Penetration Testing - Can Hackers Be The Good Guys? by Andrew Mabbitt

The IT security market can seem like a quagmire of complexities and confusion from the outside. And there are a heap of misconceptions about the kinds of people that get into hacking, the lives they lead and the motivations that drive them.

It’s true that for some individuals, cybercrime is both a way of life and a means of making a living. But what about those on the other side of the fence; experts who work to fight back against the digital forces of darkness?

Penetration testing is the perfect example of how diverse the hacking ecosystem can be. It lets code kings put their skills to the test, but without any malicious intent. So what is penetration testing and how can it benefit businesses today?

Probing For Vulnerabilities

Data breaches can be hugely expensive for organisations around the world. In the UK alone, such attacks have cost investors in FTSE 100 companies a total of £42 billion over the past five years. A typical attack can set a major firm back £120 million, and recovery can take a long time, leaving reputations in tatters and share values in the toilet.

Because of this, many multinationals are willing to take preventative measures and invest in advanced....

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Hakin9 TEAM: Hakin9 is a monthly magazine dedicated to hacking and cybersecurity. In every edition, we try to focus on different approaches to show various techniques - defensive and offensive. This knowledge will help you understand how most popular attacks are performed and how to protect your data from them. Our tutorials, case studies and online courses will prepare you for the upcoming, potential threats in the cyber security world. We collaborate with many individuals and universities and public institutions, but also with companies such as Xento Systems, CATO Networks, EY, CIPHER Intelligence LAB, redBorder, TSG, and others.