What is ethical hacking and how does it work?

Ethical hacking, also known as “white hat” hacking, is the process of identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in a computer system or network to assess its security and make recommendations to improve it. Ethical hacking is done with the permission and knowledge of the organization or individual who owns the system being tested.

Ethical hacking aims to find flaws in a system before malicious hackers can exploit them. The same tools and methods used by malicious hackers are also used by ethical hackers, but their goal is to improve security rather than cause harm.

Here’s how ethical hacking usually works.

Planning and reconnaissance

The target system or network is probed by the ethical hacker to obtain data that can be used to find vulnerabilities. This may consist of information such as IP addresses, domain names, network topology and other relevant facts.

Scanning

To find open ports, services, and other details about the target system that can be used to launch an attack, the ethical hacker uses scanning tools.

Enumeration

To gain unauthorized access, the ethical hacker searches the target system for more specific information, such as user accounts, network shares, and other details.

Vulnerability analysis

To find weaknesses in the target system, such as outdated software, misconfigured settings or weak passwords, the ethical hacker uses both automated tools and human procedures.

Exploitation

The ethical hacker looks to take advantage of vulnerabilities once they are found to gain unauthorized access to the target system or network.

Reporting

Ultimately, the ethical hacker records the bugs found and makes suggestions to improve security. The company or individual will then use this report to address system or network security flaws and improve overall security.

For companies and individuals who want to guarantee the security of their computer networks and systems, ethical hacking can be a useful tool. Ethical hackers can help prevent data breaches and other security problems by finding vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by criminal hackers.

Can blockchains be hacked?

While the technology behind blockchains is designed to be secure, there are still several ways attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in the system and compromise the integrity of the blockchain. Here are some ways blockchains can be hacked:

• 51% Attack: A 51% attack is an attack where the attacker has full control over the blockchain network’s computing resources. As a result, the attacker may be able to reverse transactions and alter the blockchain, thus spending money twice.
• Smart Contract Exploitation: If a smart contract has a vulnerability, an attacker can exploit this vulnerability to steal cryptocurrency or manipulate the blockchain.
• Malware: On the blockchain network, malware can be distributed to compromise the security of specific users. For example, the private keys required to access a user’s cryptocurrency wallet could be taken by an attacker using malware.
• Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack: DDoS is a type of cyber attack in which multiple compromised systems are used to flood a targeted website or network with traffic, rendering it inaccessible to users. A DDoS attack can be used to flood the blockchain network with traffic, effectively bringing it to a complete halt.

Related: What is Cryptojacking? A beginner’s guide to crypto mining malware

Therefore, it is important to be vigilant and take steps to ensure the security of your blockchain-based applications and platforms.

The role of ethical hacking in blockchain security

Blockchain-based ethical hacking is a new field that concentrates on finding weaknesses and potential attacks in blockchain-based systems. Due to its security and decentralization, blockchain technology has grown in popularity, but it is not impervious to security risks. The security of blockchain systems can be tested by ethical hackers using a variety of techniques to find potential weaknesses.

Here are some ways ethical hacking can be used in blockchain:

• Smart contract revision: Smart contracts automatically execute contracts where the terms of the agreement between buyer and seller are written directly into lines of code. Smart contracts can be audited by ethical hackers to find defects or exploitable weaknesses.
• Network Penetration Testing: To find potential holes in the blockchain network, ethical hackers can perform network penetration testing. They can use tools like Nessus and OpenVAS to find nodes that have known vulnerabilities, scan the network for typical abuses, and detect any weak spots.
• Consensus Mechanism Analysis: The consensus mechanism is a fundamental aspect of blockchain technology. The consensus mechanism can be examined by ethical hackers to find any weaknesses in the algorithm that can be exploited.
• Privacy and Security Testing: Blockchain systems are meant to be private and secure, but they are not completely impervious to attack. The privacy and security of the blockchain system can be tested by ethical hackers to find any weak points.
• Cryptography Analysis: Blockchain technology relies heavily on cryptography. The blockchain system’s cryptographic protocols can be examined by ethical hackers to find any errors in the implementation of algorithms.

Related: What is a Smart Contract Security Audit? A beginner’s guide

Overall, ethical hacking can be a valuable tool for identifying and addressing security threats in blockchain systems. By identifying vulnerabilities and making recommendations to improve security, ethical hackers can help ensure the security and integrity of blockchain-based applications and platforms.