In internet slang, the term "white
hat" stands for an ethical hacking
or computer security expert who specializes in testing methodologies to keep
the organization's information systems secure. White hat hackers are generally regarded
as hackers who use their skills to benefit the society. While some believe it
all depends on the intentions of a hacker. The hacker is considered to be
ethical only when he penetrates a system with no malicious agenda and discloses
the identified vulnerabilities.
But at what point the line of
ethics should be drawn? The term white hat turns out differently to different
people. Apparently, there are professionals in the cyber security profession
who learn hacking and dedicate their
entire career on being strictly white hat. These security professionals must
have strong morals and should never penetrate any system without prior
approval. They must follow stringent rules to guard both their reputation and prospect
earnings.
However, the definition drifts in
case of unprofessional practitioners who attain hacking training from various sources. For example, many hackers
who consider themselves to be white hats would find it easy to check if their
bank has an open IPMI port, as long as their intention was to inform the bank. For
them it’s ethically no different from monitoring if the door is locked at night
at their local bank. In spite of everything, their motives are pure.
This is where the main concern
crops up. Pure motives do not mean the actions are ethical. No matter how
righteous their intentions are, white hat hackers can still, quite simply,
cause unplanned harm. According to the U.S. Code, Title 18, §1030, it is a
crime to penetrate any security system with prior approval from the
authorities.
Related : Career Scope in ethical hacking
