For much of the new millennium, computer network and security administrators have been faced with an ever-growing generation of bad guys, "hackers." Hackers wreak havoc on computer networks that do not have adequate protection. They steal your information and sell it to the highest bidder, without thinking about the consequences for the person or company they hacked. Take for example Edward Snowden, who is currently in Russia seeking asylum in the United States. Mr. Snowden illegally hacked into the CIA network, stole classified documents and sold them to the highest bidder. This type of hacking is known as an “insider hack” because Mr. Snowden was on the inside when he illegally acquired the classified documents. Another form of hacking known in the tech world is called “outside hacking.” This type of hacking occurs when a user tries to hack a remote server from a different location using various forms of hacking tools available on the Internet. Today there is a form of “hacking” which is both legal and ethical. This form of hacking is called “ethical hacking”. Ethical hacking involves legally doing what malicious hackers do: breaking in (Simpson, 2010). Ethical hacking, compared to traditional hacking, is legally and morally accepted because one must pass a series of rigorous exams and background checks to become certified and maintain one's status, effectively use industry-recognized hacking methods, and raise awareness of current security issues within a network. To become an ethical hacker, one must pass a series of exams designed to test candidates' knowledge of computer network protocols. "The International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) has developed...... middle of paper ......if it fills a gap in them. Being an ethical hacker is a discipline that, when used properly and correctly, can be very rewarding both emotionally and financially. Works Cited Hafele, DM (February 23, 2004). Three different shades of ethical hacking: black, white and gray. Retrieved from the SANS Institute: http://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/hackers/shades-ethical-hacking-black-white-gray-1390?show=shades-ethical-hacking-black-white -gray -1390&cat=hackersLin, C.M. (February 23, 2008). Analyzes of the computer science literature. Retrieved from University of Waterloo - CISA: http://uwcisa.uwaterloo.ca/Biblio2/Topic/Choy_Men_Lin_Ethical_Hacking_Final_Report.pdfMichael T. Simpson, KB (2010). Practical Ethical Hacking and Network Defense, 2nd Edition. In KB Michael T. Simpson, Hands-On Ethical Hacking and Network Defense, 2nd edition (pp. 2-6). Boston: Cengage learning.