Ethical Hacker: An Endangered Species? 1

Ethical hacking refers to a set of standards and practices aimed at identifying and correcting vulnerabilities in information systems through a cooperative approach with the owners of the targeted systems. More specifically, it revolves around responsible disclosure mechanisms, which consist of transmitting all the constituent elements of the attack to the target, while maintaining the confidentiality and exclusivity of the vulnerability between the parties for an agreed period (called an embargo), until a patch is published. This note traces the evolution of ethical hacking, from its underground origins to its normalization within corporate cybersecurity departments. It details the leading causes to a gradual separation between the cybersecurity and hacking communities, partly due to the lack of complementarity between hackers and hierarchical, regulatory constraints inherent to companies. This brief then opts to build on these trends to anticipate the future of ethical hacking, forecasting a gradual return to clandestinely that should fuel a grey market revitalised by interstate conflict in the cyberspace.