Skills That You Need to Have - 03

To become a good ethical hacker, you need to have the following skills:

1. Intermediate computer skills

This means that you need to have skills that go beyond creating a Word document or being able to surf theweb. To be a hacker, you need to know how to use different Windows command lines, set up a network, oredit your computer’s registry.

2. Good networking skills

Since many, if not most, of hacker attacks are done online, you need to master networking concepts and derms, such as:

• WEP versus WPS passwords
• NAT
• MAC addresses
• Routers
• Ports
• VPN
• IPv6
• DNS
• Subnetting
• DHCP
• Private and public IPs
• IPv4
• OSI modelling
• Packets
• TCP/IP

3. Using a Linux operating system

Almost all hackers will have to use the Linux OS because it allows programs and tweaks that are not possible in Windows and Mac operating systems. Almost all hacking tools that you can find also make use of this operating system.

4. Virtualization

Before you even try testing an attack on a live system, you need to make sure that you know what you are doing. To make sure that you are doing things right, you might want to try out a hack first on a virtualization software package, such as the VMWare Workstation. Using virtual workstations will provide you a safe environment for your hack tests and prevent you from unintentionally causing damage to your own device.

5. Tcpdump or Wireshark

The tcpdump is known as a command line protocol analyser or a sniffer, while Wireshark is known as the most popular tool available that does the same function.

6. Knowledge of Security Technologies and Concepts

Any hacker should be able to understand the most important concepts and technologies related to information technology. For this reason, you need to be familiar with wireless technology and concepts, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), firewalls, Intrusion Detection System (IDS), Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and so on.

7. Scripting Skills

Having the ability to create and edit scripts allows you to create your own tools and manage to be independent from the tools developed by other hackers. By being able to build your own tools, you enable yourself to develop better defenses as criminal hackers create better hacks. To do this, you need to become a pro at using at least one of the commonly used scripting languages, such as Ruby on Rails or Python.

8. Database Skills

If you want to understand how hackers infiltrate your system’s databases, you need to see to it that you know how databases work. This means that you need to master a database management system such as Oracle or MySQL.

9. Reverse Engineering

Reverse engineering enables you to convert a piece of malware or similar exploit into a more advanced hacking tool. With this skill comes the understanding that almost all exploits done by hackers come from other existing exploits – once you understand how a malware or exploit feature works, you will have a better understanding of how other hacks work against a system.

10. Cryptography

Cryptography, as a skill, enables you to understand how hackers conceal activities and cover their tracks while performing hacks. It also helps you understand the strengths and weaknesses of different algorithms used to decrypt personal information, such as stored passwords.