Ethical hacking

Ethical hacking involves an authorized attempt to gain unauthorized access to a computer system, application, or data.

So basically breaking into the cookie jar with your mother's permission.

Carrying out an ethical hack involves duplicating strategies and actions of malicious attackers. This practice helps to identify ​security vulnerabilities​ that can then be resolved before a malicious attacker has the opportunity to exploit them.

Think of it as a tester who ensures that the actual hacker cannot break into the software (yes, there are unethical hackers too).

Yes, you heard that right. Ethical, or “white hat” hackers are able to think like the bad actors their organizations are trying to stop. By stress-testing an organization’s networks and procedures, they can spot weak points and better anticipate cyberattacks before it’s too late. We’ll explain what ethical hackers do and the most important ethical hacking skills you should learn if you wish to pursue this in-demand career path.

In many ways, an ethical hacker is not unlike a secret shopper who visits retail stores incognito in order to spot problems and provide feedback on needed improvements. Secret shoppers may even stage shoplifting incidents to test a store’s security. Similarly, ethical hacking skills—which are nearly identical to those employed by cybercriminals—are invaluable to organizations that want to spot weaknesses and fortify their networks and improve their processes