understand the mindset of the malicious hackers and stay a step ahead of them always to prevent the havoc they are set.

Different Types of Hacking

There are various types of hacking and some of them are frequently occurring than others. For example:

• Web Server Hacking. These types of attacks are made on a back-end database as well as the applications on the network of equipment.
• System Hacking. Web server and operating system vulnerabilities are detected by the hackers and exploited. These include a buffer overflow and an un-patched system.
• Wireless Network Hacking. This type of hacking entails the penetration and intrusion into security of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) of an enterprise.
• Social Engineering. This entails the human interaction of the attacker with the intention of manipulating the target to reveal or break standard procedures, security best practices, or protocols in order to access a system or a network.

Advantages of Pursuing a Career in Ethical Hacking

The ethical hackers are very valuable to their organizations. As a matter of fact, it is one of the most well-paid career paths in the world of IT. The reason for this is not surprising: you are like a savior in your company. Without an ethical hacker working closely, there is a high chance that your system/network may be compromised at any time. Some of the values one can bring to the table as an ethical hacker include:

• Prevention of data from getting into the wrong hands and being stolen or misused by the offensive hackers.
• Early detection of weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and capacity to fix them before a malicious hacker launches a damaging attack.
• Protection of systems and networks by having a good knowledge of the malicious hacker’s mindset and providing real-world evaluations.
• Gaining the respect and trust of the organization’s stakeholders, such as managers, investors, customers, and quality assurance testers, by ensuring that they are fully protected from the threats.

Apart from your organization, there are many other advantages that accrue to you as an ethical hacker. Some of the benefits you stand to gain by pursuing a career in ethical hacking are as follows:

• Professional Development

There is a huge demand for the experts in the field of cybersecurity. This is largely due to the increase in data, systems, software, and technologies that people around the world have access to, and which are potential targets for the offensive hackers. To heighten the risk, many individuals are getting connected on a daily basis through the use of various technologies. This has continued to increase the scope of materials that these malicious hackers can access. The truth is that there is a huge gap waiting to be filled by the expert ethical hackers in the marketplace and the employers are seriously in need of these specialists.

• Efficient Cybersecurity Expert

The cybersecurity experts have the capacity to understand the tools, mindset, and environment of the malicious hackers. This skill has increased their value in their organizations as they are very useful and effective in mitigating threats that may be launched against their companies. When you are competent in these areas, you will be able to take the relevant position in your organization, not just as a professional that identifies threats but as someone who understands the attackers and can prevent them from launching the malicious invasion.

• Regulatory Compliance

There are new rules and regulations that are clearly outlined in the General Data Protection Regulation. The rules have become sterner against the companies that accumulate private data without protecting it. When you learn all about ethical hacking, you can better understand these compliance, rules, and regulations that should be adhered to, in better terms.

The Easiest Way to Become an Ethical Hacker

No doubt, the available resources for learning ethical hacking can be quite overwhelming. It can be more demanding for the individuals who do not have enough time or practical background to understand the requirements of ethical hacking. Therefore, the easiest way to learn it is by going through a structured EH course. This is absolutely the best option for many people, especially those without experience. You can pursue the EC-Council CEH Certification Training to get access to various learning materials from the seasoned experts in the field of ethical hacking. You will learn the skills and knowledge required to pass your CEH exam to get certified and also function optimally as a professional ethical hacker. And the professionalism you gain will do you and your company a great favor.

But First, What is ISACA?

In case you’re wondering, ISACA stands for Information Systems Audit and Control Association. This is an international professional association focused on IT Governance. The organization was created in the United States back in 1967. That year, a group of individuals working on auditing controls in computer systems started to become increasingly critical of the operations of their organizations. They identified a need for a centralized source of information and guidance in the field. In 1976 the association formed an education foundation to undertake large-scale research efforts to expand the knowledge of and value accorded to the fields of governance and control of information technology. The association became the Information Systems Audit and Control Association in 1994.

ISACA specifically targets IT professionals interested in the highest quality standards with respect to audit, control and security of information systems. The CISM certification holders demonstrate in-depth skills in security risk management, program development and management, governance, and incident management and response.

The CISM Credential and Certification Process

The Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) is ISACA’s flagship credential. This is a top certification for IT professionals involved in managing, developing and overseeing information security systems in enterprise-level applications, or who work on developing best organizational security practices. The CISM credential was introduced to security professionals in 2003 and has remained in high demand ever since.

Developed with experienced security professionals in mind, CISM certification sets new standards for IT security. To achieve this credential, candidates must agree to ISACA’s Code of Professional Ethics and pass a challenging certification exam. Furthermore, they are required to have a minimum of five years of proven security experience, comply with the Continuing Education Policy and submit a written application. Please note that some combinations of education and experience may be substituted to meet the experience requirement – check ISACA website for more information on this.

CISM Certification Prerequisites. To obtain the CISM credential, you must:

• Pass the CISM exam.
• Agree to the ISACA Code of Professional Ethics.
• Possess a minimum of five years of information security work experience, including at least three years of work experience in information security management in three or more of the job practice analysis areas. Experience must be verifiable and obtained in the preceding 10-year period prior to the application date or within five years after passing the exam. There are some exceptions to this requirement depending on current credentials held.
• Submit an application for CISM certification (processing fee is $50.) Credential must be obtained within five years of passing the exam.
• Agree to the CISM Continuing Education Policy.

CISM Exam Cost

ISACA members who register early pay $440 for the exam; non-members pay $625 for early registration. Regular registration fee for members is $490 and for non-members is $675. The CISM credential is valid for three years, and credential holders must pay an annual maintenance fee of $45 (ISACA members) or $85 (non-members). Credential holders are also required to obtain a minimum of 120 continuing professional education (CPE) credits over the three-year term to maintain the credential. At least 20 CPEs must be earned every year.

ISACA Certification Program

In addition to the CISM, ISACA offers numerous other certifications for those interested in information security and best practices. Other credentials worth considering include:

• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) – for professionals working with information systems auditing, control or security.
• Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT) – targets IT professionals working in enterprise IT management, governance, strategic alignment, value delivery and risk, resource and performance management.
• Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control certification (CRISC) – IT professionals seeking careers in all aspects of risk management

Interested in ISACA exams? Visit ExamCollection to find latest exam preparation materials.

What is Network Forensics?

With a number of cybercriminals and cyber crimes steadily growing (no surprise as more and more various operations are conducted online), there is little wonder that digital forensics is on the rise. From government and law enforcement agencies to private companies and international corporations, digital security and forensics professionals are highly in demand. If you’re eying this career,  you need to know that network forensics experts should be capable of blocking the majority of system attacks, as well as, more importantly, to implicate the aggressors who manage to penetrate the system, or commit a cybercrime.

Cybercriminals become harder and harder to identify as their get better at hiding their traces, so they are harder to identify. Network forensics collects data from network traffic and analyzes it for threats or intrusions. As a result, a good network forensics expert should have a very solid understanding of how the system is built, as well as possess great analytical skills and understand the trends of how traffic flows.

GNFA Certification

Previously, there has been no certification to validate the skills in network forensics. Recently,GAC has announced the very first credential of such kind, GNFA (GIAC Network Forensics Analyst), which will be available starting this Monday, November 3, 2014.

The GNFA certification was developed for professionals who want to validate their qualification to perform examinations employing network forensic artifact analysis. This requires 100% understanding of the fundamentals of network forensics, normal and abnormal conditions for common network protocols, the process and tools used to examine device and system logs, wireless communication and encrypted protocols.

GNFA Exam Will Cover the Following Topics/Objectives:

• Common Network Protocols – understanding of the behavior, security risks and controls of common network protocols.
• Encryption and Encoding – techniques and practices used to encode and encrypt common network traffic and common attacks on these controls.
• NetFlow Analysis and Attack Visualization – the use of NetFlow data and information sources to identify network attacks.
• Network Analysis Tools and Usage – open source packet analysis tools and their purpose to effectively filter and rebuild data streams for analysis.
• Network Architecture – design and deployment of a network employing diverse transmission and collection technologies.
• Network Protocol Reverse Engineering – the tools and techniques required to analyze diverse protocols and data traversing a network environment.
• Open Source Network Security Proxies – the architecture, deployment, benefits and weaknesses of network security proxies, common log formats and flow of data in a network environment.
• Security Event and Incident Logging – various log formats, protocols and the security impact of the event generating processes; configuration and deployment strategies to secure and position logging aggregators and collection devices throughout a network environment.
• Wireless Network Analysis the process to identify and control the risks associated with wireless technologies, protocols and infrastructure.

GNFA exam and certification are available starting November 3, 2014.

So, let’s look at it closer

To make sure we’re on the same page, let’s start with the definitions. Ethical hacker is a qualified individual, usually hired by an organization to discover its online security vulnerabilities and threats by trying to penetrate networks and computer systems. By using the same methods as hackers, which are now more and more commonly called ‘Black Hat Hackers’ to make the distinction, ethical hackers ensure the system is free of vulnerabilities and potential threats. Ethical hackers’ jobs are on all times high now, with everyone from the White House and Ministry of Defense to your local bank striving to ensure stability of their computer systems and security of their data.

So, how do you become an ethical hacker?

Needless to say that hacking your high school’s online system is far from being enough to get the job. Moreover, unethical practices can close these doors for you forever (we’ll talk about unethical hacking later). Yet, officially your career would start with passing a CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) exam. To acquire the necessary knowledge, you may choose to either attend training at an accredited training center or self-study.

Should you opt for the latter, you will need to prove at least 2 years of information security work experience. If you don’t have the experience, your application may still be considered on the ad-hoc basis, yet, let’s face it: how can you be an ethical hacker with no infosec/IT experience? We strongly advise that you take a job in this field just to get some experience if you feel that being an ethical hacker is your calling.

Experienced professionals also recommend that candidates hold at least some basic IT Certifications: A+ and, preferably, Network+ or CCNA once you acquire more hands-on experience. Ideal candidates would also have a Security+ or a CISSP Certification under their belt.

Now back to the exam. The CEH Exam (with the currently used version being EC Council’s exam 312-50), has 125 multiple choice question, with the passing score being 70%. You’ll be given 4 hours to complete the exam. In the US, the exam is administered at EC-Council Accredited Training Centers, Pearson VUE, or Prometric testing centers.

Even if you do not see yourself as a full-time Ethical Hacker in the future and prefer to stick to a conventional information security career, taking the CEH exam may still be a smart career step for you. This certification helps professionals like you take an out-of-the-box look at the dark side of computer network security by unveiling the mindset, methodologies, and tools of a hacker.

What to keep in mind while you’re on your way…

If you do envision yourself as an Ethical Hacker, you are most likely tempted to go and ‘do it ‘ – hack something, get past some security levels, etc. – ethically or not. While this drive definitely proves that you have made a right career choice, resist the temptation of any illegal activity. Even small and seemingly innocent hacks can prevent you from pursuing your dream.

You can definitely play around with hacking your own website or a wifi network, but if you want to test your skills on someone else’s systems, be sure to get their written permission.

While you are on the way to your White Hat Hacker career, where you are staying on the light side, we trust, you may want to consider studying the hackers’ mindset. As exciting, fun and challenging as an Ethical Hacker’s job may seem to be, it’s still a job. And after a while, people tend to fall into pattern, keep doing what they do well… and lose their edge. The ‘Black Hat Hackers’, however, never lose their edge as they have a strong motivation of breaking in. So, you need to learn to think the way they think, to predict their steps, and… wear your white hat of Ethical Hacker with dignity and success.