Try It: Ethical Hacking from edX

This is a self-paced, free introductory course on ethical hacking — or, as it’s sometimes called, white hat hacking. Ethical hackers are the guardians of organizations, whose purpose is to identify vulnerabilities within an organization's systems. By exploiting these weaknesses, they provide invaluable insights to help organizations fortify their defenses and prevent cyber attacks. Ethical hackers simulate real-world scenarios to evaluate an organization's security posture and may use the same technical tools as cyber criminals, or unethical hackers, but rest assured every step of their work is completely legal and serves a greater purpose. By understanding the methods and mindset of cyber criminals, ethical hackers possess a unique perspective that enables them to proactively identify and address potential risks.

As an aspiring ethical hacker, whose goal is to fight cyber criminals, you will first and foremost need to learn how to behave and operate like an ethical cybersecurity professional. In this free course, you’ll start out with basics, such as:

Cyber kill chain methodology
Hacking concepts
Hacker classes

You will gain hands-on experience in identifying vulnerabilities and analyzing their impact, and learn to think like a hacker to develop the skills necessary to safeguard organizations from malicious threats, keeping in mind, however, that your intentions in using these in the future will be to help rather than harm.

There are many career options available for an ethical hacker:

Penetration tester
Security consultant
Security analyst
Incident responder
Cybersecurity engineer
Vulnerability assessor
Security researcher
Security architect

What's inside

Learning objectives

Basics of ethical hacking
Basics of offensive security
Differences between ethical and unethical hackers

Common vulnerabilities associated with web applications online
Ways to exploit found vulnerabilities online to determine security risk
Career paths for ethical hackers

Basics of ethical hacking
Basics of offensive security
Differences between ethical and unethical hackers
Common vulnerabilities associated with web applications online
Ways to exploit found vulnerabilities online to determine security risk
Career paths for ethical hackers

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops in-demand cybersecurity skills like web application vulnerability analysis

Provides a broad understanding of ethical hacking basics and concepts

Introduces techniques to detect and assess security vulnerabilities

Suitable for beginners with little to no prior knowledge in ethical hacking

May require supplemental resources or courses for more in-depth knowledge

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Try It: Ethical Hacking with these activities:

Organize and review course materials

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Stay organized and review your course materials regularly to enhance your understanding and retention.

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Create a system for organizing notes, assignments, and resources
Review materials regularly to reinforce your knowledge

Review fundamentals of web application security

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Review the basics of web application security will prepare you for the more advanced concepts covered in this course.

Browse courses on Web Security

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Revisit concepts such as OWASP Top 10, XSS, and SQL injection
Practice identifying common vulnerabilities in web applications

Seek guidance from an experienced ethical hacker

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Connect with an experienced ethical hacker to gain mentorship, receive valuable advice, and expand your network.

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Attend industry events and meetups
Reach out to professionals on LinkedIn or other platforms
Build a rapport and request guidance

Five other activities

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Create a security vulnerability assessment plan

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Developing a security vulnerability assessment plan will help you develop a structured approach to identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in web applications.

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Define the scope of the assessment
Identify potential vulnerabilities
Develop a testing strategy
Create a remediation plan

Practice using web security testing tools

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Hands-on practice using web security testing tools will enhance your ability to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in web applications.

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Conduct vulnerability scans using tools like OWASP ZAP
Practice exploiting vulnerabilities using tools like Burp Suite

Follow tutorials on advanced web application security techniques

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Engaging with tutorials on advanced web application security techniques will broaden your knowledge and introduce you to new tools and approaches.

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Explore tutorials on topics like threat modeling and penetration testing
Practice implementing these techniques in real-world scenarios

Attend a workshop on ethical hacking techniques

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Participating in workshops will provide you with hands-on experience and insights from industry experts in the field of ethical hacking.

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Identify relevant workshops and conferences
Register and attend the workshop
Actively participate in discussions and activities

Contribute to open-source security projects

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Involvement in open-source security projects will allow you to gain practical experience, collaborate with other ethical hackers, and contribute to the community.

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Identify open-source security projects that align with your interests
Review the project documentation and codebase
Start contributing by submitting bug reports, suggesting improvements, or developing new features

Career center

Learners who complete Try It: Ethical Hacking will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Security Architect

Security architects design and implement security solutions for organizations. They use their knowledge of security tools and techniques to protect organizations from cyberattacks. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course can help you develop the skills you need to become a security architect. The course covers topics such as cyber kill chain methodology, hacking concepts, and hacker classes. You will also gain hands-on experience in identifying vulnerabilities and analyzing their impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Architect

Vulnerability Assessor

Vulnerability assessors identify and assess vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks. They use their knowledge of hacking techniques to find ways to exploit these vulnerabilities and gain unauthorized access to systems. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course can help you develop the skills you need to become a vulnerability assessor. The course covers topics such as cyber kill chain methodology, hacking concepts, and hacker classes. You will also gain hands-on experience in identifying vulnerabilities and analyzing their impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Vulnerability Assessor

Security Analyst

Security analysts monitor and analyze security data to identify and respond to threats. They use their knowledge of security tools and techniques to investigate security incidents and develop and implement security solutions. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course can help you develop the skills you need to become a security analyst. The course covers topics such as cyber kill chain methodology, hacking concepts, and hacker classes. You will also gain hands-on experience in identifying vulnerabilities and analyzing their impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Analyst

Security Consultant

Security consultants help organizations to improve their cybersecurity posture. They assess an organization's security needs, identify vulnerabilities, and develop and implement security solutions. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course can help you develop the skills you need to become a security consultant. The course covers topics such as cyber kill chain methodology, hacking concepts, and hacker classes. You will also gain hands-on experience in identifying vulnerabilities and analyzing their impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Consultant

Incident Responder

Incident responders are responsible for responding to security incidents. They investigate the incident, contain the damage, and restore normal operations. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course can help you develop the skills you need to become an incident responder. The course covers topics such as cyber kill chain methodology, hacking concepts, and hacker classes. You will also gain hands-on experience in identifying vulnerabilities and analyzing their impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Incident Responder

Cybersecurity Engineer

Cybersecurity engineers design, implement, and maintain security systems. They use their knowledge of security tools and techniques to protect organizations from cyberattacks. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course can help you develop the skills you need to become a cybersecurity engineer. The course covers topics such as cyber kill chain methodology, hacking concepts, and hacker classes. You will also gain hands-on experience in identifying vulnerabilities and analyzing their impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Engineer

Penetration Tester

Penetration testers simulate cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks. They use their knowledge of hacking techniques to find ways to exploit these vulnerabilities and gain unauthorized access to systems. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course can help you develop the skills you need to become a penetration tester. The course covers topics such as cyber kill chain methodology, hacking concepts, and hacker classes. You will also gain hands-on experience in identifying vulnerabilities and analyzing their impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Penetration Tester

Security Researcher

Security researchers develop new security tools and techniques to protect organizations from cyberattacks. They use their knowledge of hacking techniques to find ways to exploit vulnerabilities and gain unauthorized access to systems. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course can help you develop the skills you need to become a security researcher. The course covers topics such as cyber kill chain methodology, hacking concepts, and hacker classes. You will also gain hands-on experience in identifying vulnerabilities and analyzing their impact.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Researcher

Malware Analyst

Malware analysts investigate malware and develop ways to protect organizations from its effects. They use their knowledge of hacking techniques to analyze malware and find ways to mitigate its effects. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course may be useful for malware analysts because it provides an overview of hacking techniques and how they can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks.

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Forensic Analyst

Forensic analysts investigate computer crimes. They use their knowledge of hacking techniques to find evidence of cyberattacks and other computer crimes. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course may be useful for forensic analysts because it provides an overview of hacking techniques and how they can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks.

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Cryptographer

Cryptographers develop and use techniques to protect information from unauthorized access. They use their knowledge of mathematics and computer science to create and implement encryption algorithms. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course may be useful for cryptographers because it provides an overview of hacking techniques and how they can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks.

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Network Administrator

Network administrators manage and maintain computer networks. They use their knowledge of networking technologies to ensure that networks are running smoothly and securely. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course may be useful for network administrators because it provides an overview of hacking techniques and how they can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks. This knowledge can help network administrators to better protect their networks from cyberattacks.

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Software Developer

Software developers design, develop, and maintain software applications. They use their knowledge of programming languages and software development tools to create software that meets the needs of users. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course may be useful for software developers because it provides an overview of hacking techniques and how they can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks. This knowledge can help software developers to develop more secure software applications.

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Chief Information Security Officer

Chief information security officers (CISOs) are responsible for overseeing the security of an organization's information assets. They develop and implement security policies and procedures, and they manage the organization's security team. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course may be useful for CISOs because it provides an overview of hacking techniques and how they can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks. This knowledge can help CISOs to better protect their organizations from cyberattacks.

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Information Security Manager

Information security managers are responsible for developing and implementing security policies and procedures for organizations. They use their knowledge of security tools and techniques to protect organizations from cyberattacks. The Try It: Ethical Hacking course may be useful for information security managers because it provides an overview of hacking techniques and how they can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks. This knowledge can help information security managers to better protect their organizations from cyberattacks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Manager