Ethical hacking is the process of intentionally breaching the security of a system to find out vulnerabilities in it and then making robust developments to remove all those issues. A professionally trained individual in Ethical Hacking is known as a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), and the demand for such individuals is increasing at a tremendous rate. Let’s see whether ethical hackers are in demand.
The cloud computing market is expected to grow from $371 billion in 2020 to $832 in 2025 at a cumulative annual growth rate of more than 20%. This in turn is set to increase the demand for Ethical Hackers roughly by 35% in 10 years, as stated by the US Bureau of Labour Statistics. (Source: EC-Council Blog)
The past few years have witnessed a large number of malware and ransomware attacks like Wannacry (2017), Petya (2016), Eternal Blue (2017), etc. The hacking of multiple social media accounts by the group “Legion” and others has given heebie-jeebies to big organizations and conglomerates.
So if you are someone who is planning to go for an Ethical Hacking Certification, now is the time, and nothing is stopping the demand in the many upcoming years.
What Exactly is Ethical Hacking?
Incidents of online data breaches are coming in the news now and then, both for private and government organizations and agencies. As observed, banks and other financial institutions are the worst affected. So, to ensure that their system security is rigid and flawless, organizations hire certified ethical hackers (CEH). A preferred minimum CEH course duration is two years and can extend further depending upon the course requirements.
- Ethical hackers explore vulnerabilities to penetrate the systems and networks and identify the weak spots responsible.
- They use the same methodologies and tools that a potential cyber hacker might use.
- CEHs attempt to bypass the system security patches and perform activities like manipulating the company’s web servers and other applications.
- Their task is to report all the vulnerabilities to the management and suggest preventive measures to tap them.
An ethical hacker has a huge responsibility of ensuring that none of the breaches is left open for cybercriminals after the test is conducted. They must also respect the company’s privacy policy while conducting their tests.
Let’s explore the different colored hats in the case of “Hacking”:
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Why is Ethical Hacking in Demand?
The cases of potential data breaches are increasing globally, and sectors like Banking, Government Agencies, Healthcare, Energy Companies, etc., are suffering significant setbacks. A common kind of leak is related to credit cards, which often exposes millions of users to the public domain. In 2017, the Capital One hack case led to data of 147 million users getting exposed. The bank holding company had to file a settlement of $700 million eventually.
Had the company maintained time-to-time check-ups for its system security, the situation might not have arisen at all.
This being discussed, some of the significant reasons why ethical hackers are continuously in demand are:
- Their training gives them perspectives of a real hacker, and thus they explore all the exploitable points.
- They have a comprehensive knowledge of tools that helps them optimize searches according to the organization’s needs.
- Ethical Hacking certifications are being recognized now by more and more organizations, thus increasing the demand for these professionals.
What are the Best Ethical Hacking Jobs and Salary in India?
The table below shows some of the top job profiles related to Ethical Hacking in India and the average salary.
| Job Profile | Average Salary Package |
| Certified Ethical Hacker | INR 5,02,886 |
| Information Security Analyst | INR 5,68,299 |
| Security Consultant | INR 7,14,483 |
| Penetration Tester | INR 6,03,062 |
Source: PayScale
Ethical Hacking Recruiters
Some of the organizations hiring professional certified ethical hackers (CEHs) are:
- Wipro Limited
- Infosys
- TCS
- Deloitte
- Ernst & Young
- FICO
- IBM
- State Bank of India (SBI)
- HDFC Bank
Almost all the banks hire individuals trained in ethical hacking, as these are the most threatened groups due to financial holdings.
Ethical Hacking Job Roles in Abroad
Ethical Hacking Jobs Abroad is popular among professionals as these offer better career prospects, and there are many recruiters, thus offering a higher chance of selection. Some of the best countries for a job in ethical hacking are the USA, Canada, UAE, Singapore, Australia, and England.
The table below compares the ethical hacking salary in some of these best countries.
| Country | Ethical Hacking Salary (in US Dollars) |
| USA | 90,000 |
| Canada | 60,290 |
| Australia | 78,130 |
| Singapore | 50,590 |
| UAE | 48,190 |
Which Skills are Required in Ethical Hacking?
Ethical hacking is a highly skilled job and requires many endeavors from the side of a student. Students need to be proficient in various languages, programming concepts, and a lot more.
Some of the tools, languages, and concepts students need to be aware of are mentioned below.
- Programming Languages: C++, Java, Pearl, Python, Ruby, PHP, etc.
- Networking Concepts
- Security Certifications: Security+, CISSP, TICSA, etc.
- Database Management (DBMS)
- A+ Certification
- CCNA
- CEH certification
- SQL
- Operating Systems: Windows, Linus, MacOS, etc.
- Cryptography Knowledge
- Penetration Testing Skills
The most popular and in-demand certification among these is CEH, offered by the American organization EC-Council. As the website of EC-Council mentions, aspirants of CEH certification should also possess:
- Ability to perform preventive, corrective, and protective countermeasures against malicious attempts.
- Proficiency in identifying and cracking multiple types of passwords.
- Ability to erase digital evidence of networks and system intrusions.
- Adherence to the code of ethics and professional conduct.
- Awareness of common cyber attacks like phishing, social engineering, trojans, insider attacks, identity thefts, etc.
For students looking to enter the ethical hacking field, multiple online certification courses are available, which are recognized by a large number of organizations. Some of the best among these are:
- EC-Council
- GIAC
- IBM
Lately, many colleges have also started offering Certification and Diploma courses in the field of Ethical Hacking. So if you are also someone interested in this field, don’t wait and GET SET. GO!