0 Courses and Certifications

Online Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications

Ethical hacking helps organisations identify security vulnerabilities and prevent cyber threats. With rising demand, universities and platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer UG, PG, and certification courses—both free and paid—enabling aspirants to build a promising career in ethical hacking through structured, practical training. 

Key Ethical Hacking Topics

Ethical hacking certifications cover a wide spectrum of topics essential to understanding and combating cyber threats. The table below highlights the most prominent concepts, offering a quick look at the tools, techniques, and protocols every learner should know.

TopicDescription
UBAUBA monitors user actions to detect abnormal behaviour, aiding in threat detection and prevention. It’s a crucial tool in identifying insider threats and compromised accounts in real-time.
Penetration TestingPenetration testing simulates cyberattacks to uncover vulnerabilities in systems, networks, or applications. It is a critical process to evaluate and strengthen an organisation’s security posture.
FootprintingFootprinting gathers information about a target system to identify potential vulnerabilities. It’s the first phase in ethical hacking and lays the foundation for a structured cyber attack.
Nmap (Network Mapper)Nmap is an open-source tool for network discovery and security auditing. It helps ethical hackers scan networks, detect open ports, and map out system architecture efficiently.
EnumerationEnumeration extracts detailed information from a target system, such as user accounts and network resources. This step is crucial in identifying attack vectors before exploitation begins.
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)SNMP is used to monitor and manage network devices. Hackers exploit misconfigured SNMP settings to gain access to routers, switches, and other critical network hardware.

NTP (Network Time Protocol)
NTP synchronises system clocks across devices. Exploiting NTP vulnerabilities, such as amplification attacks, can cause severe disruptions and is often targeted in denial-of-service campaigns.
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)SMTP is the standard protocol for email transmission. Hackers often exploit its misconfigurations to perform email spoofing, phishing, and data exfiltration attacks.
Kerberos AuthenticationKerberos is a network authentication protocol that uses secret-key cryptography. Ethical hackers study its ticketing mechanism to identify flaws and prevent privilege escalation in systems.
KeyloggerKeyloggers secretly record keystrokes to capture passwords, messages, and credentials. They’re studied in ethical hacking to understand malware tactics and design better endpoint protection.
RootkitsRootkits are stealthy software designed to hide malicious processes. Ethical hackers analyse them to detect deeply embedded threats and understand how attackers maintain persistent access.
Social EngineeringSocial engineering manipulates human behaviour to bypass security measures. From phishing to pretexting, it remains one of the most effective hacking techniques studied in ethical training.
VirtualizationVirtualisation allows multiple operating systems on a single host. Ethical hackers use it for isolated testing environments, malware analysis, and safe penetration testing exercises.
CryptanalysisCryptanalysis breaks encryption algorithms to uncover hidden information. In ethical hacking, it helps assess the strength of cryptographic systems and safeguards against data breaches.


Eligibility Criteria of Ethical Hacking Courses

To enrol in the diplomas, UG and PG programmes, the candidates are expected to have certain eligibility criteria. Some peculiar criteria such as the entrance exam may also be needed as per the university/college you choose. However, most of the ethical hacking courses, hacking classes, ethical hacking certifications and online free ethical hacking courses and certifications do not require any kind of prerequisites. The eligibility criteria for ethical hacking courses are as follows: 

Diploma course in ethical hacking:

The candidates must have completed their 10th or 12th from one of the recognised boards. 

UG/Bachelor degree in ethical hacking:

The candidates are required to have finished their 12th from one of the recognised boards. 

PG/Master's degree in ethical hacking:

To enrol in a post-graduate programme, the candidates must have completed their undergraduate/bachelor's degrees from one of the recognized colleges/universities. 

Skills Required for Ethical Hacking Courses 

The students who intend to enrol in the ethical hacker course online, ethical hacking course online free with certificate and certified ethical hacker certification are suggested to have the following skills:

  • Problem Solving Skills
  • Programming Skills
  • Computer Skills 
  • Knowledge of Linux 
  • Knowledge of Database
  • Knowledge of Networking 
  • Knowledge of Operating Systems
  • Knowledge of Microsoft

Also Explore: 

Get familiar with some of the major specialisations that are highly chosen by the learners and online courses and certifications offered in them through the table provided below:


Career Opportunities after Ethical Hacking Courses

Ethical hacking certifications and UG and PG courses in ethical hacking will fetch you plenty of career opportunities to take up. You can work as a freelance ethical hacker as well as under a company. Here are some of the career options you can try after ethical hacking courses and ethical hacking course free: 

  • Information Security Analyst
  • Information Security Manager
  • Penetration Tester
  • Ethical Hacker
  • Security Consultant

Salary Trends in Ethical Hacking 

The salary of the ethical hackers is completely based on the experience and skills of the professionals. As per the PayScale, the average salary of ethical hackers in India is Rs 513,098. Some of the career options available after ethical hacking certifications and ethical hacking online courses and the average salary for them are tabulated below: 

CareerAverage

Ethical Hacker

Rs 513,098 per annum

Network Security Engineer

Rs 570,781 per annum

Information Security Analyst

Rs 595,385 per annum

Security Analyst

Rs 500,765 per annum

Penetration Tester

Rs 513,105 per annum

*Source: PayScale

Scope of Ethical Hacking 

IT and technology is witnessing rapid growth. Companies and organisations are resorting to online platforms resulting in a parallel rise in cyber crimes and threats of black hat hackers. Thus, companies, larger and smaller alike, are hiring ethical hackers to secure their information and security systems by finding bugs and vulnerabilities. Obviously, in the coming years and decades, the demand for ethical hackers will increase drastically. 

Also Read: 

Here are the major online course providers that provide online courses and free courses and certifications in various topics: 


Top Recruiters

Having a degree and certification in ethical hacking will help you to get placed in one of the reputed companies in and outside India. Some of the companies that recruit ethical hackers are: 

Infosys

Wipro Technologies Ltd. 

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. 

Ernst & Young 

WhiteHat Jr. 

Deloitte India

Genpact 

Philips


Ethical Hacking Courses by Top Providers

Ethical hacking courses and free hacking course for beginners are offered by various ed-tech companies and various institutions such as IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, UC San Diego, University of Colorado and the like. Here are some of the top course providers that offer online ethical hacking courses, ethical hacking certifications and ethical hacking course online: 

Eduonix Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications

Udacity Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications

Coursera Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications

Mindmajix Technologies Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications

Udemy Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications

Swayam Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications

Simpliv Learning Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications

Great Learning Ethical Hacking Courses & Certifications


FAQs

Q) Can I learn ethical hacking courses online? 

Ans) Yes, you can learn and get certified in ethical hacking through online courses. Many institutions like IIT Kanpur and online course providers such as Swayam, Udacity Intellipat, Eduonix, Mindmajix Technologies and the like offer online ethical hacking courses. 

Q) Can I enrol in the ethical hacking courses free of cost?

Ans) Yes, you can learn ethical hacking online free of cost. You can find online free ethical hacking courses across institutions and ed-tech companies including IIT Kharagpur, Swayam, Great Learning and Coursera. 

Q) What is the eligibility to enrol in the UG, PG and Diploma courses in ethical hacking? 

Ans) The learners who want to enrol in the UG and Diploma ethical courses must have completed their 10th or 12th from any of the recognised boards. Whereas to join the PG-level courses in ethical hacking, you will have to complete a bachelor's degree from any of the recognised colleges or universities. 

Q) What are the career opportunities available after the completion of ethical hacking courses? 

Ans) After the completion of ethical hacking courses,  the learners can pursue numerous career options such as penetration tester, information security manager,  security consultant, cybersecurity architect and the like. 

Q) On average, how much can an ethical hacker earn in India?

Ans) The salary of ethical hackers in India is completed based on the number of years of working experience as well as skills. The average salary of ethical hackers in India is Rs 513,098 per year. 

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