Websites That Help You Improve Your Ethical Hacking Skills

As the field of information has grown in recent years, a new phrase, ‘Ethical Hacking,’ has evolved, opening up numerous new opportunities for IT and cyber security specialists. People are becoming more aware of the topic of information security and are interested in learning about hacking techniques.

For aspiring hackers, these are often the best ways to get started in the field of penetration testing. Let’s see what they are.

Ethical Hacking? What is that?

The technique of finding security holes in computer systems and networks and applying that knowledge to enhance security is known as ethical hacking. Ethical hackers utilize their expertise to identify and address security flaws before criminal actors may use them against them.

In the field of information technology, “hacking” refers to obtaining unauthorized access to a computer system and forcing any software or hardware device to carry out functions for which it was not designed.

The same idea of breaking into systems without authorization is used in ethical hacking, but with the owner of the system’s express consent. An ethical hacker identifies security holes and defects in an organization’s IT infrastructure and alerts the appropriate parties or individuals to fix them.

Before a hostile attacker has a chance to exploit a vulnerability, this proactive strategy enables organizations to locate it in their environment and repair it.

General Ethical Hacking techniques

There are several hacking techniques, methods, and strategies that are used. In general, there are 5 steps of hacking that must be followed in order to successfully into any system. These are the main stages of hacking:

During this stage, the ethical hacker attempts to obtain as much knowledge about the target assets as possible. This involves determining what technologies are being utilized, what network architecture is being used, IP addresses, DNS records, MX records, subdomains, and so on.

The ethical hacker should next run scans on the information acquired to identify vulnerabilities. Scanning includes doing port scans for available services, website scanning, server scanning, and so on. This step identifies any potentially exploitable flaws.

After the ethical hacker has created a list of potential vulnerabilities, the actual exploitation or hacking takes place in this step. But Ethical Hackers do not attempt to exploit vulnerabilities without first alerting the relevant company which we refer to as responsible disclosure. The ethical hacker starts a full-fledged assault against the assets, utilizing the knowledge gathered in the previous two steps.

In the case of ethical hacking, this step is optional. The ethical hacker does not need to establish permanent access to the target firm if he has enough information to demonstrate the effect of the vulnerability.

However, if the ethical hacker needs to return to the compromised system and finish his work, he may use software packages to construct backdoors and conduct the security evaluation.

Clearing tracks entails the hacker eliminating any traces of the attack from the organization’s systems, such as removing any logs, deleting any files he produced, uninstalling any apps, and so on.

Websites where you can practice your skills

There are several online platforms that provide users with access to insecure websites for practicing their hacking abilities. Some of them are as follows:

Hack The Box (HTB) has taken over the cyber security world and is now one of the most popular platforms among students, novice hackers, and security pros. HTB delivers susceptible computers known as “boxes” with varying degrees of severity.

To extract flags and finish the computer, the hacker must exploit the machines and get root or admin access. HTB hosts the computers, and users may access them by connecting to the HTB network through VPN.

These machines, together with particular challenges, create a realistic environment for executing penetration testing. HTB also features an active community in which users assist one another and discuss ideas without revealing any spoilers.

2. VulnHub

The idea of VulnHub is similar to that of HTB. Vulnhub supplies budding hackers with 100s of vulnerable virtual computers for actual and hands-on hacking practice. Unlike HTB, where users must connect to the HTB network through VPN, Vulnhub offers machines that may be downloaded as virtual machine files and deployed on users’ local computers to do hacking activities.

3. Echoctf.red

EchoCTF offers a Capture the Flag environment for users to exercise their hacking talents in a safe atmosphere. The attacks are based on real-world circumstances, systems, and services. Users get points and may display their progress by completing CTFs.

4. TryHackMe

TryHackMe is another excellent site for aspiring hackers. In the form of “Rooms,” they offer a learning platform. Users may exploit various vulnerabilities in each room. Another distinguishing characteristic of TryHackMe is that it offers learning situations for both the offensive and defensive aspects of security. As a result, users may learn to attack and protect systems at the same time.

Aside from that, TryHackMe offers beginner to expert learning courses, which combine the required rooms into a brief training session. TryHackMe also offers a tournament called the King of the Hill, in which you may compete with other players to see who can hack the system the quickest and then attempt to prevent other hackers from breaking in.

5. Google Gruyere

Gruyere is an excellent choice for novices who want to learn not only how to locate and exploit vulnerabilities, but also how to fight against them.

Gruyere is built in Python, has issues that aren’t Python-specific, and has a large number of security flaws selected to suit novices. Some of the flaws are as follows:

Gruyere codelab has classified vulnerabilities into parts, and you will be given a challenge to locate that weakness in each component. You’ll need to locate and exploit issues using both black and white box hacking. Some prior knowledge is required, but we believe this is the best option for novices.

6. OverTheWire

OverTheWire is another fantastic location for fun and learning, with wargames and warzones for all skill levels, but it does trend toward more sophisticated hacking techniques. Each level has its own set of circumstances; you begin as a Bandit and progress to more intricate exploits.

You’ll start with wargames that teach fundamental ideas and abilities, then progress to diverse situations and more sophisticated storylines. OverTheWire also includes a competitive side known as the warzone, which is an isolated network that simulates the IPv4 Internet. All linked gadgets are hackable, putting you in competition with other hackers.

Conclusion

Vulnerable websites built to be hacked are a terrific method to learn while putting your knowledge and skills to the test, whether you’re a developer, security expert, student, or hobbyist. With so many alternatives available, most of which are free, we’re certain you’ll discover something that will at the very least deliver a pleasant and engaging experience.

References:

https://securitytrails.com/blog/vulnerable-websites-for-penetration-testing

Bug Zero is a bug bounty, a crowdsourcing platform for security testing. The platform is the intermediatory entity that enables client organizations to publish their service endpoints so that bug hunters (security researchers / ethical hackers) registered in the platform can start testing the endpoints without any upfront charge. Bug hunters can start testing as soon as a client organization publishes a new program. Bug Zero also offers private bug bounty programs for organizations with high-security requirements.

Bug Zero is available for both hackers and organizations.

For organizations and hackers, register with Bug Zero for free, and let’s make cyberspace safe.