What Is Ethical Hacking? Tools, Techniques, and How to Practice Legally

Hackers are often shadowy figures who spend their time breaking into computer systems for malicious reasons. These cybercriminals have created the need for organizations to protect their information and data with the help of ethical hackers. Ethical hacking plays a critical role in cybersecurity, and those who engage in it are operating within a legal framework to help organizations identify vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. 

In this guide, you’ll learn what ethical hacking is, how it works, what tools professionals use, and how to start practicing legally with support from Udemy’s hands-on courses. We’ll discuss the technical and soft skills ethical hackers need, and showcase certifications that might be helpful for people aiming to secure a job in the industry.

What Is Ethical Hacking?

Ethical hackers are sometimes known as white-hat hackers. They engage in a practice known as penetration testing: attempting to find bugs in applications or security flaws in websites, networks, and online services so the owners of those services can fix them.

Unlike cybercriminals, or black-hat hackers, ethical hackers work with organizations and have their consent to carry out tests. Rather than exploiting vulnerabilities, they help their clients improve security.

Ethical hackers use a variety of tools, methods, and systems to carry out testing, including:

• Network enumeration and analysis
• Web application testing
• Wireless network penetration testing
• Bug hunting/fuzzing tools
• Social engineering
• Physical access

Most of the testing an ethical hacker does requires a high level of technical knowledge. However, some testing, such as social engineering, focuses more on processes and the human element of security.

If your goal is to work in the more policy-focused areas of cybersecurity rather than pure hacking, you may find that soft skills are just as valuable as an in-depth understanding of computer systems.

Who Needs Ethical Hackers—and Why?

Companies of all sizes use ethical hackers to help them protect their customer data, secure their infrastructure, and maintain a solid reputation. However, some industries place a higher emphasis on cybersecurity than others.

For example, the financial, healthcare, e-commerce, and technology industries process a significant amount of sensitive personal data and are common targets for malicious actors. Government agencies also require a high level of computer security.

Ethical hackers help companies in these and other sectors prevent data breaches, avoid falling victim to ransomware, and protect themselves against phishing attacks and insider threats.

Working with ethical hackers helps companies identify potential threats that go beyond what a firewall and antivirus can protect against. The arms race between hackers and security experts has been a long and tightly fought battle, and threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated with each passing year.

According to research conducted by CrowdStrike^[1], there was a 136% increase in cloud incursions in the first half of 2025 compared to the entirety of 2024. So far, more than 320 companies have been infiltrated using Generative-AI accelerated attacks.

Ethical hackers can help organizations find vulnerabilities in their security before a bad actor exploits them.

Common Tools Used in Ethical Hacking

Ethical hackers use a wide range of tools to simulate attacks and test defenses. The most common tools include:

• Nmap: Nmap is a free, open-source tool for network scanning and port discovery.
• Metasploit: This is a penetration testing framework for exploiting vulnerabilities and running self-written payloads.
• Wireshark:  This open-source packet analyzer tool is used to monitor network traffic, troubleshoot applications, identify suspicious network traffic, and snoop on unencrypted traffic.
• Burp Suite: You can use Burp Suite for web application security testing and vulnerability scanning. It enables testers to exploit common vulnerabilities, view requests sent by applications, and execute cross-site scripting, CSRF, and SQL injection attacks.
• John the Ripper: This password cracking tool allows you to decrypt hundreds of hash and cipher types. John the Ripper has support for the encryption methods used by numerous web apps, filesystems, private key types, and other passwords.
• Kali Linux: Unlike other tools on this list, Kali isn’t a hacking application. It’s a security-focused Linux distribution that can be run as a live CD or as a live USB and comes with a vast array of scripts and built-in tools.
• Aircrack-ng: Monitor wireless traffic, capture and inject packets, perform replay attacks, and crack WEP or WPA-PSK authentication methods with this wireless network testing suite.
• Nikto: This free, open-source tool allows you to scan web servers for vulnerabilities.

To use these tools effectively, you need an understanding of networking, web applications, and encryption methods. Attempting to use them on someone else’s network or web service without authorization could land you in trouble with the law.

Before testing these tools, it’s essential to understand what they do and how to use them legally. Many websites and platforms simulate unsecured environments, allowing novice ethical hackers to practice their skills. You can also set up a lab at home and try to break into your own systems or experiment with various configuration options.

Techniques Used in Ethical Hacking

Organizations recruit ethical hackers to identify vulnerabilities in their IT infrastructure. They do this by systematically exploring the network and documenting their findings. 

Common techniques include:

• Reconnaissance (footprinting): This technique involves gathering information about the target using open-source intelligence (OSINT).
  Scanning: This technique  maps the networks, ports, and services discovered during reconnaissance procedures. It identifies open ports, determines which services are running on them, and finds out if any of those services have known vulnerabilities.
• Gaining access: Use this technique to exploit a known vulnerability to simulate a breach. If there are no known software vulnerabilities, a hacker may look for misconfigurations, test common insecure passwords, and use social engineering to attempt to gain access.
• Maintaining access: This technique assesses the potential persistence of an attacker. For example, after breaching an account, could they create their own account or install a backdoor to allow future access?
• Clearing tracks: This simulates ways of hiding evidence of their presence, such as deleting records from logs.
• Reporting: Documenting their findings and listing remediation steps helps the organization patch or fix the vulnerabilities they found.

Ethical hackers follow strict protocols to ensure the process is controlled, secure, and constructive. It’s this adherence to protocols that sets them apart from cybercriminals. Ethical hackers work within a legal framework that ensures they can do their jobs safely and legally.

The most important step in conducting a penetration test is reporting the findings. A hacker will likely have to write more than one report and tailor each one to the relevant audience.

For example, if you’re performing a penetration test, you might have to write an executive summary for the senior manager who hired you, briefly explaining your key findings, the risk level of any vulnerabilities you discovered, and the options available to remedy them.

After the executive summary, you’d provide a more detailed technical report. This report includes a comprehensive explanation of the work you carried out, such as:

• Your testing methodology
• Any software used to automate testing
• Techniques employed to identify vulnerabilities
• Precise details of any vulnerabilities (e.g., an outdated server running on a specific IP address and port)
• Recommendations for remediation

If you used an exploit payload, you may also need to provide a copy of the code or a proof-of-concept demonstration so the organization’s IT team can replicate the vulnerability. Attention to detail is essential to ensure your client can properly fix the vulnerabilities and keep their data safe.

Depending on the arrangement you have with your client, you might also engage in follow-up testing and provide an assessment of the client’s remediation efforts.

As you gain more experience, organizations that are required to adhere to strict security or data protection regulations might hire you to complete compliance reports. If this is an area that interests you, training in PCI DSS, HIPAA, and other regulations is essential.

How to Practice Ethical Hacking Legally

An ethical hacker only works on systems they have permission to test and never performs any actions that could damage the system or impair the experience for normal users. If you’d like to become an ethical hacker, it’s vital that you understand the legal frameworks that exist in your country and always operate within them.

Follow these best practices for ethical hacking:

• Get permission: Never test a system without written authorization. Look for bug bounty programs, enroll in them, and follow their rules, or work directly for companies and ensure you have a clear contract before starting.
• Use labs and simulations: Platforms such as Hack The Box and TryHackMe, and downloadable apps, such as A Deliberately Insecure Web Application, are invaluable for beginners. You can also set up your own virtual machines to test networking and web servers in a safe environment.
• Earn certifications: Earning qualifications, such as CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), CompTIA Security+, and Offensive Security’s OSCP, will help validate your skills and make you more appealing to prospective employers. CompTIA’s qualifications are a good choice for beginners, and studying for the Security+ certification will help you learn the skills you need to get an entry-level job in the industry.
• Follow the law: Understand local and international cybersecurity laws and frameworks (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, CFAA). Never try to gain access to systems without explicit permission. Document your work meticulously, and always operate to the highest ethical and professional standards.

Join ethical communities: Bug bounty platforms, such as HackerOne and Bugcrowd, offer legal avenues to test real systems for rewards. Working on these platforms can be challenging because you’re competing against other users to be the first to discover a vulnerability. While direct consulting offers a more stable income, bug bounty platforms can be a good option for beginners looking to build a portfolio.

Building on Your Ethical Hacking Skills

As you grow your skills, you’ll find that ethical hacking is just one part of a much broader cybersecurity landscape. Many professionals begin by learning how to identify vulnerabilities, then progress to securing the same systems they once tested. This transition from offense to defense helps ethical hackers develop a well-rounded understanding of how real-world attacks work and how to prevent them.

For those ready to take that next step, Udemy also offers specialized courses that equip learners with the necessary skills and knowledge to defend against any potential hacker attacks and exploits. These programs are designed for slightly more experienced ethical hackers who want to deepen their expertise and earn recognized certifications.

As the technological landscape evolves, security specialization has become increasingly platform-dependent. With technologies and providers like AWS and Kubernetes dominating the market, security professionals frequently pursue niche certifications — such as the AWS Certified Security – Specialty and the Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist — to strengthen their ability to secure these environments against any potential hacker attacks and exploits.

Whether you are building a foundation or advancing toward a specialized role, Udemy provides flexible learning paths that help you gain practical experience and prepare for real-world cybersecurity challenges.

How Udemy Helps You Start an Ethical Hacking Career

Becoming a successful ethical hacker requires a broad understanding of cybersecurity, networking, and computer systems. Most tools used by ethical hackers are written for Linux. While Windows or Mac versions of these tools exist, they’re updated less often or are missing key features.

If you’re new to the field, start by learning your way around Linux, becoming familiar with the command line, and learning how to set up virtual machines and run your first web server. It’s also helpful to understand encryption and basic cybersecurity concepts.

Once you understand how networks and web applications work and the types of security precautions people take when implementing these systems, attempting to breach them becomes easier.

It’s almost a rite of passage for ethical hackers to experiment with simple security breaches, such as hacking their own WiFi network or attempting basic attacks, including SQL injection on popular platforms, such as Hack the Box. You can also install a popular web application on your own server, add some users, and use John the Ripper to try cracking the encrypted   passwords you find in the database.

Depending on your goals, Udemy offers a wide range of courses spanning offensive techniques and defensive best practices to help secure your company’s infrastructure—such as AWS, Azure, Kubernetes, and more—against potential hacking attempts.

Sources:

[1] https://go.crowdstrike.com/2025-threat-hunting-report.html