Mastering the art of hacking

Puneet Mehrotra

It takes a thief to catch a thief

In times like today any ambition can turn into reality. If poking your nose in other people’s business and burglary have been your fantasy then today you can proudly not only learn about it but even get a university degree and use your knowledge for some constructive purpose.

A hackers degree

A Scottish university is launching a course to teach students how to become computer hackers. The University of Abertay in Dundee is offering Britain’s a degree course in computer hacking- a first of its kind.

The under graduate course is spread over three years and will teach the students the intricacies of security in computer systems, cracking sophisticated networks and details about hacking systems. So that the students can use it in turn to protect the networks of various organisation and give them security. Around 30 students will be enrolled in the course, which the university says will provide a graduate with knowledge of how illegal computer attacks can be performed and how they can be stopped.

Good wins over evil - ethical hacking

Ethical hacking is almost as old as hacking. The same good versus evil principle applies here. Both require a master’s expertise, superb in-depth knowledge and a super mind. Yet one is destructive, the other constructive. Ethical hackers have been in demand lately. So who exactly is an ethical hacker?

The ethical hacker

An ethical hacker is a skilled professional who understands and knows how to look for the weaknesses and vulnerabilities in target systems and uses the same knowledge and tools as a malicious hacker. He gives strength to the network and the system and helps maintain its integrity.

Learning ethical hacking

Ethical hacking is a buzzing career option. Google generates a whooping 1,720,000 results for ethical hacking courses. Certified courses in ethical hacking are available with almost every good computer-training institute.

The remuneration for certified hackers is pretty attractive. A certified security specialist with approximately three years experience gets paid between $75,000 to $3,00,000 per annum in the US. An expert could command $500 an hour upwards.

The hacking market

The market for an ethical hacker is immense and is only becoming bigger. It is estimated that computer hacking costs $19 billion of damage to British business each year. According to USAtoday.com many insurance companies - overwhelmed with hacking-related claims the past two years - have sliced hacking losses from general-liability policies, forcing companies to spend extra for “network risk insurance,” which costs about $5,000 to $30,000 a year for $1 million in coverage.

The digital world

As our world gets increasingly digital so does the need for security in terms of digital content, computer systems and networks. Hacking and ethical hacking have in a way been responsible for the strength and integrity of computer systems and networks. Evil is limitless so is the mind of the hacker, and the ethical hacker. The battle between good and evil will continue forever.

Puneet Mehrotra is a web strategist at www.cyberzest.com and edits www.thebusinessedition.com you can email him on puneet@cyberzest.com

© HT Media Ltd. 2006.