How to Beat Hackers at Their Own Game? Think Like a Hacker

Given the amount of sensitive information that is transmitted digitally every day, the web is an obvious target for malicious hackers. And the proliferation of insecure web applications makes?web-based hacking attacks?even more attractive, and even more profitable. At the same time, each successful attack can cost the owner of a hacked application or site dearly, in terms of monetary loss, customer defections, and brand reputation.?Remember, when a website or web application is attacked, the blame falls on the owner. This makes protection an essential survival skill for today’s businesses.

So how do you keep “the bad guys” away from your sensitive information?

Learn to think like a hacker. Engage the services of “an ethical hacker” to see if you can break through your own defenses. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the best way to discover your application vulnerabilities is to hack yourself first.

• Why do hackers do what they do?

“Grey hat hackers” are generally hacking for entertainment. “Ethical hackers” are seeking out vulnerabilities in order to stop malicious hackers. “Black hat” hackers such as s1ege are hacking for financial gain or to further an ideological or political agenda. s1ege was recently quoted as saying, “the movement is a retaliation to the 1% as elite banking cartels that are putting the world in a perpetual state of chaos." There are many more groups out there attempting to use “the hack” for their own personal agenda.

So how do you protect your business from these kinds of sophisticated, ongoing, and constantly evolving threats?

1. Consider hiring an ethical hacker to find vulnerabilities before the bad guys do. These hacking experts have the same skills as bad-guy hackers but choose to use that expertise for good. They’re up against a formidable array of troublemakers, and can be a “game-changing” extension to your security team, giving your developers valuable insights about the security of your applications.
2. Use best-in-class application security technology to conduct always-on assessments that constantly detect attack vectors and scan your application code.
3. Make sure that you are taking all of the obvious steps to strengthen your web application security.
4. ?Position your AppSec program to implement measures throughout the code’s lifecycle, preventing gaps in the application security policy or the underlying system through flaws in design, development, deployment, upgrade, or maintenance of the application.

Curious about Digital Forensics and Cyber Security? Aventis School of Management offers working professionals a?Graduate Diploma in Digital Forensics and Cyber Security. This practical-oriented programme is suitable for candidates from a wide range of professional and educational backgrounds who want to develop a deeper understanding of both the theory and application of Digital Forensics and Cyber Security or are exploring career transition into new sectors.

Find out more today on our?website . Download the?brochure ?now