Today, as the levels of unprecedented danger rise, so does the value placed on ethical hackers by organisations looking to protect themselves from cyberattacks. Black hat hackers are innovating at a rapid pace and are finding new ways to breach security systems to such a degree that organisations can no longer promise unbreakable cybersecurity – which is where ethical hackers come into play.

Ethical, or white hat hackers are employed by organisations in order to test the strength of their cybersecurity and identify any potential weak spots. This information is then provided to the organisation in order to make the changes necessary to reduce the risk of major cyberattacks. Here are the 5 most celebrated ethical hackers.

Kevin Mitnick

Perhaps the most famous ethical hacker of all, Kevin Mitnick didn’t actually get started on the right side of the law.

In 1995, Mitnick was arrested after going on a two and half year cybercrime spree which included breaching the security system of Digital Equipment Corporation and copying the software he found. After spending 5 years in jail, Mitnick decided to don the white hat instead and became a paid consultant to multiple Fortune 500 companies and the FBI.

Joanna Rutkowska

As a stealth malware or rootkit expert, Joanna Rutkowska became famous for her white hat capabilities after presenting a panel at the Black Hat Briefings conference in 2006 in which she identified weaknesses in the Vista kernel.

She is a cybersecurity researcher – people who help you stay safe while participating in online betting NZ – and the founder of the Qubes operating system which has an intense focus on cybersecurity. In 2009, she presented another panel which highlighted the weaknesses in Intel systems, cementing her fame.

Charlie Miller

Renowned for exposing the vulnerabilities of Apple products, Charlie Miller is a computer security researcher best known for locating a critical MacBook Air bug in 2008.

Miller also went onto test the security of the Safari browser, where he identified multiple weaknesses in 2009 and in 2011 he discovered a weak point in the iPhone and iPad devices. Miller now works for Cruise Automation helping them to develop their driverless car technology.

Greg Hoglund

A specialist in computer forensics, Greg Hoglund is renowned for his work in physical memory forensics, the attribution of hackers, and malware detection. Hoglund has also patented methods for fault injection used for software testing and has also worked alongside the United States government, putting his skills to the test in search of justice.

He also founded a technology security company, HBGary, which partnered with the McAfee Security Innovation Alliance in 2008.

Tsutomu Shimomura

Son of the 2008 Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry, Osamu Shimomura, not only is Tsutomu Shimomura a cybersecurity specialist and physicist, but he also helped to catch Kevin Mitnick when he was still committing cybercrime.

Shimomura is so adept at physics that it led him to be taught by master physicist, Richard Feynman, and he went on to work for the National Security Agency where he helped to take down Mitnick.