Why Do Top Companies Hire Hackers
Do you want to hire a hacker? According to a PC Mag reports, Facebook welcomed 21-year-old George Hotz onto its development team in 2011. You may be wondering why this made the news headline? Before he was hired by Facebook, Hotz had been involved in an ongoing court battle for a few months against Sony because he had hacked into the company’s Playstation 3 platform.
Hotz’s case is not a rare or exceptional occurrence. The same PC Mag article listed other black hat hackers whose unlawful exploits got them jobs with top companies. Why do so many large businesses turn toward hiring hackers to help them create better, more secure products and services?
Hackers Are Very Skilled and Knowledgeable
One expert that was writing for CSO Online commented that, “The rationale for hiring a hackers is based on the thinking that, ‘It takes a hacker to catch a hacker’.” Some former hackers, like Kevin Mitnick, who served five years sentence for criminal hacking, have started their own legitimate cybersecurity consulting firms. The knowledge that hackers gain through their exploits might equip them with knowledge they could not gain through more traditional education.
Black Hat and Other Hacker Hats
Black hat hackers are not the only ones who find jobs by putting their hacking skills to work. According to Eric Geier, a PCWorld writer, government and business organizations are now hiring ethical hackers. These are also known as white hat hackers, to prevent data breach and theft.
CBSNews reported on the hacker hiring industry, which brought about the example of a firm called PROHACTIVE, which helps individuals and companies connect with professional hackers. The hackers dig through the systems of major businesses.
Companies like Pinterest and Western Union, and receive payments when they find flaws in those companies’ security measures. The CBS article mentioned other major companies, including Square and Google, that also enlist professional hackers’ help. Even Apple, whose products are famous for their resistance to viruses, also hire hackers. The company hired the hackers who created the first virus to affect MacBooks, according to a report from Business Insider.
Is It Always Be Necessary for Companies to Hire Hackers?
White hat and gray hat hackers might always have a place within companies, but what about black hat hackers? An article from Tech Target stated that many companies are struggling to find qualified cybersecurity professionals, partly because many job applicants do not have the necessary experience to perform well on the job. Some companies are filling open positions by sponsoring H-1B workers from other countries.
It seems the shortage of cybersecurity experts might make it necessary for companies to continue to hire hackers — regardless of what hat they wear — for the foreseeable future. However, universities might soon provide the employees that companies are so desperate to hire. At Maryville University, our bachelor’s programs in cybersecurity focus on things such as general cybersecurity, offensive cybersecurity, and defensive cybersecurity.
Hackers are not just the cybersecurity force of the future, they are actively playing a role in its present as well. Do you want to hire a trusted and professional hacker? Hire a hacker right away on Prohactive.com.
