What is Ethical Hacking (& How Can It Help My Business?)

If you’re unfamiliar with the term “ethical hacker,” it may seem like an oxymoron or a contradictory expression regarding your business’s security and privacy. When people think of a hacker, they picture a guy in a hoodie, sitting in a dark room, trying to obtain your data in front of a computer.  

While this depiction still may be accurate, ethical hackers are highly trained security experts that use their knowledge to secure and improve organizations’ technology. They provide an essential service to companies, both big and small, to fight against costly security breaches that can make businesses vulnerable.  

So how can ethical hackers help your business tighten online security and improving IT systems? Keep reading to find out! 

What is ethical hacking? 

Ethical hacking, otherwise known as penetration testing, is the approved act to gain unauthorized access to a company’s application, data, and computer system.  

Organizations hire these individuals to test out their IT systems and overall security if they undergo an attack. They typically use the same methods as a malicious attacker would, but in an attempt to assess a security system rather than wreak havoc.  

Also known as “white hats,” ethical hackers penetrate a system or network to find threats and weaknesses that a malicious attacker may exploit, causing unrestorable damage, data loss, or even financial harm.  

What do ethical hackers do? 

Once hired by a company, ethical hackers assess systems, report vulnerabilities, and provide remediation advice to help an organization defend its most precious assets - their data.  

While the scope of ethical hackers is broad, some of the services and advantages they provide are: 

1. Reporting vulnerabilities  

An ethical hacker helps determine which of the IT security measures are adequate, what needs to be updated, and what could easily be exploited. This may include a lack of sufficient password encryption, vulnerable applications, or exposed systems. As they penetrate each scenario, they document it for their client. 

Not only do ethical hackers report the vulnerable sectors of your organization’s security protocol, but they can also show you how your system is exposed. When companies know exactly how hackers can corrupt their systems, they can prepare and become better equipped against an attack. 

3. Help prepare for a cyber attack  

Ethical hackers can put together a robust assessment of your security system so you can address any weaknesses within your network. A cyberattack can debilitate or even destroy businesses (particularly small businesses) even if they have well-intended precautionary measures in place. 

4. Help you build a robust network.  

Particularly if you’re new to the world of business, an ethical hacker has the specific knowledge and experience of setting up a resilient security network right from the start of your business. Building a system with built-in security features reduces your vulnerability against breaches and data theft.  

5. Ethical hacking techniques  

There are a few different techniques that ethical hackers employ to ensure that organizations stay safe against cyber threats.  

1. Scan individual ports to find insecurities with specialized tools. 
2. Probe and inspect patch installation processes to ensure that updated software doesn’t introduce new susceptibilities. 
3. Attempt to evade the organization's standing security features like firewalls. 
4. Test to ensure that malicious hackers cannot present new security vulnerabilities that expose sensitive information like client data or financial details.  

How can ethical hackers help your business? 

Since many businesses have been going digital, particularly during the Covid era, the number of cybercrimes targeting small and large companies has skyrocketed about 600% over the last couple of years. That’s an insane amount!  

These malicious cybercrimes can cost anywhere from thousands to millions of dollars in lost revenue and privacy breaches, not to mention your business’s reputation. Even if you’re a small business, you’re not immune. Around 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses, and 3 out of 4 smaller companies say they don’t have sufficient personnel to address IT security.  

With these statistics in mind, there’s no better time than now to up your security infrastructure by using an ethical hacker. 

Conclusion  

While ethical hackers can’t completely stop malicious cyber criminals from attempting to enter your system, they can put you in a prime position to fix any weaknesses that would leave you and your clients’ data vulnerable.