For many ‘hacking’ is a dirty word that conjures up images of cybercriminals sitting at their computers, while they await an unsuspecting victim who will fall for their clever tricks.
However, some hackers called, ‘Whitehat Hackers’, embark on a career in this field with the sole purpose of protecting software from ‘Blackhat Hackers’, who are the ‘bad guys’. The ‘white hatters’ or the ‘good guys’ also train newbies so that they are equipped to deal with any hacking situation that may arise. Websites & software platforms exist that offer extensive, detailed tutorials on hacking. There are even ‘live’ Sites for trainees to practice on.
Websites offering ethical or legal hacking tips do make life a little more difficult for the real criminals because at least there’s someone sufficiently knowledgeable to interrupt their nefarious purpose. Read on to find out 5 popular hacking Sites.
Here are 5 popular Sites where you can go to learn ethical hacking:
Anyone wanting to learn the tricks of the trade will find valuable resources on this Website. Crammed with tutorials & articles aimed at improving the skill-set of hackers on every level, the Site features lessons on most aspects of security.
Another plus is that the Site offers ‘challenges’, graded at 50 different levels of skill for you to try your hand at. These tests are ‘live’, so you actually have the opportunity to hack ‘real’ situation code, & receive feedback & assistance from the community to promote your endeavor.
The focus of the Site is mainly aimed at network & Website security, so the tips & tricks proposed should be of interest to any Webmaster determined to have a secure Site.
With the sole intention of exposing possible security vulnerabilities & teaching Webmasters to become more security aware before rather than after their Site is hacked, HackYourselfFirst offers interested parties the opportunity to hack their Website. You heard that right, you can actually practice on a Site that contains over 50 security loopholes for you to exploit. Some glitches are harder to find & manipulate, which means that this Site is fun & educational at the same time.
Sign up & set up a VPN to become part of various tests & challenges available on this Site. You can select from a number of security vulnerabilities to solve, & you are thoroughly stretched when it comes to offering your solution. You will need to demonstrate how you initiated, & resolved security flaws by attaching files, graphics & full working logic to your submission. Moderators will mark your efforts & give you a score, which will probably encourage as well as reprimand you, so that you learn something new with each attempt.
Full of hacker related resources, HackThisSite is a good training ground for would-be hackers. Choose from an ever growing list of hacking challenges to hone your skill, or read some of the dedicated articles & tutorials aimed at taking your skill to the next level.
The Site has been around for a while, so expect to see a well-manned community forum as well as a plethora of in-depth, well researched articles addressing current security vulnerabilities of interest to the hacker-set.
More of a ‘hacker-bounty’ Site, HackerOne invites hackers to find security flaws in a host of applications supplied by the developer community. Businesses will pay premium dollar to hackers who employ their skills ethically so as to save themselves from real-world criminals. The Site has a leaderboard, & users are encouraged to complete against each other, which makes this Site a wonderful training ground.
In conclusion: These Sites represent only a handful of the resources available Online for those wanting to make a career in white-hat hacking or ethical hacking. This Website, of course, does not endorse or encourage any kind of black-hat hacking.
Image by Alltechbuzz from Pixabay
