As of 2017, the global cyber security market has a total value of 137 billion us dollars, and according to the predictions, it will go up to 230 billion by 2022. Cybersecurity is a money maker that means it is important. So what is Ethical Hacking and why is it so important? And what are the roles of an Ethical Hacker? Here is the answer to all your questions.
The whole world runs on computers. Most of the population has access to one or other computing devices, which include everything from PCs to your smartphones, even the ATMs you use are such devices. And then there is the internet, connecting us all the time. Collecting all our personal, keeping track of us all the time and selling all it to advertising companies. As of June 2018, more than half of the world population has access to the internet.
From the outside, the internet is a rosy place. It is a connected network of computer, and today more than half of the world’s computers are in the network. That means all our smartphones are part of the network too. The Internet is a massive collection of data; every second new data is being uploaded to the internet. Where does this all new data come from? Most data gets uploaded by ordinary people and a lot by companies. The Internet is making our life so much easier; there is nothing you can’t find on the internet. And apart from being a knowledge bank, the internet is an escape. Escape from all of your realities and problems.
Escape into the world wide web
The internet has become an escape for all people. With social media, humans find their abode in the virtual world. They get lost in it, and they share everything with the internet. That is something scary. Everyone shares their life on the internet. They post where they are, what they are eating, and even they talk on the Internet. Not only this, even all of our banking system works through the internet now. So literally everything works with the help of the internet. That means an attack will be devastating. Hacking is a real problem now. Companies all around the world lose money and personal data on a daily basis. These intruders have power over the system. Non secured systems are easy to attack and compromise. And only 35% of the global organizations believe their systems can handle cyber-attacks.
So let us lay out some facts for you to understand the gravity of cyber-attacks. In 2017, the cyber-attacks cost 450 billion us dollars for the world. This shows how significant the impact of cyber-attacks is. The way to stop this is only by enforcing better cybersecurity which is also well known as Ethical Hacking. So what is Ethical Hacking? It is the protection all the connected systems around the world from cyber-attacks. This is something that needs a lot of skill and time to implement. There are various types of security enforced for different aspects of a network. This includes physical security and software security.
Ethical hacking offers limitless career options
Cybersecurity or Ethical Hacking is a growing industry. The internet is growing every day, and also the attacks on it are increasing. Most companies around the world worry about cyber-attacks on a daily basis. Everyone is implementing new strategies and hiring new employees to keep their systems safe. If cybersecurity is not given enough importance, the cyber-attacks will have a greater impact on your system.
Cybersecurity or Ethical Hacking is a multi-billion industry, every year it is becoming bigger every year. It is one of the most growing sectors. There are a lot of job opportunities in the industry and breaking into it is not so hard. So here are five courses you can take on Ethical Hacking. You can take these courses not only for a job but also to be aware of the attacks and be better prepared for them.
1. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
This is the most famous certification in this list. It is also one of the most respected certifications too. EC-council provides the certifications to an ethical hacker who is skillful in finding security holes in systems. EC-Council is primarily is a certification organization. They work to certify professionals who are in various areas of cybersecurity. They also provide a lot of different certification courses other than Ethical Hacking Course.
CEH is certification given to a hacker who works in legal ways to find the security holes in a system. This individual should have the same skill sets as an unethical hacker. CEH shows that this individual passes the minimum standards needed for Ethical Hacking professional. CEH is different from other exams. It works differently from the most. The test duration is 4 hours, and there are 125 multiple choice questions. But the passing score is not always the same. For each exam, the use of a different question set is mandatory.
This ensures that the exam holds real-life applicability more than academic application. And for each question set there is a separate pass score or cut score, and it ranges from 60% to 85%. This is what makes the exam unique and respected. EC-council provides an amazing course to prepare you for the certification exam. The course details 5 step hacker methodology in great details. Not only enough for the exams but also enough to prepare you for real-life situations.
2. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
CISSP is one of the most sought-after certifications in the field of Information Security. International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium ((ISC)²) is the organization that has devised this certification to meet the requirements of ISO/IEC Standard 17024.
(ISC)² is the world’s leading Cybersecurity and IT Security Professional Organization and aims to empower professionals to touch every aspect of information security.
The professionals with CISSP Certification can define the architecture, design, and management of the organization’s security. They have sound knowledge of the 8 domains prescribed by the CISSP Common Book of Knowledge, 2018.
The following conditions apply to get CISSP certified:
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Candidates must pass the CISSP certification exam
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Candidates must have a minimum of 5 years working experience in 2 or more of the 8 domains of the CISSP – CBK 2018.
The certification exam has a duration of 6 hours, and candidates need to score at least 700 out of 1000 marks to pass it. There are multiple choice questions and advanced innovative questions asked in the exam. The exam cost is $699.
3. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
This is one of the most advanced certifications in the list. It is provided by ISACA as a certification to acknowledge the knowledge of information system auditors.
ISACA is a global non-profit organization which focused on implementation of new global standards in the information systems domain. ISACA stands for Information Systems Audit and Control Association, but it is mostly known only as the acronym.
Most CISA holders are responsible for the monitoring of IT systems of major businesses, and this certification is a way of monitoring them. CISA certification is not easy to hold on to. It requires all the holders to attend 20 hours of training per year and 120 hours 3 years of the period. This is to teach them all the new advances in standards.
Every candidate must fulfill all of the following requirements to become CISA certified:
- The candidate must score 450 or more in the exam (800 max)
- The candidate must have the least experience of five years in IT auditing, control or security assurance. Also, this experience must be within the last ten years of application or within the five years of passing the exam.
- There is a Code of Professional Ethics, and Information Systems Auditing Standards by ISACA and the candidate must follow this code to get certified.
The certification exam consists of 150 multiple choice questions from topics like information system audit and IT management. There are three exams per year, and only 50% of the candidates pass the exam. Acquiring this certificate can lead you to better jobs in IT security management.
4. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
This is another certification provided by ISACA. The certification is for people who would like to manage enterprise information security systems. ISACA is also involved in the standards of InfoSec management. This makes this global organization best people certify InfoSec managers.
CISM Certification is an advanced level certification in Cybersecurity. It looks at individuals and makes sure that they are capable of designing and managing the security of information in an entire organization.
Similar to CISA certification holders, CISM holders should follow the ISACA’s professional code of ethics and take part in continuing education. This continued education is to stay updated to the new developments of InfoSec management. CISM holders should complete 20 hours of continued education to hold on to the certification.
To become CISM certified you must fulfill all the following requirements:
- You must have a minimum verified experience of 5 years in the information security field and also three years of experience in information security management. And this experience must be within the last ten years of application or within the five years of passing the exam.
- You must pass an exam which has 200 multiple choice questions.
5. CHFI – Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator Certification Course
CHFI Certification course is different than the others on the list. This course and certification trains you to be a cyber-investigator. That means you are not learning to protect systems from attacks. But you are learning to investigate the attacks that have already happened.
EC-Council provides the certification course, and the exam format is same as CEH:
- The exam has 150 multiple choice questions and the time limit is 4 hours.
- Passing score is different for each set of questions, that score depends mainly on the difficulty of each set, and it can be anywhere from 60% to 80% of the total score.
This course teaches you to investigate cyber-attacks ranging anywhere from fraud to theft using forensic evidence. Cyber forensics is different than physical one. And the increased use of computers and the increased attacks on them has increased the need for cyber forensic professionals. And this certification course can act as the best entry into the field.
All the certification courses above will help you break into the cybersecurity industry. Ethical Hacking is one of the best bets on a career in the future, and these options can come in handy if you are looking to get into it.