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Introduction to Ethical Hacking
In This Chapter

Understanding hacker objectives

Outlining the differences between ethical hackers and malicious hackers

Examining how the ethical hacking process has come about

Understanding the dangers that your computer systems face

Starting the ethical hacking process
This book is about hacking ethically — the science of testing your computers
and network for security vulnerabilities and plugging the holes you
find before the bad guys get a chance to exploit them.
Although ethical is an often overused and misunderstood word, the Merriam-
Webster dictionary defines ethical perfectly for the context of this book and
the professional security testing techniques that I cover — that is, conforming
to accepted professional standards of conduct. IT practitioners are obligated to
perform all the tests covered in this book aboveboard and only after permission
has been obtained by the owner(s) of the systems — hence the disclaimer
in the introduction.
How Hackers Beget Ethical Hackers
We’ve all heard of hackers. Many of us have even suffered the consequences
of hacker actions. So who are these hackers? Why is it important to know
about them? The next few sections give you the lowdown on hackers.
Defining hacker
Hacker is a word that has two meanings:
 Traditionally, a hacker is someone who likes to tinker with software or
electronic systems. Hackers enjoy exploring and learning how computer
systems operate. They love discovering new ways to work electronically.
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 Recently, hacker has taken on a new meaning — someone who maliciously
breaks into systems for personal gain. Technically, these criminals are
crackers (criminal hackers). Crackers break into (crack) systems with
malicious intent. They are out...