10 Steps To Become A Hacker (An Ethical Hacker)

Before thinking of steps, or a learning curve to become a hacker ask yourself one question, Why Hacking? Trust me, the answer to this question will surely show you some way. Possible answers to this question can be,

• Just interested
• To test a System
• To Work as a Hacker

According to the answer to this question, plan out your learning curve. Remember there is no shortcut, everything takes time. Below are some steps that might help you to become a Good Hacker.

Step 1: Get Hands-on LINUX/UNIX

LINUX/UNIX is an open-source operating system that provides better security to the computer systems. As a hacker, there is no skipping LINUX because it is one of the most used OS for hacking and provides ample tools for hackers. Some of the common Linux distributions are, Red Hat Linux, Kali Linux, Ubuntu, BackTrack, etc. Kali Linux is one of the most used Linux systems and is specially customized for hacking.

Step 2: Learn the Mother of all Programming Languages

Yes, you guessed it right! Learn C programming. It is also called the mother of all programming languages. C programming is the base of learning UNIX/LINUX as this OS is completely written in C. Thus, as a hacker C programming is something that you should aim to master since it gives you the power to blend the open-source operating system Linux in the way you want. Also, try more than one programming language. As a hacker, you should have good knowledge of at least 2-3 programming languages

Step 3: Learn how to be Anonymous

As a hacker, this is one of the important steps that one should know. As a hacker, you might do a lot of this, some might be legal, some might be without permission. Thus it is necessary to know how to be anonymous and how one can hide their identity online, So that there will be one trace left and no one can backtrace you.

Step 4: Learn Networking Concepts

Another important and essential step to becoming a hacker is to be good at networking concepts and understanding how the networks are created. You should have a knowledge of various networks, protocols since it is beneficial in exploiting vulnerabilities. Thus learning various networking concepts and various networking tools such as Wireshark, Nmap, etc will be really beneficial. Trust me, Hacking is all about playing around the Network...

Step 5: Explore the Hidden Web

The dark web is part of the internet that isn't visible to search engines and requires the use of an anonymizing browser called Tor, etc to be accessed.
You've no doubt heard talk of the “dark web” as a hotbed of criminal activity — and it is. But not everything is illegal, the dark web also has a legitimate side. Thus it is necessary to know a bit about what it is and how it works.

Step 6: Add the Art of Secret Writing to your Skill Set

Cryptography, also called the art of secret writing, It is something that as a hacker you should master. Encryption and Decryption are important skills in hacking. Encryption is widely used in several aspects of information security in authentication, confidentiality, and integrity of the data. Information on a network is always encrypted such as passwords, packets sent over the network, etc. Thus, as a hacker, it is necessary to identify the encryption and break it.

Step 7: Dive Deep into Hacking

Once you have good knowledge about the topics discussed thus far, it's time to dive deep. Trying diving deep into hacking concepts and learning topics such as vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, SQL injections, and much more. In the field of hacking, learning is never-ending because security changes every day with new updates in the system. Thus you need to be updated with the latest tools and ways to crack a system or secure a system.

Step 8: Explore vulnerabilities

One single vulnerability and the system will bend the knee. Vulnerability is a weakness or a loophole in the system. Looks for such loopholes by scanning the system, network, etc. Try to write your own vulnerabilities and exploit the system.

Step 9: Experimenting and Practicing is the Key

After learning some concepts, sit back and nail them. Keep practicing them in various environments and various scenarios. Set up your own lab for experiment purposes. Use these labs to test various tools, attacks, and much more.

Step 10: Join Discussion and Meet the Hackers

The most important thing for a hacker is to make a community or join forums that will help you to join discussions with other hackers in the world. This will help in exchange and sharing of knowledge and work as a team. Join various communities on various platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, Discord, and more.

Thus, these are simple steps that can make you a Good Hacker. The steps might vary from and individual to individual but the result needs to remain the same! Let me know below in the comments what else you can add to this learning curve and this list helps you to clear your thoughts on how to learn Hacking.