Sybex CEH Certified Ethical Hacker Version 8 Study Guide

In this book you will learn the various technologies and methodologies
involved in becoming an ethical hacker. You will
learn what it means to become an ethical hacker and the responsibilities
you will be assuming both technically and ethically when you take on this role.
The reality of your taking on the ethical hacker skill set is that companies and enterprise
environments have had to quickly and effectively address the threats and vulnerabilities
that they face. Through a robust and effective combination of technological, administrative,
and physical measures, all these organizations have learned to address their given situation
and head off major problems. Technologies such as virtual private networks (VPNs),
cryptographic protocols, intrusion detection systems (IDSs), intrusion prevention systems
(IPSs), access control lists (ACLs), biometrics, smart cards, and other devices have helped
security. Administrative countermeasures such as policies, procedures, and other rules have
also been strengthened and implemented over the past decade. Physical measures include
cable locks, device locks, alarm systems, and similar devices. Your new role as an ethical
hacker will deal with all of these items, plus many more.
As an ethical hacker you must not only know the environment you will be working in,
but also how to find weaknesses and address them as needed. However, before we get to
all of that this chapter discusses the history of hacking and what it means to be an ethical
hacker. We’ll also look the process of penetration testing and explore the importance of
contracts.
Hacking: A Short History
Hacker is one of the most misunderstood and overused terms in the security industry. It
has almost become the technological equivalent of a boogeyman, which so many either
fear or end up ignoring. What is a hacker and where do we, as ethical hackers, fit in? Well,
to answer that question let’s take a look at the history of hacking along with some notable
events.
The Early Days of Hacking
As the story goes, the earliest hackers were a group of people who were passionate and
curious about new technology. They were the equivalent of those modern-day individuals
who not only want the latest technology, such as a smartphone or iPhone, but also want
to learn all the juicy details about what the device does and what type of undocumented