With the world advancing at lightspeed, the internet has left no stone unturned to convert it into a global village. As the majority of official work (both private and public) is done through laptops and computer systems, it is critical to provide security in such situations. These days, all vital papers, information, and data are saved on a computer, which must be safeguarded with extreme caution. With ethical hacking coming into the scene, there is a high demand for cybersecurity expertise to protect sensitive data from hackers and design new technologies to secure the system.
What exactly is Ethical Hacking?
The hacker must follow the following rules when hacking a computer system ethically:
- Permission to explore the network and try to uncover potential security concerns that have been expressed (typically in writing).
- The privacy of an individual or a corporation must be respected by ethical hackers.
- After completing his or her task, an ethical hacker must ensure that nothing is left exposed for others to exploit afterward.
- Any security flaws in software or hardware must be reported to the program developer or hardware maker by ethical hackers.
Ethical hackers are taught how to uncover security flaws and report them to their owners, as well as provide the necessary fixes to protect data and networks, during the training. Ethical hackers must possess strong technical and analytical skills, as well as a thorough understanding of various computer tools and programs.
Eligibility Criteria for Cyber Security Courses in India
An ethical hacker must have a bachelor’s degree in IT, such as engineering or B.Sc, as well as an advanced diploma in networking. Admission to several prestigious institutes is based on admission exams like JEE Main, CET, and others. A certification in ethical hacking from a reputable institute can help you obtain better jobs and advance your career. But to get into Ethical Hacking or Cyber Security courses you must clear a certain criteria. Let’s explore the exams to be given for building a future in the same. Exams that one needs to crack the entrance for Cyber Security Courses are-
JEE Main: JEE Main is considered to be the stepping stone for entering into engineering and therefore into the cyber course of your choice.
JEE Advanced: What follows JEE Main is JEE Advanced. Basically, once you clear JEE Main, JEE Advanced becomes your direct ticket to courses of Cyber Security.
JEE Main and JEE Advanced when onced cracked gets you going into engineering which is the ultimate road to the learning of secure computing.
For candidates to pursue a postgraduate in the subject of Cyber Security, candidates must have a decent score in CET (Common Entrance Exam).
Technical skills for Cyber Security and Ethical Hacking
When sharp minds have cracked their JEEs and are all set with the brain of an eminent engineer to enter the world of cyber security, they must attain several technical skills before getting started. Well experienced skills in the field of network security and working along a variety of operating systems is what is mostly required. A thorough understanding of Microsoft and Linux servers, Cisco network switches, virtualization, Citrix, and Microsoft Exchange is required. In a field like such, it is very important to be well versed with the most up-to-date penetration softwares.
Certifications in Ethical Hacking
Some of the most well-known ethical hacking certificates are as follows:
- Certified Ethical Hacker – EC Council
- GIAC Certified Penetration Tester by SAN & GIAC
- Certified Hacking Forensic Investigator – EC Council
- Certified Intrusion Analyst – GCIA
Syllabus for Cyber Security and Ethical Hacking
Below is the syllabus cybersecurity and ethical hacking:
| Cloud Computing | Introduction to Ethical Hacking | Denial of Service | Hacking Mobile Platforms |
| Cryptography | Hacking Web Servers | Session Hijacking | Scanning Networks |
| Social Engineering | Malware Threats | Footprinting and Reconnaissance | SQL Injection |
| Evading IDS | Firewalls and Honeypots | Enumeration | – |
Career Opportunities for Ethical Hackers
Growing instances of computer system intrusion have compelled many corporations, financial institutions, and government agencies to hire ethical hackers to join their IT teams. Organizations use their assistance to assess the vulnerabilities and potential security leaks in their computer systems in order to safeguard them against any prospective threats. As a result, Ethical Hacking as a career has a bright future ahead of it. According to an International Data Corp report, there is a global demand for over 60,000 information security personnel. In India alone, the number is likely to rise to around 77,000 in the next several years, with a global total of 188,000. Wipro, Dell, Reliance, Google, Accenture, IBM, and Infosys are some of the top names in the IT business where talented Ethical Hackers can make a career. A graduate degree in computer science or a related field combined with certification in Ethical Hacking or a related field increases your chances of landing a job with a reputable company. The Ethical Hackers can’t go back once they’ve been recruited. Database administrators may rise into management positions after gaining expertise.
Salary Opportunities for Ethical Hackers
The kind of salary a fresher as an Ethical Hacker can expect to earn Rs 4.8 lakh per year in the current market. Candidates with higher academic qualifications and professional experience, on the other hand, can earn up to Rs 30 lakh per year.
Ethical Hacking in this widely growing world is quite a need. In a society where we live currently, dependency on the internet is highly on the go. But what concerns us the most is our privacy being breached and its consequences. Cyber security can surely help us have assurance in the system and ethical hacking can reduce the level of cyber threats in the near future gradually.
Running through for admissions into your dream course of cyber hacking might not be that easy a task at first. Candidates interested in enrolling in the certificate program in Cyber Security & Ethical Hacking must possess degrees of computer engineering or be an expert at cyber networking to expressly join the course. But later, admission is granted to those who pass the JEE Main entrance exam. Hence, to excel in this field, JEE Main and JEE Advanced is your only route map to a certified Cyber Security & Ethical Hacking course.
