Hackers Tapping into Company Systems to Test Security Features

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, implementing SAST best practices to secure code is vital. It helps to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.

By adhering to these best practices, companies can strengthen their security posture and protect their systems against threats. It’s imperative to fully understand SAST best practices for secure source code. Since the source code is the inception point, it’s also the gateway for repairs and mitigation.

With the increasing shift from on-prem to cloud environments, securing these applications is essential for ensuring uninterrupted business growth and maintaining customer trust. Effective application security testing services protect against threats and enhance overall system resilience, ensuring enterprises remain a step ahead in the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape.

Dramatic Hacking Exploits Revealed

South Africa, June 12, 2006. In a stunning turn of events, news from South Africa revealed a trend sweeping across the tech sector – white hat hackers employed by big corporations to counter malfeasance, corruption, and theft.

Owing to the nefarious activities of hacking syndicates, whereby phishing and pharming techniques are used to spoof unsuspecting users, white hat hackers are key players in the Gig economy.

At the time, Michael Bafatakis – a then 19-year-old IT wunderkind who was the first hacker to be convicted under South Africa's Electronic Communication and Transactions Act, spoke out on this topic.

He and his confidante, Andrew Michael Stokes, were convicted back in 2003 for hacking into Vodacom – the leading cellular communications company in South Africa. Bafatakis and Stokes were fined R24,000 – the equivalent of $1200 (2024 figures).

Following his suspended sentence, Bafatakis was offered many contracts with leading IT companies across South Africa. They wanted him – a white hat hacker – to discover and reveal flaws in their security systems. According to Bafatakis:

"Every system out there is designed by man & therefore can be penetrated and is waiting to be penetrated. It is up to companies & individuals to ensure that they are one step ahead of these guys."

In the years since, the world has witnessed an unprecedented rise in cybersecurity threats, infiltrations, and attacks. There are plenty of world-famous white hat hackers leading the way to reveal security flaws in company systems.

Famous White-Hat Hackers

Folks like Kevin Mitnick, a former black hat hacker turned white hat hacker, worked for NORAD, and in the 1980s, he gained control of central telephone offices across NYC and phone switching centers across California.

Indeed, Mitnick had a dodgy record because he was a black hat hacker for many years. He hacked into the IT infrastructures of many mega-companies around the world and even served time for his crimes. Later in life, he worked as an IT security consultant and wrote about his experiences.

Steve Wozniak –  the Apple co-founder, was a white hat hacker who created blue boxes. These hacked telephone systems allow users to make complimentary long-distance phone calls.

Then, of course, there was Richard Matthew Stallman of the GNU Project. This open-source operating system functions as a mass collaborative project.

John Lech Johansen was involved in freely shareable resources, including open-source and open-access protocols.  He created boxes allowing college students to enjoy free long-distance phone calls. Thanks to guys like Johansen, Microsoft-compatible DVDs could be played on Linux systems.

Other guys like Jeff Moss – the Dark Tangent – were the founders of Black Hat Security Conferences. It's a highly revered security conference, but he is also the founder of Def Con – a yearly hacker conference. Jeff Moss served as an adviser to the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and the CSO of ICANN.

Tesla Hack – A Genius Infiltration Worth Up to $15K

Sometimes, it's groups of hackers collaborating for a joint objective. This was the case when hackers unlocked Tesla-secure software to enable Tesla owners to enjoy software benefits valued at up to $15,000.

Since Tesla systems are largely cloud-based, computer-controlled, reverse engineering by Tesla hackers allowed a crack team of IT experts to activate features like self-driving packages, acceleration boosters, or heated seats – optional extras that could cost anywhere in the region of $15,000 for the Tesla owners.

Ethical Hackers

White hat hackers are known as ethical hackers. These cybersecurity professionals use their experience and knowledge of hacking to identify all potential vulnerabilities in IT security systems, applications, and networks.

The tools they use are designed to simulate cyberattacks in the real world. White hat hackers routinely work with existing IT security teams to target vulnerabilities in the system. There are qualifications for WHH, notably Offensive Security Certified Professionals and Certified Ethical Hackers.

By employing the services of white hat hackers, companies can enjoy the benefits of improved knowledge, cost savings, credibility, trust, and enhanced reputation, compliance with regulations, enhanced overall security, and a proactive defensive shield for all aspects of company data management, security, and related systems.