Which is the Best Course to Study to Get a Job in Ethical Hacking in Malaysia?

What Should You Do to Start a Career in Ethical Hacking in Malaysia?

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

As cyberattacks become more prevalent, sophisticated, and large-scale, there has never been a greater demand for ethical hackers in Malaysia. Ethical hackers or Penetration Testers help to identify threats and vulnerabilities in IT systems to prevent any potential breaches or attacks by malicious hackers. Simply put, they utilise their hacking skills for a good cause by using them to bypass the organization’s computing systems to test out their security defences.

Ethical hacking is a career where hacking methods are used with good intentions to help protect organisations from cyber attacks. In order to start a career in ethical hacking you should understand different types of hacking and build the required skillsets. You need to learn programming and operating systems
as well as gain knowledge of network and security systems. All these skills can be gained through a well structured computer science degree in cybersecurity or security systems. There are only a few private universities in Malaysia that has the capability to equip students with these skills. Choosing a top private university for cybersecurity will ensure that you will have a successful career in Ethical Hacking in Malaysia.

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What you will Learn in Ethical Hacking

What is Ethical Hacking?

Ethical hacking, also known as penetration testing or pen testing, is legally breaking into computers and devices to test an organization’s defenses. It is an approach of defending system and network security by exploiting existing vulnerabilities.

Ethical hackers strengthen systems and network security by identifying weaknesses and rectifying with appropriate countermeasures. Ethical hackers follow the same techniques as those conducting the cyber attacks to find system vulnerabilities and fix them.

Companies and Organisations obtain the services of ethical hackers to identify vulnerabilities in their security systems. The Ethical Hacker will try to hack in past the current defenses of the organisation. If a vulnerability is found then, there is a chance to close the hole before an attacker discovers it.

Additionally, they provide remediation advice. In many cases, with the organization’s consent, the ethical hacker performs a re-test to ensure the vulnerabilities are fully resolved.

All ethical hackers should have:

• Expertise in scripting languages.
• Proficiency in operating systems.
• A thorough knowledge of networking.
• A solid foundation in the principles of information security

Why Study to Become an Ethical Hacker?

First and foremost, the job demand for Ethical Hackers are high and salaries can go very high. Benefits are good and graduates can also choose to find work overseas.

Ethical hackers are data-focused, detail-oriented problem-solvers and critical thinkers. They aim to find and fix problems and loopholes in systems, networks and/or applications. Ethical hackers are responsible for outsmarting malicious hackers and protecting highly valuable information from potential attacks. They work well in teams, love solving puzzles, and have a keen curiosity about how things operate.

Ethical hackers are basically the ‘white hats’ (or ‘good guys’) of the hacking world. They are trained professionals hired by companies to use their skills for good, working professionally and ethically on the right side of cyber security.

As an ethical hacker, you will be working for big companies, government agencies, security firms or other organisations who will hire you to keep their information safe and secure. These clients will require you to legally hack into company networks to look at network security, find and fix potential dangers, and create solutions to patch serious security risks or fight off harmful attackers.

You will become a trusted advisor, developing IT policies and provide valuable strategies to individuals or companies about how they can fight back against cyber threats.

Understanding the Different Types of Hacking

The term ‘hacking’ is controversial in nature and is often considered in a negative context. There are different types of hackers that serve different purposes, ranging from malicious to beneficiary. Three different types of hackers are:

1. White Hat
2. Black Hat
3. Grey Hat

White Hat and Grey Hat hackers use their hacking skills for ethical hacking. On the other hand, black hat hackers are involved in illegal hacking and malicious practices.

Knowing about different types of hackers will help professionals understand their boundaries as ethical hackers and the legal nuances of being an ethical hacker.

As a fresh graduate in cyber security, you could start out as a Penetration Tester. It involves identifying vulnerabilities in a system or an application to protect it from various cyber-attacks. They inform the organisation about faults in their system.

What Skills Should you have to Work in Ethical Hacking in Malaysia?

The basic requirement is a degree in Computer Science, Information Technology (IT), or Cybersecurity will lay the foundation of a career in ethical hacking.

You will also need good problem-solving skills, ability to handle pressure, and out of the box thinking. To pursue a career in ethical hacking you need to have an attitude towards continuous learning and be adaptable to the ever-evolving changes.

On the technical front, you would need to have a working knowledge of programming languages such as:

• HTML
• ASP
• C/C++
• Python
• Java
• .Net

Other languages are also useful like:

• JavaScript
• JSON
• HTML5
• CSS3
• C#
• Bootstrap
• Angular2

Soft skills such as passion towards the domain, strong communication skills, flexibility, and innovative thinking also bode well for a suitable ethical hacker.

Learn Programming and Operating Systems

A career in ethical hacking demands a sound knowledge of programming language as it involves working on different systems on a daily basis. You should also know about operating systems such as:

• Windows
• UNIX
• LINUX
• IOS
• Solaris
• OS X

Students need to gain a clear understanding of programming languages which helps ethical hackers in identifying programming errors or vulnerabilities. It will also help in implementing security solutions where coding is needed and enabling automation of tasks along with other coding requirements.

Students should strive to gain a thorough knowledge of the functionalities of operations systems along with the respective commands will help you a lot in your role as ethical hacking.

Knowledge of Network and Security

Students should choose a computer science course at a top private university that will help you gain an understanding of computer networks and cybersecurity concepts that is critical to a career in ethical hacking.

To be successful in your future career as an ethical hacker, you should be well-versed with basics as well as advanced knowledge of computer networking and security.

Some of these concepts include VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), cryptography, firewalls, and different types of cyber-attacks such as DoS (Denial of Service) attacks.

Education Pathways to Ethical Hacking in Malaysia

To qualify to become an ethical hacker and work in cyber security, you may need to complete a relevant Bachelor qualification in a related field. Relevant career pathways may include:

• Computer Science
• Cyber Security
• Security Systems
• Information technology (IT)
• Software engineering

Students should take note that not all degree programmes are the same at every university. You should look at the subjects offered in the particular degree to see if they meet your career goals as well as make sure that they are relevant and up to date.

A top private university in Malaysia with a sound reputation in computing education will help prepare you well for a successful career in in ethical hacking.

Get the Relevant Certifications During your Degree Studies

With an increase in the demand for skilled ethical hackers, many training programs and certification courses are being presented in the market for the aspirants. You should sign up for a certification course in ethical hacking to enhance your skills and practice in a real-world environment.

Getting certified is important as it adds credibility and value to your professional profile as an ethical hacker. In addition to your degree in Cybersecurity or Computer Science, a valuable certification can add value to you in landing a job in big tech giants.  Some of the most well-known and acquired certifications are:

• EC Council: Certified Ethical Hacking Certification
• Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) Certification
• CompTIA Security+
• Cisco’s CCNA Security
• SANS GIAC
• ICT security certifications (Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Information Security Certification (GIAC)
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

What will you do in your Job as an Ethical Hacker (Penetration Tester) in Malaysia?

The job description for Ethical Hackers or Penetration Testers required by companies in Malaysia include the following:

• Deliver penetration testing activities within the company and automate the penetration testing results to enhance the reporting structure.
• Perform risk assessments, conduct reviews on latest patches based on risk framework and communicate to stakeholders
• Support network security operations and assess the risk of the vulnerabilities, communicate to developers to remediate.
• Perform gap analysis, provide possible mitigation control that may compensate on items that may not be able to remediate by stakeholders.
• To support automation of the Penetration Testing results to improve the current reporting structure.
• Analyse and protect systems from cybersecurity risks, threats, and vulnerabilities.
• Monitor, detect, investigate, analyse, and respond to security events.
• Protect the integrity of the business’s network and data.
• Collaborate with internal teams to analyse software design and architecture.
• Perform Penetration Testing on applications.
• Develop security policy documentation throughout software development life cycle (SDLC).

Cybersecurity Career Growth in Malaysia

The need for cybersecurity professionals around the world continues to grow at a high rate, with a projected global gap of 3.5 million professionals by 2021 according to Cybersecurity Ventures. Career opportunities for Malaysians will be significant.

“Shortage of skilled talent is always a bummer. It’s also the most persisting problem with the IT industry in Malaysia, and will hamper the growth of fintech and banktech in the country” according to recruitment agency Randstad.

In their 2020 Outlook and Salary Snapshot for both the IT industry and fintech/banktech, Randstad notes that skilled talents remain in shortage despite an increase in hiring appetite.