If you want to do something that helps out the tech world, could save money, commerce  and possibly lives, then consider the job of a ethical hackers or what others call white-hat hackers, make the electronic world a safer place for all of us.

The work that you would do uses the same methods as destructive hackers, but they do it not to wreak havoc or steal identities but rather to help companies find the flaws in their own cyber security systems.

All unauthorized hacking, including defacing websites, is criminal, but the amount of serious IT-based criminal activity - fraud, theft and industrial espionage - is on the increase

As contract or staff employees, you simulate attacks on clients' networks. Others may find the weaknesses in government-mandated use of hackable systems like radio-frequency identification tags.

The work also demands high motivation and the ability to persist at tedious manual tasks for days on end, often at odd hours, while waiting to spot and use an opportunity.

According to a 2010 survey by the High Technology Crime Investigation Association conducted among cyber crime investigators and analysts, almost 70% of the respondents noted an increase in computer and internet use as a direct tool in a criminal offense.

There's now even an exam, offered by the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants, that certifies ethical hacker.

• Practice test for ethical hacker
• Jobs on Indeed.com for ethical hackers
• About.com has information on certifications getting position with the government, agencies, and contractors
• Wiki on the e-council