[ISN] More ethical hackers needed, says Ankit Fadia

http://www.sakaaltimes.com/2008/12/14233517/More-ethical-hackers-needed-s.html

By Reporter
Sakaal Times
December 14th, 2008

Did you know that each and every e-mail message that you seemingly write 
in all confidentiality is being monitored and screened? Or that the 
innocuous error message on your Windows software asking whether to 
report the problem to Microsoft sends out information about the computer 
or that instant messengers are one of the easiest ways for a hacker to 
get access to your computer?

These were among the serious issues of loopholes and threats discussed 
by ethical hacker and cyber security expert Ankit Fadia at a delightful 
one-and-half hour of interaction with students and faculty of Bharati 
Vidyapeeth Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship.

“We need to realise that internet security is crucial, more so in an 
increasingly digital world and there is need for more ethical hackers in 
India and the world,” said Fadia. Demonstrating the ease of hacking into 
so-called secure government sites, he hacked into the BSNL website in 
less than a minute and demonstrated the entire list of customers. He 
simulated methods like proxy bouncing, which makes it virtually 
impossible to know who has sent a mail, and steganography, which was 
used by terrorists during the 9/11 attacks in America in 2001.

Educating the audience about the need to be safe online, he advocated 
the need to take measures like not accepting file transfers and video 
calls from strangers and chatting online only after connecting to proxy 
servers. He informed the audience about spyware which could be used to 
monitor and send out information from individual computers like account 
numbers and credit card numbers and the need to install appropriate 
internet security software.

Cautioning about the future of internet security, he said, “The future 
is really bad and we are going to live in a digital world and we need to 
be updated and secure.”

Pune will see the availability of the Ankit Fadia certified course on 
ethical hacking, which would be a one-month part-time course. Interested 
students may sign up for the course at Reliance Web World outlets.


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