Companies Hiring 'White Hat' Hackers To Expose Weaknesses

BOSTON (CBS) - Whether it is shopping or banking online, someone out there is trying to steal the personal information involved in those types of transactions. Companies are now fighting these data breaches with a new tool. They are employing hackers and asking them to try and break through their security measures.

Anshuman Bhartiya can spend hours on his laptop in his Framingham apartment trying to hack into computer systems. He isn't stealing anything, however. He's looking for those lapses in security. He's what's known as a White Hat Hacker.

"Sometimes I can find 4-5 issues in a couple of hours," said Bhartiya. "There have been some cases where I have found some serious issues which could potentially cause a lot of impact."

Christien Rioux of Veracode, a security firm based in Burlington, said white hat hackers are people who operate within the bounds of the law. "You could say they are the good guys."

Computer systems are under constant assault, and the bad guys have scored some big wins lately. At JP Morgan, 76 million accounts were recently breached. Other familiar chains like Home Depot, TJ Maxx, Target, Niemen Marcus, and Dairy Queen have all had data compromised.

Rioux believes the situation is getting worse. Even with all the elaborate security systems companies are adopting, it often still isn't enough. That's why more companies are seeking another perspective, and hiring white hat hackers. "You need to think like the attacker if you are ever going to outsmart them," added Rioux.

Jay Kaplan runs Synack, a company that deploys hackers across the world. "The cost to engage with a company like Synack is a fraction of what it would cost a company should they go through a massive data breach. And that doesn't even factor in the brand damage, and reputational damage."

Colleges like the University of Southern Maine are actually teaching classes in hacking, trying to cultivate the next generation of cyber security experts.

With constant attacks coming from China and Russia, Rioux says companies have to do whatever they can to maintain their privacy. "Security is a problem that is never going to go away completely, but it is a fight that needs to be fought. There needs to be a white hat for every black hat."

White hat hackers usually only get paid if they find a problem. Bhartiya wouldn't reveal exactly how much he makes doing this, but says it can be lucrative. He works in IT during the day and considers this a hobby.

MORE LOCAL NEWS FROM CBS BOSTON