Offensive cybersecurity: a detailed guide from a “white” hacker

Before we talk about cybersecurity, pentests, hacking, let’s deal with the term “hacker”. Many people misunderstand him.

People who steal money using IT, hack websites, leak information, invent viruses are bandits, not hackers.

A hacker initially (from the word hack ― to get into) is a person who is well versed in any technology, understands how it works? and he knows how to exploit its shortcomings and vulnerabilities to do his job faster.

This is an over-competent specialist who is able to advise and offer his own solutions, independently find gaps in the system.

He does not want to destroy, but to make the world a better place.

Therefore, those who are engaged in cybersecurity are often called white, ethical hackers, or white hat. They are resisting cybercriminals — black hat: they are looking for vulnerabilities to help developers and make the product safer. They understand system errors, know how to fix them, protect information using cryptography and build barriers to malware.