Is there such thing as "white hat" hackers???
Ethical hacking can ensure computer security: Ankit Fadia
An ''acclaimed hacker'' whose list of accomplishments include scaring an Indian editor and helping a US intelligence agency break an encrypted message believed to be from global terrorist Osama Bin Laden after the 9/11 attack, 22-year-old Ankit Fadia says ethical hacking holds the answer to ensuring computer security and curbing the global menace of terrorism.
The government should hire ethical hackers for auditing the security of computers, stressed Ankit while speaking to UNI here.
Describing computer security as an issue of global concern, the widely reported computer wizard said the menace can be restricted only with ethical hacking and analysing threats.
''Fifty to 60 Indian websites get attacked every day by Pakistani hackers. In retaliation only 10 to 15 Pakistani websites get scratched by Indian hackers,'' says Ankit referring to the menace.
He narrates about a Pakistan-based hacker's plan to attack the website of a top Indian company six years ago. Ankit, who was 16 at that time, was logged on to a popular chat site in his Delhi home when he noticed a short message, ''DOS attack'', flashing on his monitor at the stroke of midnight.
To most, the message would have seemed harmless. But, Ankit immediately recognised that it was a ''Denial of Service'' threat.
Someone, somewhere was trying to hack into a website and within seconds he managed to track the location of the sender from somewhere in Pakistan. Minutes later Ankit had also found the target of attack -- the website of a top Indian firm. He soon alerted the company and a major hacking bid was averted.
Apart from ethical hacking, awareness and training can also help curb the menace, says Ankit who points out that the practice of commonly hacking e-mails and gathering information about terrorist activities worldwide is also a form used for restricting terrorism.
Other ways to prevent computer hacking is to report loopholes of the website of the company and recommend solutions to the company's computer technicians.
This is what he had done as a 14-year-old when he had scared an Indian editor. That was also his first experience at hacking. Ankit recalls defacing the front page of an Indian magazine, but he immediately sent an e-mail to the editor confessing to the hacking and suggesting measures to protect the website.
Ankit was only ten days into the job as an intelligence consultant in a US government agency when he saved a website. ''It was my first anti-hacking operation and it was successful.'' However, he refuses to divulge the name of the agency or the firm whose website he had saved for security reasons.
Speaking about the perspective of the emerging market of ethical hacking in India he revealed his plans to initiate a certification programme in alliance with Reliance WebWorld this year.
''The programme aims at training and certifying a whole new generation of world-class ethical hackers that needs to follow to safeguard computer systems, catch computer criminals and investigate cyber crimes. With the correct mix of technical explanations and real life business case studies, the course would prepare computer security professionals to work in real life situations and solve security problems. At the same time, it will provide improved global job prospects,'' Ankit said.
He added that ethical hacking, a common practice nowadays, was used by all major industries.
He has authored seven books on ethical hacking so far, of which two -- 'E-mail Hacking' and 'Windows Hacking' -- were released this month.
Now, Ankit has started his own computer security consulting, training and publishing company in Kuala Lumpur, Malayasia whose operations are spread all across the Asia-Pacific region.
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