TechWorld

Netgear launched on Thursday a bug bounty program to offer up to $15,000 in rewards to hackers who will find security flaws in its products. Since criminals have taken aim at a rapidly growing threat surface created by millions of new Internet of things (IoT) devices, it has become crucial to protect routers that contain the keys to the kingdom that connects the outside world to the IP networks that run these connected devices. To combat this issue, Netgear, one of the biggest networking equipment providers in the world, has launched a bug bounty program focusing on its products, particularly routers, wireless security cameras and mesh Wi-Fi systems. Bug bounty programs are cash rewards given by companies or organizations to white hat hackers and researchers who hunt for serious security vulnerabilities in their website or products and then responsibly disclose for the patch release. Bug bounties are designed to encourage security researchers, hackers and enthusiasts to responsibly r...

The process of Ethical hacking can be broken down into five distinct phases. An ethical hacker follows processes similar to those of a malicious hacker. The steps to gain and maintain entry into a computer system are similar no matter what the hacker's intentions are. Image illustrates the five phases that hackers generally follow in hacking a computer system. The five phases of Hacking are as follow: Reconnaissance Scanning Gaining Access Maintaining Access Covering Tracks Ethical Hacking Phases Passive and Active Reconnaissance Passive   reconnaissance  involves gathering information about a potential target without the targeted individual's or company's knowledge. Passive reconnaissance can be as simple as watching a building to identify what time employees enter the building and when they leave. However, most reconnaissance is done sitting in front of a computer. When hackers are looking for information on a potential target, they commonly run an Interne...