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Ethical Hacking Tutorial

Last Updated : 21 Apr, 2025
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This Ethical Hacking tutorial covers both basic and advanced concepts of Ethical Hacking. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced cybersecurity professional, this tutorial is the perfect resource to learn how to tackle vulnerabilities and weaknesses in systems before malicious hackers can exploit them.

From understanding the hacking basics to diving into advanced ethical hacking techniques, including Footprinting and Reconnaissance, Scanning Networks, Enumeration, and more.

This ethical hacking tutorial covers everything you need to know to become a skilled ethical hacker and learn how to use your skills to find and fix vulnerabilities in systems before they can be exploited by malicious hackers. But before starting, this ethical hacking tutorial, let’s understand ward hacking.

Ethical Hacking Tutorial
Ethical Hacking Tutorial

What is hacking?

In simple terms, hacking is the practice of exploiting vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks, or applications to gain unauthorized access. Hackers use techniques such as phishing, brute force attacks, and SQL injection to break into systems. They often employ tools like keyloggers, malware, and Trojan horses to steal sensitive data or disrupt services. Whether it's cracking passwords, bypassing firewalls, or using zero-day exploits, hacking involves manipulating systems to achieve their goals, often staying a step ahead of security measures.

What is Ethical Hacking?

Ethical Hacking, also referred to as "white hat hacking," "Pen Testing," or simply "ethical hacking," plays a critical role in maintaining the security and integrity of computer systems and networks. It involves cybersecurity practices that use hacking tools and techniques to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in computer systems and networks with the primary objective of preventing unauthorized access to systems and sensitive data, protecting against cyber-attacks, and ensuring the security of an organization's assets.

Ethical Hacking Tutorial: Beginners to Advanced

Introduction to Ethical Hacking

Foot Printing and Reconnaissance

Scanning Networks

Enumeration

System Hacking

Malware Analysis

Sniffing

Social Engineering

Denial-of-Service

Session Hijacking

Evading IDS, Firewalls, and Honeypots

Hacking Web Servers

Hacking Web Applications

SQL Injection

Hacking Wireless Networks

Cloud Computing

Cryptography

Why is Ethical Hacking Important & Job Roles for Ethical Hackers? 

Nowadays, Data is the most valuable asset for any corporation. In order to the preservation of privacy and Integrity of data from Malicious Attacks Ethical hacking is Important because it helps organizations identify and mitigate potential security risks, prevent cyber attacks, and improve overall security. Ethical hackers play a critical role in this process by identifying vulnerabilities, conducting penetration testing, and recommending solutions to improve security.

Roles of Ethical Hackers:-

  1. Identifies the Vulnerability of Computer Systems, networks and software applications.
  2. Simulates Cyber Attacks to Identify Weaknesses in Security Control and Systems.
  3.  Ethical Hackers maintain documents of their findings, provide recommendations and Improve Overall Security.
  4. Ethical Hacker assists the organization to implement Security Policies and procedure to enhance overall Security.
  5. Ethical hackers also provide security training to other employees.

What are Security Threats and their types?

Any Activity that has the potential to harm a system and breach the security of the Organization.

Types of Security Threats:- 

There are mainly two types of Security Threats:- 

  1. Physical Threats - Physical threats are those that involve physical access to an organization's assets.
    • Internal e.g. hardware fire, faulty power supply, internal hardware failures etc
    • External e.g. floods, fires, earthquakes etc
    • Human e.g.  vandalism, arson, accidental errors etc
  2. Non-Physical Threats - Non-physical threats include every threat that has no physical manifestation. They are also known as logical threats. Here are some of the most common types of security threats:
    • Malware
    • Phishing
    • Denial of Service (DoS) attacks
    • Insider threats
    • Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
    • Zero-day attacks
    • Man-in-the-middle attacks
    • Password attacks

Advantages of Ethical Hacking

Here are various advantages of hacking:-

  1. It is used to test how good security is on your network.
  2. It is used to recover the loss of information, especially when you lost your password.
  3. It is used to perform penetration testing to increase the security of the computer and network.

Disadvantages of Ethical Hacking

  • Ethical hacking activities, if not managed properly, can expose systems to new vulnerabilities.
  • Ethical hackers must operate within legal boundaries, and any misstep can lead to legal consequences.
  • Requires a deep understanding of various technologies, making it difficult to find qualified professionals.
  • Relying simple on ethical hacking can create a false sense of security; continuous monitoring is essential.
  • Dependence on Ethical Hackers: Over-reliance on ethical hackers can neglect the importance of a security-aware culture.
  • Risk that an ethical hacker might misuse their knowledge or access.

Ethical Hacking Certifications

Ethical hacking certification confirms the professional skills of the cybersecurity experts in penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, malware analysis, and network security. Ethical hacking certifications facilitate the career progression of ethical hackers by establishing proof of their ethical hacking skills, cyber forensics, and security operations

CertificationProviderFocus AreaDifficulty LevelBest For
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)EC-CouncilEthical hacking, penetration testing, network securityIntermediateSecurity analysts, penetration testers
Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)Offensive SecurityAdvanced penetration testing, exploit developmentAdvancedRed teamers, penetration testers
GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)GIACPenetration testing, vulnerability assessmentIntermediateSecurity consultants, network defenders
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)(ISC)²Information security, risk management, network securityAdvancedSecurity managers, IT professionals
CompTIA PenTest+CompTIAPenetration testing, security assessmentsIntermediateIT professionals, ethical hackers
Certified Security Analyst (ECSA)EC-CouncilAdvanced ethical hacking, real-world attack simulationsAdvancedExperienced penetration testers
GIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester (GXPN)GIACAdvanced penetration testing, exploit researchExpertSecurity engineers, red team professionals
Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)CompTIAThreat detection, malware analysis, incident responseIntermediateSecurity analysts, SOC professionals
CREST Registered Penetration Tester (CRT)CRESTWeb application security, network penetration testingAdvancedRed teamers, penetration testers
EC-Council Licensed Penetration Tester (LPT)EC-CouncilExpert-level penetration testing, security assessmentsExpertSenior penetration testers

Conclusion

This Ethical Hacking tutorial has provided you with the foundational knowledge and tools to understand the importance and techniques of ethical hacking. By mastering these skills, you can help protect systems and data from malicious attacks, ensuring a safer digital environment. Ethical hacking not only strengthens security but also promotes a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating potential threats. As you continue to develop your expertise, remember that ethical hacking is a continuous learning journey, requiring regular updates and adaptation to new challenges.


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