So you want to be a hacker?

Basically a hacker is anybody who uses technology in a way that it wasn’t meant for. By finding weaknesses and faults with a system and using them to do things that the product normally won’t do.

There are many types of hackers but they all fall into 3 categories, white hat hackers the good guys.
Black hat hackers are the bad guys who use their skills to exploit weakness for profit or criminal intent.
And the gray hat hackers are the middle ground who have no criminal interest other than information and freedom that comes from knowledge of how things work.
We cover more about this in our other blogs.
In this blog we will cover what you need to know to become a cyber security specialist and how to start your journey in this amazing space.
It’s not as hard as people think.
We will also provide you with cheap often free training methods and various options in the cyber industry.
And cover a growing problem that we have found a solution for.

OK let’s start at the beginning.
The most important thing to start with is a laptop or computer device.. right?
Well yes having something to use for your hacking is a must, with the internet of things IOT everything is a computer so everything can be hacked.
Their for you can start learning on your laptop, home computer, mobile phone, tablet or a Raspberry Pi. Basically any device that you can run Linux off.

This brings us to the next stage and the most important part.
What is Linux?
Linux is an open source operating system (OS). An operating system is the software that directly manages a system’s hardware and resources, like CPU, memory, and storage. The OS sits between applications and hardware and makes the connections between all of your software and the physical resources that do the work.
So it’s a means to communicate with other systems at a root level basically all IT infrastructure uses Linux to function and program or change, so by knowing how to use Linux you will be able to program and change devices using the tools available.

What are the tools?
Linux operating systems have a few amazing tool kits that hackers use such as
Kali linux 🐉 and parrot OS 🦜
Both are packed full of useful pre- set programs that are designed to check networks find weaknesses and aid you to exploit them.

But Linux is hard to learn.
Yes we hear you, luckily we live in a time of free and open information and there are loads of great websites that offer courses and training.
Youtu.be has many cyber security professionals showing how to use the tools available from Nmap to creating a script in python.
We will cover some of the best links below.

So how do I start to learn and develop my skills?
Well watching YouTube videos reading books and following guides on the Internet are all great options too start with, it’s very hard to learn how to hack without actually doing it.
But I will get into trouble if I start trying to hack someone’s computer system right?
Yes if you don’t have permission from the owner that would be illegal.
However there are many options that are legal such as websites designed to be hacked and great training programs like hack the box and try hack me.
Also most companies have something called bug bounty programs where you can look for weaknesses to exploit on their website and inform them of the process you took to find them, in return they will pay you for your findings.

This brings us onto our next step.
Making money from it. Ethically of course.
Within the cyber security sector and across all industries in I.T there are many options available to turn into a business opportunity.
The best way to start is think about what area you are good at, this could be coding for example. Then don’t get carried away as there are many computer codes available such as C+ python bash script or Ruby too name a few.
Just pick one you like and learn all you can about it.
Same goes for all aspects of hacking pick a couple of skills and learn as much as possible on them before even thinking about other options.

Once you’ve comfortable with using your new skills its time to create a cv or profile on freelance platforms and other social media sites (time to shine let others know what you can do for them)

Be honest with yourself start small and grow your skills ie
Freelance coding in python for your business or website content call or email me for costs or quotes.

Or network check using Nmap to scan your site for possible weaknesses full report and solution feedback only ×$ ..

Another great opportunity to make money with your new skills is from bug bounty as mentioned before check companies directly to see if they have one available and look for issues on their website inform them to any you find with details on how you found them and get paid for doing it.

Easy right? So what’s the catch,
Well this brings us to the biggest problem in the whole industry. Qualifications and getting past the gatekeepers of HR.
Currently the job market for cyber security professionals alone is thousands worldwide with only a small handful of people with the skills to help.
However there are also many companies providing qualifications.

Security Certifications Comparison

The CompTIA Security+ certification is issued by CompTIA. This is one of the IT Security entry-level exams for beginners, which certainly makes it a good place to start for anyone coming into IT Security.

It teaches basic security concepts that every beginner must know and is an exam seen by many as the first point of call on the way to pursuing your professional career and more advanced certification.

This exam offers generalized information and principles that will help candidates understand and build a solid foundation in information security. This exam includes six domains that must be understood by the student before taking the exam.

The CSX certification is issued by ISACA. It is another entry-level IT Certification package with a combination of three hands-on introductory courses and their corresponding certification exams.

Students will be able to learn how to interpret and use packets in their daily work routine, using Linux commands to understand their systems and networks, and secure networks they build and maintain.

After learning all these, it will now be the right time for the students to take the three affiliated certificate exams which apply to each course of study.

When someone successfully passes the following three certificate exams, they will be  awarded the CSX Technical Foundations Certificate

• CSX Network Application and Configuration Certificate

• CSX Linux Application and Configuration Certificate

• CSX Packet Analysis Course Certificate

The CCNA certification is issued by Cisco. CCNA Security certification is another foundational certification exam if you are looking to kick-starting a career in security.

This exam will help you build the skills required to develop a secure infrastructure with routers and firewalls and other security devices. It will help you to recognize threats and vulnerabilities to networks, and define how to mitigate security threats.

• Prerequisites: You just need to have experience in working in an IT network environment and it’s recommended but not compulsory to sit for the A+ Exam by CompTIA.

• Exam: CCNA (200-301) Exam has 120 multiple-choice questions to be answered within 2 hours and 849 out of 1000 points is the passing score).

• Cost for the exam: $300 USD

The CEH certification is issued by EC-Council. This is an exam that is aimed at penetration testing. When you have a CEH certificate, then you will be definitely known as a white-hat-hacker.

Any holder of this certificate has the sole responsibility of trying to penetrate a system to find vulnerabilities. The major reason for which organizations usually hire them is to help them find vulnerabilities in their system so that they can quickly remediate them before an attacker finds them.

Certified Ethical Hacker certification is an exam that has penetration testing as a focal point.

The white hat hackers test the security of a network from the inside or pretend to be an attacker from the outside. This is one of the best-known and sought-after information security certificates in the world.

• Prerequisites: Candidates must attend an EC-Council official training or have at least two years of information security working experience.

• Exam: CEH Exam (125 questions to be answered in 4 hours, 70% passing score)

• Cost for the exam: $1,199 USD

CompTIA CSA+- Certified Cyber Security Analyst
Covering all the tools and skills required to develop a strong base in cyber security.

This could become very difficult, expensive and subjected to what you really require compared with what companies ask you to have.
And this is the issue as many people have the basic skills to help companies protect their systems and networks yet they still can’t get jobs doing it.
This is why we said learn a few things well and sell that skill set to others.

Many useful links are listed below and Red Team wishes you all a safe and prosperous enjoyable venture into the world of the hacker.

Websites.
• Try hack me
• Hack the box
• Infosec4TC
• SANS.org
• Hak5.org

Youtu.be.
• Hak5
• Threatwire (by Hak5)
• David bombal
• Networkcuck
• Infosec
• Infosec4TC
• Sans

Book’s.
• Hacking: The Art of Exploitation (2nd Ed.)

• Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking
• The CERT Guide to Insider Threats

• The Complete Guide to Cybersecurity Risks and Controls (Internal Audit and IT Audit), 1st Edition

• CompTIA Network+ Certification All-In-One Exam Guide, Seventh Edition

• The Pentester Blueprint: Starting a Career as an Ethical Hacker