Which of the following describes an instance of legal hacking?
A. Security hacking is never legal.
B. Looking for security risks on a product that is excluded from a bug bounty program.
C. Grey hat hacking
D. Penetration testing for a company.
D. Penetration testing for a company.
D. Penetration testing for a company.
An instance of legal hacking can be described as penetration testing for a company. In this scenario, the hacker is authorized and hired by the company to identify vulnerabilities in their network or systems and assess the overall security. This is done with the permission and knowledge of the organization, ensuring that the hacking activities are conducted lawfully and ethically.
The correct answer is D. Penetration testing for a company.
To understand why this is the correct option, let's break down each of the choices:
A. Security hacking is never legal: This statement is incorrect. While most hacking activities are illegal, there are certain situations where hacking can be performed legally, such as with the explicit permission of the system owner for security purposes.
B. Looking for security risks on a product that is excluded from a bug bounty program: This option does not necessarily describe legal hacking. If a product is explicitly excluded from a bug bounty program, it means that finding and reporting security vulnerabilities on that product may not be authorized or rewarded.
C. Grey hat hacking: Grey hat hacking refers to hacking activities that fall in between legal white hat hacking and illegal black hat hacking. Grey hat hackers may exploit security vulnerabilities without permission or for personal gain, which means it is often seen as a questionable practice and can be illegal.
D. Penetration testing for a company: Penetration testing involves authorized hacking attempts to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in a company's systems or networks. This is typically performed with the consent and cooperation of the company, making it legal. The objective of penetration testing is to assess the security posture of a company's infrastructure and recommend improvements to enhance security.
To summarize, legal hacking is best represented by option D, where penetration testing is conducted with the permission and cooperation of the target organization.