One of the most dangerous ways illegal hackers gain monetary profits is by extorting companies and individuals. This occurs when a hacker gains access to sensitive systems or data and then threatens to disclose it unless the organization pays a ransom.
The median or average salary for an ethical hacker in the United States is $106,198, according to Glassdoor. How much you earn will depend on several factors, including your level of experience, education, industry, company, location, and whether you have relevant certifications.
The primary strategy to earn money as a hacker is to steal sensitive data, sell it or require someone to pay for it. For example, once a cybercriminal leaks the company's customers' database, he would usually upload it to the dark web or hackers' forums for sale.
According to surveys, ethical hackers receive the highest paycheck at companies in San Francisco (around $150,000) and the lowest pay by companies in Minneapolis (around $97,000). On the other hand, the average salary for a CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) in the US is around $90,000 per annum.
The hacker-powered bug bounty platform
HackerOne announced on August 29 that six hackers signed up to the bug bounty platform have earned more than $1 million each.
Job Titles and Career Paths for Ethical Hackers
Full-time jobs are also available for those who wish to work in a cybersecurity role within an organization. Full-time penetration testers will test their networks for vulnerabilities by using ethical hacking techniques.
Santiago Lopez, 19, currently lives with his parents in Buenos Aires. In February he officially became the first ever bug-bounty millionaire, according to bug bounty platform HackerOne. Lopez told Business Insider that he got into hacking aged 15, and earned his first bug bounty at 16.
Ethical hacking requires a strong technical knowledge of computer systems, networks, and best security practices. To obtain the necessary skills and knowledge, a person must pursue formal education, such as a degree in computer science, or pursue a specialized certification in ethical hacking.
The typical ethical hacker salary in India is ₹51,230 per month, according to Glassdoor [1]. Pay scale, which lists an annual salary for certified ethical hackers in India, puts the average at ₹517,569 per year [2].
For example, a hacker can be charged with a crime if they lack consent or any lawful authorization to enter another's computer system. They may have such authorization from a law enforcement agency and/or a court order.
Creating Ransomware and Other Malware
Ransomware is a type of malware that can be used to encrypt files on a victim's computer and then demand payment in exchange for the decryption key. By creating malware and ransomware, black hat hackers can make money by extorting victims for large sums of money.
Hackers compromise networks and devices by exploiting weaknesses in their built-in security systems. Malicious hackers (also known as black hat hackers) do this in order to gain unauthorized access to personal information.
In the future, hackers could be able to take “targeted assaults” to the next level by using technologies like face recognition, voice pattern detection, and geo-location feedback. The most vital fact to grasp is that the technology required to counter hackers is also constantly developing and improving.
Eighty-eight percent of hackers believe they can infiltrate a targeted online network in less than 12 hours, a poll from Australian cybersecurity firm Nuix revealed Friday. Eighty-one percent of hackers claim they can identify and extract a victim's personal information during the same time frame.
Hacking refers to activities that seek to compromise digital devices, such as computers, smartphones, tablets, and even entire networks. Hackers are motivated by personal gain, to make a statement, or just because they can.
Hackers learn to hack by getting an education in cybersecurity, obtaining certifications, and getting jobs that require hacking capabilities. Here is more information on how hackers learn to hack: Get an education in cybersecurity. There are many different paths to starting a career in hacking and cybersecurity.
It is important to have a Bachelor's degree (BSc, BTech, BE, BCA) in Information Technology or Computer Science to become an ethical hacker. Candidates with an advanced diploma in network security or relevant technology can also choose ethical hacking as a professional career.
Working as a consultant or freelance ethical hacker can be a highly lucrative and rewarding career, but it also comes with a high level of responsibility and ethical considerations.
Becoming an ethical hacker is simple but not easy. There are various things you have to learn with a programming language and tools to help you in the field. In addition, hacking is ever-changing, and you need to keep up with the trends and tools being used.
Ethical hacking is not hard, but it is a highly technical job. We must be an expert in Operating systems, computer networking, and any programming language. Furthermore, we should be able to think like a malicious hacker whose code we wish to crack. It can be simple to understand hacking.
Kevin Mitnick holds the title as the world's most famous hacker ever, with this title dating back to 1995 by the US Department of Justice.