5 answers
Kevin
Student
Yuma, Arizona
1
Question
Updated
2365 views
What is the hardest part of being an ethical hacker and some challenges you face on the job?
My name is Kevin, I am a 8th grader in middle school.
What is the hardest part of being an ethical hacker and some challenges you face on the job
Is it worth the money to go to college for this career?
5 answers
Du Pham
Network Security
2
Answers
Fort Worth, Texas
Updated
Du’s Answer
Hello Kevin, the challenges and difficulties an "ethical hacker" faces depend on different aspects, such as:
- Self-employee (e.g. bounty hunters, consultants, researchers) - stay within the boundaries of the laws, obtained approvals and permissions.
- Industry employee (e.g. corporate workers) - assigned responsibilities, specific targets and timelines.
Because in the simplest form, an ethical hacker is a "tester".
For a career in Cybersecurity, there are MANY other jobs and responsibilities, beyond ethical hacking. I would suggest to explore and understand Cybersecurity as a whole through classes offer in your schools, online introduction courses, and educational articles before committing to any specific focus. Good luck... wish you the bests.
- Self-employee (e.g. bounty hunters, consultants, researchers) - stay within the boundaries of the laws, obtained approvals and permissions.
- Industry employee (e.g. corporate workers) - assigned responsibilities, specific targets and timelines.
Because in the simplest form, an ethical hacker is a "tester".
For a career in Cybersecurity, there are MANY other jobs and responsibilities, beyond ethical hacking. I would suggest to explore and understand Cybersecurity as a whole through classes offer in your schools, online introduction courses, and educational articles before committing to any specific focus. Good luck... wish you the bests.
Roberto Fernandez
Servant Leader Apprentice
44
Answers
Miami, Florida
Updated
Roberto’s Answer
That is a great question ! and by the way Information Security is one of the fastest growing disciplines in the Information Technology fields. "Ethically hacking" is just one aspect of that (#3 in my list below) and I would recommend instead, to acquire an extensive portfolio of Infosec skills.
There are many different things Information Security analysts can do. The most frequent activities may include:
1- Designing, reviewing and/or firewall policy changes
2- Using specialized tools and experience to assess proper levels of hardening on applications and systems
3- Using specialized tools and experience to conduct scans and penetration tests (very exciting LOL)
4- Watching for events and alerts then poring over information in order to spot patterns of malicious activity
5- Pouring over massive amounts of collected data in order to perform forensic analysis after incidents (I call this the Infosec CSI and it is very fun)
6- Advising teams on what is acceptable or not regarding certain changes (telling people what then cannot do because is not secure)
This is just a very small list of tasks that are easy to understand for the "uninitiated" but the truth is that the depth in this field is tremendous and it just continues to get better. Overtime you would have made all of those things and more and depending on what your role is and your experience there could be really busy days when you have to do all of the above (and more) during a single day. You will never get bored !
There are many different things Information Security analysts can do. The most frequent activities may include:
1- Designing, reviewing and/or firewall policy changes
2- Using specialized tools and experience to assess proper levels of hardening on applications and systems
3- Using specialized tools and experience to conduct scans and penetration tests (very exciting LOL)
4- Watching for events and alerts then poring over information in order to spot patterns of malicious activity
5- Pouring over massive amounts of collected data in order to perform forensic analysis after incidents (I call this the Infosec CSI and it is very fun)
6- Advising teams on what is acceptable or not regarding certain changes (telling people what then cannot do because is not secure)
This is just a very small list of tasks that are easy to understand for the "uninitiated" but the truth is that the depth in this field is tremendous and it just continues to get better. Overtime you would have made all of those things and more and depending on what your role is and your experience there could be really busy days when you have to do all of the above (and more) during a single day. You will never get bored !
Alok Verma
Consultant
15
Answers
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Alok’s Answer
Being an ethical hacker can be a challenging but rewarding career. Here are some of the hardest parts and challenges you may face on the job:
- The cybersecurity landscape is ever-evolving, with new threats and vulnerabilities emerging regularly. Ethical hackers must stay up-to-date with the latest techniques, tools, and security best practices. This requires a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
- Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Ethical hackers need to understand a wide range of attack vectors, from traditional methods like phishing to more advanced techniques like zero-day exploits and supply chain attacks.
- Ethical hackers must operate within strict legal and ethical boundaries. Balancing the need to test security defenses with respecting privacy and compliance regulations can be challenging. Missteps can have serious legal consequences.
- Managing client expectations is essential. Clients may expect immediate results or may not fully understand the limitations of penetration testing. Effective communication and setting realistic expectations are critical.
- The responsibility of uncovering vulnerabilities and potential security breaches can be stressful. Ethical hackers may need to work under pressure, especially when responding to incidents or conducting security assessments on critical systems.
- The cybersecurity landscape is ever-evolving, with new threats and vulnerabilities emerging regularly. Ethical hackers must stay up-to-date with the latest techniques, tools, and security best practices. This requires a commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
- Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Ethical hackers need to understand a wide range of attack vectors, from traditional methods like phishing to more advanced techniques like zero-day exploits and supply chain attacks.
- Ethical hackers must operate within strict legal and ethical boundaries. Balancing the need to test security defenses with respecting privacy and compliance regulations can be challenging. Missteps can have serious legal consequences.
- Managing client expectations is essential. Clients may expect immediate results or may not fully understand the limitations of penetration testing. Effective communication and setting realistic expectations are critical.
- The responsibility of uncovering vulnerabilities and potential security breaches can be stressful. Ethical hackers may need to work under pressure, especially when responding to incidents or conducting security assessments on critical systems.
Tavish Jain
SDE
5
Answers
Delhi, DL
Updated
Tavish’s Answer
The hardest part of being an ethical hacker is navigating the legal and ethical gray areas. While you have permission to hack, it's challenging to strike a balance between aggressively testing security and respecting privacy and the law. Other challenges include staying updated with rapidly evolving security threats, dealing with ethical dilemmas, and communicating complex technical issues to non-technical stakeholders. Maintaining client trust and confidentiality is crucial. Additionally, the constant pressure to find vulnerabilities in systems can be mentally taxing. Ethical hackers must possess both technical skills and a strong ethical compass to address these challenges effectively.
Jérôme Bell, CISSP, CCSP
Cybersecurity Engineer
4
Answers
Columbia
Updated
Jérôme’s Answer
As a hacker, understanding the limits of what is permissible and what is not can pose a significant challenge. The nature of the business may restrict your ability to fully manipulate a system or environment. Additionally, time constraints can make it difficult to master the art of system exploitation.
While college education provides a solid foundation in computing basics, it's not an absolute requirement for becoming a proficient hacker. The keys to success in this field are curiosity, persistence, and imagination. A wide array of tools necessary for hacking are publicly accessible and at your disposal. Nevertheless, college provides an excellent platform for refining critical thinking abilities and sharpening skills in information interpretation and learning.
While college education provides a solid foundation in computing basics, it's not an absolute requirement for becoming a proficient hacker. The keys to success in this field are curiosity, persistence, and imagination. A wide array of tools necessary for hacking are publicly accessible and at your disposal. Nevertheless, college provides an excellent platform for refining critical thinking abilities and sharpening skills in information interpretation and learning.
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