31/03/2015
These BTech students crack the right codes
Satyam Nanda,TNN | Mar 31, 2015, 07.17 AM IST
CHANDIGARH: Hacking means breaking into something, and ethical hacking is authorized breaking. Of late, the term 'hacker' comes with several negative connotations, but Kevin Singh always saw hacking as a challenge. "I always wanted to do something unconventional, which people are not much aware about," says the 21-year-old ethical hacker.
Kevin Singh is the CEO and founder of Xarro Cyber Tech Pvt Ltd., a young cyber security and computer forensics company. He is pursuing his last year of BTech (computer science engineering) from Rayat & Bahra Group of Colleges, Mohali, and has an experience of three years in server administration, cyber security, computer forensics, and social media marketing.
While clearing the mess of DVDs on his table, Kevin says: "I attended an ethical hacking workshop in my college, and liked it so much that I started playing with systems on my own. But as the hacking terrain is illegal and highly dangerous, I took a prime decision. Several companies hire hackers to know flaws in the security systems, which transform hackers into white collar hackers. But I was fascinated by the concept of entrepreneurship, and hence, I started my own venture in my second year. I arbitrated to employ my knowledge in a good direction to secure systems."
Kevin is also passionate about teaching. He delivers seminars and workshops on cyber security and computer forensics. "Cyber security is an expanding field because the system security is getting more complicated with advancement in technology," says Kevin, a team leader at AIESEC in Chandigarh, and marketing executive at the entrepreneurship cell in his college.
For 19-year-old Gurjant Singh, hacking world opened from the movie, 'Die Hard 4', in 2008. "At that time, I wasn't aware about ethical or unethical hacking, I just wanted to be a hacker." Gurjant is a BTech student from Chandigarh University, Gharuan, and works with Oculus and other companies as an ethical hacker. He has already hit more than 100 companies like Facebook, Adobe, Ebay, Microsoft, Nokia, and many more. "Nokia gifted me two Lumia phones and other stuff. Last year, Facebook acquired a company name Oculus. I targeted their website and luckily, got Sql injection - in other words, I am able to hack into their whole website and servers." Facebook paid Gurjant $10,000 and offered an internship. After that, he did internship in Austria.
Gurjant says, "Me and my friends decided to make a team of hackers, and we called it HackerDesk. We start doing bug bounty and targeting MNCs." He got his first hall of fame on January 1, 2013 in Apple. After that, he got more than 100 hall of fames in eminent companies. And in June 2013, he got his first bounty of $160 from Yandex. "Initially, I learned it from the internet, and then I took C programming classes and joined hacking institutes. Now, I can pay my college fee. But people always misjudge hackers. In reality, hackers are the most creative people. If you know the history of hacking, it started from modifying the rail engines. And it was always your choice, what you want to do with your knowledge. I chose the right way. Hacking is like a hammer, you can use it as you want," says Gurjant, who is also a part of 'Null & Owasp meet', a hacking community in Chandigarh. They make people aware about cyber crime and hacking. "I am still doing bug bounty and want to make my future in cyber security," Gurjant signs off.
After interacting with a group of Indian hackers who were engaged in an abusive war of words with Pakistani hackers on Facebook, 20-year-old Lovejot Singh Chhabra got into the 'black world of hacking' while he was just 16. A plush job offer by a Mumbai firm while he was in the first year of college opened him up to the business avenues the field possesses.
At 19, Chhabra founded his firm Cyber Defence Intelligence Consulting that now has 5 permanent staffers, besides employing contractual workers. A B Tech student at Panjab University's University Institute of Engineeing and Technology, he has a special recommendation from the Haryana IT director to give him relaxation in attendance. Chhabra's firm, which is dedicated to cyber security, is soon to open franchises in Netherlands and Nigeria. He also wants to a training school for cyber security in India, as the courses abroad are too expensive. His firm, in collaboration with the Singapore-based Lion Secure Solutions, will also soon open a research and development centre at Mohali, named Threat Defence Intelligence.
Stay safe from net pirates:
Never save your password in browsers
Stop using pirated software as they are attached with malicious files
Keep your virus software up to date, and renew its subscription dutifully
Change your password regularly
Don't open emails from unknown source. Take a look at email address. Hackers often use ones that start with a scramble of numbers and letters. For example,
Be careful when using public Wi-Fi. Some hackers set up their own wireless network in the hope that you'll mistakenly connect to them, which gives them access to all your passwords and personal information
Tape over your cameras. Hackers can activate your we**am remotely, even when it isn't in use. You can avoid surveillance in style by putting we**am stickers or a post-it note over the camera when it's not in use
Know the gatecrashers:
1.Name: Kevin Singh
Age: 21
Profile: Student and CEO and founder of Xarro Cyber Tech Pvt Ltd
Inspiration: I always wanted to do something unconventional
2. Name: Gurjant Singh
Age: 19
Profile: Student and works with Oculus and other firms as an ethical hacker
Inspiration: Hacking world opened for me from movie 'Die Hard 4'
3. Name: Lovejot Singh Chhabra
Age: 20
Profile: Student and CEO and founder of Cyber Defence Intelligence consulting
Inspiration: An Rs 30,000 offer made by a firm for a four-day job while he was still a first year student.
