Ed Baldwin talks to a man on the edge of computer security - Nathan House
What would you be left with if you took a hacker then removed his personality and his malicious interests? The fact is you'd end up with somebody who not only knew a lot about computers, but was also extremely talented. You'd also have somebody who was quite literally an expert when it came to computer and network security.
Perhaps it's not surprising that such skills are in very high demand from the most unlikely source - the corporate world. The very companies that are regularly targeted by hackers actually seek out individuals with knowledge of hacking skills to test their systems. While there are few situations where an individual might be employed to mount a covert attack from outside, individuals who can think like hackers and who know the hacking scene can earn a lucrative living.
Using such ethical hacking experts, companies are able to plug any potential breeches before they can be exploited by anyone with less-than-clean intentions. The same software that hackers use can be applied to the network to see what happens. In addition, ethical hackers keep a close eye on any new exploits that become public knowledge, and are able to advise the corporate world immediately on how to mount a defence.
Ethical hackers go by a number of titles. Some call themselves white hat hackers, while others prefer the term penetration testers. Most simply refer to themselves as security consultants.
But who are these people, what do they do and how do they do it? Join PC Extreme as we talk to top consultant Nathan House about modern network security
- PC Extreme
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