10 things your must know if you are ethical hacker

1. Networking Fundamentals

Understanding how networks work is essential for identifying vulnerabilities in systems that communicate over them.

• What to Know:
  • TCP/IP: How data packets travel (e.g., IP addresses, ports like 80 for HTTP).
  • DNS: How domain names (e.g., google.com) resolve to IP addresses.
  • Common Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SSH, and their ports.
  • Tools: Use nmap to scan for open ports or Wireshark to sniff network traffic.
• Why It Matters: Many attacks (e.g., man-in-the-middle) exploit network weaknesses.
• Practice: Scan your home network with nmap -v 192.168.1.0/24 to find devices (with permission!).

2. Computer Architecture Basics

You’ve already started learning this—knowing how CPUs, memory, storage, and I/O work helps you understand what you’re hacking.

• What to Know:
  • CPU: Executes instructions—vulnerabilities like Spectre exploit CPU flaws.
  • Memory: Buffer overflows overwrite RAM to inject code.
  • Storage: Malware hides in storage; you might need to recover deleted files.
  • I/O: USB attacks (e.g., Rubber Ducky) exploit input devices.
• Why It Matters: You’ll exploit or defend these components (e.g., finding malware in RAM).
• Practice: Use lscpu and free -h on Linux to check your CPU and RAM details.

3. Operating Systems (Especially Linux)

Linux is the go-to OS for hackers because of its flexibility and tools.

• What to Know:
  • Commands: ls, cd, cat, grep, chmod for file permissions.
  • File System: Understand /etc, /var, /root directories.
  • Kali Linux: A distro packed with hacking tools (e.g., Metasploit, Burp Suite).
• Why It Matters: Most servers run Linux, and you’ll use it for pen testing.
• Practice: Install Kali Linux in a virtual machine (VirtualBox) and run whoami to see your user.

4. Encryption and Cryptography

We’ve covered AES in detail—it’s critical to understand encryption to secure data or spot weak implementations.

• What to Know:
  • Symmetric (AES): One key for encryption/decryption (e.g., AES-128 uses 10 rounds).
  • Asymmetric (RSA): Public/private keys for secure communication.
  • Hashing: MD5, SHA-256 for integrity (not encryption).
  • Weaknesses: Look for short keys, reused IVs, or outdated algorithms (e.g., DES).
• Why It Matters: Black hats exploit bad encryption (e.g., cracking weak passwords).
• Practice: Encrypt a file with AES using Python (see the code we discussed earlier).

5. Programming Skills

You’ve already started with Python—programming is a must for writing tools, automating tasks, and understanding exploits.

• What to Know:
  • Python: Great for scripting (e.g., password guesser, web scraper we wrote).
  • C: For low-level exploits (e.g., buffer overflows).
  • JavaScript: To exploit web vulnerabilities (e.g., XSS).
  • Bash: Automate tasks on Linux (e.g., for loops to scan IPs).
• Why It Matters: You’ll write custom tools or analyze malware.
• Practice: Modify the Python password guesser to read from a file (with open(“passwords.txt”, “r”)).

6. Web Application Security

Most modern attacks target web apps, so you need to know how they work and where they’re vulnerable.

• What to Know:
  • Common Attacks:
    • SQL Injection: Injecting malicious SQL queries (e.g., 1 OR 1=1).
    • XSS (Cross-Site Scripting): Injecting scripts into web pages.
    • CSRF: Tricking users into unwanted actions.
  • Tools: Burp Suite for intercepting HTTP requests, OWASP ZAP for scanning.
• Why It Matters: Banks, e-commerce, and apps are prime targets.
• Practice: Set up a vulnerable web app (e.g., DVWA) and try a basic SQL injection.

7. Vulnerability Scanning and Exploitation

You need to find and test vulnerabilities systematically.

• What to Know:
  • Scanning Tools:
    • Nmap: Find open ports and services.
    • Nessus/OpenVAS: Scan for known vulnerabilities.
  • Exploitation:
    • Metasploit: Framework to test exploits.
    • Manual Exploits: Write your own (e.g., buffer overflow in C).
• Why It Matters: You’ll help companies fix holes before black hats find them.
• Practice: Use nmap -sV 192.168.1.1 to identify services on your router (with permission).

8. Social Engineering Defense

Not all attacks are technical—people are often the weakest link.

• What to Know:
  • Phishing: Fake emails to steal credentials.
  • Pretexting: Creating a fake scenario to trick someone.
  • Defense: Educate users (e.g., spot suspicious links, use 2FA).
• Why It Matters: 90% of breaches start with a human error (e.g., clicking a bad link).
• Practice: Create a fake (harmless) phishing email and test if a friend spots it (with their consent).

9. Legal and Ethical Boundaries

Ethical hacking means staying within the law and respecting boundaries.

• What to Know:
  • Permission: Always get written consent (e.g., for pen testing).
  • Laws: Know the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) or local laws in Hong Kong (e.g., Computer Crimes Ordinance).
  • Bug Bounties: Programs like HackerOne let you hack legally for rewards.
• Why It Matters: Crossing the line makes you a black hat—jail time isn’t worth it.
• Practice: Join a bug bounty program (e.g., Bugcrowd) and read their rules.

10. Continuous Learning and Community

Cybersecurity evolves fast—you need to stay updated and connected.

• What to Know:
  • Resources: Follow blogs (Krebs on Security), X accounts (@thegrugq), or podcasts (Darknet Diaries).
  • CTFs: Capture The Flag events (e.g., TryHackMe, Hack The Box) to practice.
  • Certifications: Start with CompTIA Security+, aim for CEH or OSCP.
• Why It Matters: New vulnerabilities (e.g., Log4j) pop up constantly.
• Practice: Solve a beginner CTF on TryHackMe and share your progress with me!