Why is ethical hacking performed?

Why is ethical hacking performed?

• A. It ensures 100% security
• B. It reduces software licensing costs
• C. It allows companies to counter attacks from malicious hackers
• D. It increases marketing reach

Answer: (C)

Ethical hacking aims to proactively evaluate an organization’s defenses by simulating real attacks with proper authorization to uncover vulnerabilities before malicious actors find them. By revealing weaknesses in systems, networks, and processes, it lets security teams fix flaws, strengthen controls, and improve detection and response capabilities. The goal is to reduce risk to an acceptable level and to validate that defenses work under realistic conditions, not to promise perfect security since new threats and weaknesses can always emerge. This approach directly helps counter attacks from malicious hackers by providing practical, prioritized insight for remediation and defense hardening. The other options miss the core purpose: ethical hacking isn’t about cutting licensing costs or marketing reach, and it doesn’t guarantee 100% security.

Ethical hacking aims to proactively evaluate an organization’s defenses by simulating real attacks with proper authorization to uncover vulnerabilities before malicious actors find them. By revealing weaknesses in systems, networks, and processes, it lets security teams fix flaws, strengthen controls, and improve detection and response capabilities. The goal is to reduce risk to an acceptable level and to validate that defenses work under realistic conditions, not to promise perfect security since new threats and weaknesses can always emerge. This approach directly helps counter attacks from malicious hackers by providing practical, prioritized insight for remediation and defense hardening. The other options miss the core purpose: ethical hacking isn’t about cutting licensing costs or marketing reach, and it doesn’t guarantee 100% security.