Itm431 - Introduction to It Security

Darrin Dant

ITM431 - Introduction to IT Security

"Should you hire an experienced hacker to protect your IT systems?  Or is there such a thing as too much experience on the "dark side" of the law?"

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Securing IT systems from potential threats and thefts is a daunting task faced by organizations. Sensitive information in wrong hands could be harmful and can cause lot of damage. Hackers not only gain access to information but also indulge in various forms of cyber terrorism such as extortion. Hackers, discover the vulnerabilities of an IT system and exploit it. They understand the nuances of the system so well that exploiting it for their advantage becomes easy. The question one needs to think about is if hackers are so talented enough to break into security system, why shouldn’t their services be sought to protect the system.

A hacker depending on his intentions could be a white hacker/white hat, black hacker/black hat or grey hacker/grey hat. A hacker who indulges in hacking with a non-malicious intention to expose the vulnerabilities of the system is known as white hat. These hackers employ the techniques used by malicious hackers to test the security of an IT system and detect any errors. Hackers who intrude IT systems with motives such as theft of data or cyber terrorism are commonly known as black hat. They find the mistakes in the computer systems and use it to their advantage. A grey hat would be someone whose intention is at the borderline. Grey hat hackers are those who perceive breaking into a security system, a challenge for their skills. They may not cause any harm but nevertheless they intrude a system.

White hat are also known ethical hacker assess the possible threats to a IT system. It is necessary for these ethical hackers to gain an insight into the mind and techniques of malicious hackers. An example of an ethical hacker is Mark Seiden who works as an independent security consultant. It is his job to find the weak links in...