Ethical Hackers’ Use of Generative AI Unveiled
Ethical Hackers’ Utilization of Generative AI and its Impact
According to Bugcrowd’s “Inside the Mind of a Hacker – 2023″ report, 72% of white hat hackers believe that generative AI cannot replace human creativity in security research and vulnerability management. This highlights the continued importance of human ingenuity in addressing emerging threats and identifying vulnerabilities in cybersecurity.
However, the hackers surveyed recognized the significance of generative AI tools like ChatGPT in their work. About 21% of them admitted that AI is already surpassing their abilities. Furthermore, 55% of the respondents believed that these technologies have either increased or will increase the value of ethical hacking and security research.
A majority of the hackers (78%) anticipate that AI will disrupt their approaches to penetration testing and bug bounty programs within the next five years.
Interestingly, a considerable number of respondents already utilize generative AI in various aspects of their work. This includes automating tasks (50%), analyzing data (48%), identifying vulnerabilities (36%), validating findings (35%), and conducting reconnaissance (35%). The report highlighted a growing trend of hackers employing AI chatbots to assist in report writing, with the AI-generated text serving as a helpful starting point.
The most commonly used AI chatbots among the respondents were ChatGPT (98%), followed by Google Bard (40%) and Bing Chat AI (40%).
Demographics and Motivations of the Ethical Hacking Community
The report, which collected responses from 1000 individuals across 85 countries, shed light on the demographic composition of the ethical hacking community. A large majority (90%) of the hackers were young, with 57% belonging to Gen Z (aged 18-24), 28% being Millennials (aged 25-34), and 5% under the age of 18. The survey revealed that only 2% of the participants were over the age of 45.
In terms of gender, the report indicated that hackers are predominantly male, accounting for 96% of the respondents. This represents a decline from the 6% female hacker population reported in Bugcrowd’s “Inside the Mind of a Hacker” report in 2020.
Regarding education, over two-thirds (68%) of the hackers had attained a college or graduate level of education.
The survey also highlighted a notable decrease in the number of hackers engaging in this work full time, dropping from 42% in 2022 to 29% in 2023. However, 33% of the participants were currently working part-time but aspired to pursue hacking full time. The remaining respondents either hacked on a part-time basis (25%) or treated hacking as a side hustle (14%). The report suggested that the rising cost of living and a growing preference for flexible work arrangements could contribute to this trend.
Interestingly, despite financial incentives being available, 75% of the hackers identified non-financial factors as their primary motivators for engaging in hacking activities.
Increasing Awareness of Vulnerabilities and the Growing Importance of Ethical Hacking in Cybersecurity”
The majority (84%) of respondents believe that the present has more vulnerabilities compared to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.Furthermore, 88% of them argue that relying on security measures at a specific moment in time is insufficient to ensure the security of companies.
In the past 12 months, 63% of the respondents reported discovering a new vulnerability that they hadn’t come across before.
Organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of ethical hacking in this landscape. About 89% of the hackers stated that they are now viewed more positively by companies. Additionally, an overwhelming majority (96%) mentioned that they assist companies in addressing their cybersecurity skills gaps, for more update