Want to hack into networks and systems and get paid for it?
Discover if ethical hacking is a good career for you and learn how to get started on this career path.
Ethical hacking is an in-demand skill involved in many fascinating careers.
Some ethical hacking careers exist to help companies improve their digital security. Others involve gathering evidence from crime scenes or analysing illicit data.
In this blog, you’ll:
- Find out if ethical hacking is a good career option for you
- Discover what a role in the cyber security industry could look like
- Uncover how you can try some real-world hacking simulations
Check out the free CyberStart ethical hacking challenge at the end of this blog.
What do Ethical Hackers do?
An Ethical Hacker is employed to use hacking techniques to break into an organisation’s networks and systems. By doing so, the Ethical Hacker tests the organisation’s defences and uncovers potential security weaknesses.
Learn more by reading our beginner’s guide to ethical hacking here.
What does a job in ethical hacking look like?
Ethical hacking cannot be summed up in one single career, as it’s a skill that’s crucial to many cyber security roles.
Almost every business sector requires some level of cyber security, making it an in-demand speciality with many job opportunities.
Let’s discover some specific cyber security jobs involving ethical hacking.
Cyber Security Analyst
- The purpose of a Cyber Security Analyst is to detect and prevent cyber breaches.
- A Cyber Security Analyst configures and monitors digital infrastructures.
- A Cyber Security Analyst develops new ways to protect against those who try to hack into systems and networks.
- A Cyber Security Analyst must stay ahead of cyber criminal tactics to stay prepared for different types of cyber attacks.
How to discover cyber security analysis with CyberStart
Intern and HQ base are the perfect places to learn real Cyber Security Analyst skills.
Try Intern L02 C04 - ‘Start-Up Troubles’ for a free Cyber Security Analyst relevant challenge.
If you get stuck, check out the video below to learn how to solve this challenge. You can also find this video in CyberStart’s Field Manual.
Digital Forensics Investigator
Ready to become a digital Sherlock Holmes?
- A Digital Forensics Investigator investigates suspected digital crimes.
- Someone in a Digital Forensics Investigator role will examine crime scenes to determine if, why and how a crime occurred.
- This investigation often requires a Digital Forensics Investigator to hack into a system like a computer and acquire data that proves it’s the source of a crime.
How to discover digital forensics with CyberStart
CyberStart has a whole Forensics base for you to advance your practical forensics skills.
Hunt for hidden messages, spy on secret phone conversations, and investigate suspicious files to reconstruct timelines and analyse crime scene evidence.
Penetration Tester
If you love ethical hacking, Penetration Testing is likely to suit you.
- Penetration Testers are sometimes known as Ethical Hackers due to the extensive amount of ethical hacking they perform.
- A Penetration Tester tests and advises on a company’s security setup to protect their network better in the future.
- Penetration Testers use offensive cyber security techniques to attempt to hack and bypass their company’s security measures.
- The Penetration Tester will make the company aware of any security issues so they can be fixed before a cyber criminal takes advantage of the weakness.
How to discover penetration testing with CyberStart
If you want to try out the role of a Penetration Tester, Intern and Forensics base both have challenges for you to test organisations’ security defences through ethical hacking.
How much money does an Ethical Hacker make?
Entry-level ethical hacking salaries can start at around £22,000 to £26,000 but can quickly increase depending on how you advance in your career path.
Using your ethical hacking skills to land a Cyber Security Analyst role could earn you £56,000+, and a Penetration Tester role could earn you £60,000+.
With plenty of opportunities to move your way up the career ladder, senior Ethical Hacker roles can earn salaries of £100,000 to £200,000!
Is ethical hacking right for me?
Ethical hacking is a great career option if:
- You’re looking for a rewarding and ever-changing work environment
- You want a job that has a positive impact
- You want to prevent cyber attacks
- You have a passion for technology
- You like to challenge yourself
- You enjoy problem-solving
Still unsure if you would suit a career in this field? Give some real-world simulations a go for FREE with CyberStart’s Intern base.
Intern L02 C02 - Spinlock
In CyberStart’s ‘Spinlock’ challenge, it’s up to you to ethically hack into a bank’s digital lock to find a security issue.
To solve this challenge, see if you can alter anything in the developer tools that will help you hack into this security system.
Play this challenge and others for free in Intern base right now by signing up for your free CyberStart account.
