When most people think of hackers, they picture shadowy figures plotting in the corners of the internet. Steve Hanes of Vintage IT Services wants business owners to know that not all hackers are out to cause harm. Ethical hackers, often called “white hats,” use their skills to help organizations stay ahead of cybercriminals. At Vintage IT Services, Steve highlights that prevention is the best defense, and ethical hackers are a crucial part of a strong cybersecurity strategy.
What Is an Ethical Hacker?
Ethical hackers are cybersecurity experts who legally attempt to break into systems to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors do. These professionals run penetration tests, simulate phishing attacks, and conduct in-depth security assessments, all with the client’s permission. Their mission is to uncover weak points, report them, and help organizations close the gaps before real attackers find them.
Why Your Business Needs Ethical Hacking
Cyber threats are always evolving, and every business, no matter the size, is a potential target for ransomware, phishing, and data breaches. Relying on a single security solution is no longer enough. Ethical hackers approach systems the way a real attacker might, but with the intent to protect rather than exploit.
Steve recently shared that after watching interviews with ethical hackers, he decided to invest in a password manager instead of relying on browsers to store passwords. This decision came even though Vintage IT Services already has multiple layers of protection in place, such as anti-virus, anti-malware, anti-phishing, spam filtering, email encryption, endpoint detection and response, payload detection, bad site detection, and ransomware detection. The more layers in place, the less likely a breach will occur.
Some benefits of ethical hacking include:
- Uncovering hidden vulnerabilities in IT infrastructure
- Testing employee awareness with real-world phishing simulations
- Meeting compliance standards for data security
- Reducing the risk of breaches and operational downtime
Steve encourages business owners to ask themselves if their company has enough protection in place and welcomes anyone who wants to discuss security readiness to reach out.
Pole Vault Update: A Leap for the Vintage Team
On a lighter note, Steve is currently in Huntsville, Alabama, for the USATF National Masters Outdoor Championships. He will be competing in the pole vault in the 70–74 age group, among eleven competitors. Steve notes that even more impressive than the number of competitors in his age group are the athletes competing who are over ninety years old. For more on the event, he recommends visiting usatfmasters.org.
Steve reports that his training has gone well leading up to the event but acknowledges that at his age, surprises can always occur. He plans to share results and updates on his July competitions in future blog posts.
For those interested in cybersecurity, pole vaulting, or IT managed services, Steve invites readers to connect via email at Steve.Hanes@vintageits.com.