The advent of the internet has changed computing forever, physical barriers no longer exist and companies can extend their reach worldwide; systems can be opened up for use by external workers, customers and suppliers. That's the good news.

The bad news is that with openness comes vulnerability, and hence the need for protection against unauthorised access. We live in a world where information, money, identities and even reputations can be destroyed by someone without even gaining physical entry; all that's needed is a computer and an internet connection.

The sad truth is that networks and applications can be compromised at any time, and a hacker needs only 10 minutes to bypass external defenses such as a firewall. The truth is that there really isn't much that can be done to eliminate these attacks, as 100% security is more a concept than a reality. This doesn't mean giving up as a strong, proactive defense can keep out the less determined hacker, who would lose interest and move on to some easier prey. (Another observation is that hackers are not intellectually gifted, and use tools freely accessible on the internet).

If you want to stop hackers from invading your network, first you've got to invade their minds. Hacking is about discovering vulnerabilities and exploiting them; on the other hand, ethical hacking is a means by which customers may understand weaknesses in their systems, without suffering the consequences.

The ethical hacker's objective is to help an organization take pre-emptive measures against malicious attacks by attacking the system himself, using the same methods as a hacker, whilst staying within legal limits. (This is important, as hacking is considered a criminal act in most parts of the world; any work undertaken shall be subject to a legal contact between ourselves and the company requesting the vulnerability assessment).

CVSI offers the services of a Certified Ethical Hacker, to help identify weaknesses in your defences against unauthorised access. CVSI holds credentials awarded by EC-Council, and internationally recognised.

Contact us for further information.