Becoming an ethical hacker

When we think about hackers, we tend to think about cyber criminals who are trying to steal our data or take control of our systems. In reality, it is not that simple. Let’s read the definition of a hacker from the paper How Hackers Think: A Study of Cybersecurity Experts and Their Mental Models (https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2326634):

“Regardless of what type of hacker a person is, identifying system weaknesses requires logical reasoning and the ability to systematically think through possible actions, alternatives, and potential conclusions. This combination of reasoning and systematic thinking implies the use of mental models. Hacking is a cognitive activity that requires exceptional technical and reasoning abilities.”

So, basically, we are talking about a person with high technical skills who is doing things by thinking out of the box. The problem is not the activity itself but the intention behind the...