Most students, who are interested in computers, want to learn hacking or want to be a hacker. But they always find it difficult how to start and what to learn to be a hacker. Before thinking too much, you need to know that there is a big difference between hacking and computer tricks. If you can apply 2-3 computer tricks, it does not make you a hacker. I have seen many people doing some VLC tricks, and some registry tricks, and then claim to be a hacker. Hacking is beyond computer tricks. You should know what is hacking. You should also know how to think differently and how to analyze things.
Becoming an ethical hacker requires a combination of technical skills, knowledge, and a strong ethical foundation. Ethical hackers, also known as white-hat hackers, use their skills to identify vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks, helping organizations improve their security. In this post, we will discuss all aspects of hacking and how to be a hacker.
How To Be A Hacker
What is Hacking?
Hacking is the practice of getting unauthorized access to a system, network, or resources. Hacking is breaking authentication and authorization. It is also finding vulnerabilities of some systems and gaining access to it.
A person involved in hacking is called a hacker. Hacking is not always illegal. Companies hire hackers to break their security to know the security holes in their security systems. This kind of hacking is called Ethical Hacking that is done for legitimate reasons. If you want to pursue a career in hacking, you will be becoming an ethical hacker.
There are a few possible characteristics that make one a hacker
- The person who thinks different
- The person interested in hacking and cracking
- The person who can learn programming quickly
- The person who enjoys doing programming rather than its theory
- The person who loves the computer and the Internet
- The person interested in how computer things, websites, and network devices work
These are some types of hackers you should know about.
- White hat – Ethical hacker who does hacking with permission
- Black hat – Hacker who tries to unauthorized access.
- Grey hat – A person who gets unauthorized access but reveals the weaknesses to the company.
- Script kiddie – A person with no technical skills just used pre-made tools.
- Hacktivist – A person who hacks for some idea and leaves some messages. For example strike against copyright.
How to Start Learning to Be a Hacker
First of all, you need to know that there is no trick or overnight process to be a hacker. I have got so many requests for Ethical hacking tricks, Hacking tricks, and tools but Hacking is beyond the tricks and tools. Tricks and Tools are a small part of it. If you really want to know how to be a hacker, you should follow many things with dedication and practice so many things a lot.
Follow these things to be a hacker:
Decide What Hacker You Want to Be
Hacking is not a small area. You should decide your area of interest like web hacking, network hacking, or system hacking. You can learn all but you can be a master in only one of these. Computer hacking was the most popular form of hacking. But, now people are more interested in web hacking because they all want to hack Gmail and Facebook. You can also find easy-to-use automatic tools for website hacking. So, people generally turn to web application hacking.
Learn Programming
Programming is the most important thing which you should learn. You can learn C, C++ Java, PHP, Python, JavaScript, or other programming languages. If you are good at programming, you will be able to create your own scripts to help you while hacking. It also helps you in analyzing things. If you are a good programmer, you can easily understand how web applications or software works. It helps you in breaking it.
You should also learn Linux which is the favorite OS of hackers. Whether you are interested in network hacking or system hacking, Linux helps a lot. After learning Linux, switch to BackTrack. BackTrack comes with all the latest penetration testing tools and hacking tools.
Tools Have Limits, So Learn How Things Work
Before hacking an authentication and authorization, you should know how it works. If you do not know how it works, you cannot break it. Hacking tools have a limit. It can work only for pre-defined cases. Suppose an XSS tool, can only find limited cases of XSS, for complicated XSS, you should know how web applications and JavaScript works.
If you are into network hacking, you should learn how packet transfer happens in a network, how protocols works, and how network devices work. Similar cases are with web applications and systems. So, start exploring how stuff works.
Buy Some Books to Help You in the Initial Stages
There are many nice books available that you can buy to learn to hack. These books will guide you stepwise step. You can follow these books and start learning things. Books can only guide you. You should also try it in your system and practice things to be a master in it. Here is a list of some books
- The Basics of Hacking and Penetration Testing, Second Edition: Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing Made Easy
- Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to Hacking
- Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking
- Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, 2nd Edition
- OWASP Testing Guide
- The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook: Finding and Exploiting Security Flaws
- The Basics of Web Hacking: Tools and Techniques to Attack the Web
Watch YouTube videos
There are also some good YouTube channels where you can get awesome video tutorials and demonstrations. Here is a list of a few good YouTube channels dedicated to hacking and security content.
- LiveOverflow
- Black Hat
- Devil Killer
- Frans Rosén
- HackerOne
- ak1t4 machine
- vulnerability0lab
- Bugcrowd
- ErrOr SquaD
- Penetration Testing in Linux
Subscribe to Monthly Magazines of Security
You should also be interested in what is new in the security world. Keep up with the latest security news, vulnerabilities, and hacking techniques. Join online forums, read security blogs, and participate in Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions to improve your skills. You can also subscribe to security magazines.
Get hands-on experience
Set up a lab environment using virtual machines or other tools like Kali Linux, which is a popular operating system for penetration testing. Practice in a controlled environment to explore different hacking techniques without causing harm.
Develop strong ethical guidelines
As an ethical hacker, it’s crucial to prioritize ethics and adhere to legal and moral boundaries. Always obtain proper authorization before conducting any testing or assessments, and respect the privacy and confidentiality of others.
How Long It Takes to Be a Hacker
It depends on your talent. It depends on how quickly to start learning things. You cannot learn things in a night. You need to have patience and dedication. Learn things, apply, and see how it works. Take reference to books, join good forums, and ask experts. In general, it takes 1 year to 2 years to be an expert in hacking but it is a never-ending process. You will always be learning new things.
Practice is the key factor. You cannot be a hacker just by reading books and learning about tools theoretically. You should try to focus on practical things. But never try things on big websites or private networks. You may create trouble for yourself by doing this.
Do Certifications to Start a Career As an Ethical Hacker
If you want to be an ethical hacker to start your career in hacking, you can join some good security certification courses. CEH is the most basic certification by EC-Council. CompTIA certifications such as Security+, Network+, and A+ are also worth it. Other certifications are ECSA, CHFI, CISSP, and many others. There are many good institutes to help in building a career as a security professional.
I am sure now you know how to be a hacker. Follow the above-mentioned things with dedication. Start learning things. If you have any questions, you can ask in the comments.
Slack Community for Hackers
Websites for Practicing Your Skills
- http://www.itsecgames.com/
- http://www.dvwa.co.uk/
- http://www.vulnerablewebapps.org/
- http://hackyourselffirst.troyhunt.com/
- http://zero.webappsecurity.com/
- https://github.com/s4n7h0/xvwa
- http://crackme.cenzic.com/kelev/view/home.php
- http://demo.testfire.net
- https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Category:OWASP_WebGoat_Project
Forums for hackers
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| 0x00sec | hacker, malware, computer engineering, Reverse engineering |
| CODEBY.NET | hacker, WAPT, malware, computer engineering, Reverse engineering, forensics |
| EAST Exploit database | exploit DB for commercial exploits written for EAST Pentest Framework |
| Greysec | hacking and security forum |
| Hackforums | posting website for hacks/exploits/various discussion |
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i am not hacking anyones its mine only