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View Full Version : Guides to Ethical Hacking?



Lynx
January 15th, 2005, 10:01 PM
I am interested in helping friends and small local networks harden their security to protect them from some of the amature crackers out there looking for systems to screw with. I really don't know where to start though and was hoping somebody could help me find some documentation on this type of thing, I am not looking for an easy solution and am planning to put a whole lot of work into learning what I need to know to secure networks and to test the security through ethical hacking. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TravisNewman
January 15th, 2005, 11:55 PM
Well, from what I understand, if you're doing it to your own network, or a network you're helping to secure, and you don't damage anything, then it's ethical.

As far as the methods, I'm not sure, but I think the ethics are very relative to the situation, and I think that you could do anything to break into these networks you're trying to secure and it'd still be ethical.

jakeslife
January 16th, 2005, 02:03 AM
First rule is to get everything in writing. Before even attempting so much as a finger on someone else's network (or even your own for that matter) you have to have written permission from not only them, but their internet provider and phone company or cable company.

happyhacker.org has some basic stuff you can try on all OS's to help secure your network, but it's faily easy stuff. Good place to start though.

Lynx
January 16th, 2005, 02:25 AM
OK sweet, I have already spoken to the owner of the network (a personal friend) so getting the written permission shouldn't be too difficult. I really am not near to actually being able to do this though, I really don't have much for skills or experience, I am currently trying to figure out just what it all entails. Bottom line I would look around and get my cousin (a lawyer) to draw up a contract for me ensuring the legallity of the actions. I need suggestions as to what kind of programming language would be most useful, what tools already exist for testing the security of a network, that kind of thing. I will be saving up some cash and probably build myself a personal network eventually and use that for practice before I actually go gold, all of this is stuff I plan to achieve over the next 2-3 years.

jakeslife
January 16th, 2005, 02:38 AM
Well the thing is you also need written permission from his ISP and his phone or cable company (depending on if he goes through one or two companies). That's where you have to be careful, because even is he consents to it, if the ISP detects anything they will call the authorities in your area. Most of them have clauses in their contract pertaining to "malicious activity" or "security testing."

Lynx
January 16th, 2005, 02:40 AM
Ok thanks for the heads up there, that is definitely stuff I will have to look in to.