Pen testers might be for you if you enjoy solving puzzles and cracking code. Organizations would hire you to hack into their systems and test how secure they are.
We’ll be discussing what it takes to become a pen tester, including the best security certificates and other useful information. It’s difficult to find the right application, and there’s a lot to absorb. Let’s find out if we can help you get started as a security professional.
Description of the Pen Tester Job
Penetration testers are also known as ethical hackers. They look for security vulnerabilities and document them. This is done within the bounds of an agreement between the pen tester and the client. These limits could include a deadline such as trying to expose vulnerabilities within their network within a few working days.
Before we move on, this last point is worth mentioning: Pen testing is a job that requires you to define your scope of work. Pen testers were recently jailed in Iowa for stealing and possessing burglary tools. The state hired the testers and they were caught breaking into a courthouse.
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Start training They were dropped to misdemeanor criminal trespassing and a trial is scheduled for April 2020. Although the matter will likely be resolved in a fair manner, there are lessons to be learned.
Start your pen testing career by writing down the scope of work.
Sometimes a little foresight can make a big difference. Let’s move on to the responsibilities of pen testers. A report is sent to the contracting company after the testing phase is completed.
The report will generally list vulnerabilities and attempt to quantify severity. It will also suggest remediation steps. A phishing email might have exposed user ignorance and lack of awareness. In such cases, it may be a good idea to invest in user training and software like KnowBe4.
Some tasks that fall under the pen testing umbrella include:
Port scanning and network vulnerability
Social engineering attacks
Penetration testing for physical security
Report generation
Recommendations for remediation creation
It may seem difficult at first to understand why an organization would allow someone to compromise their network. It makes sense if you look at it from the perspective a responsible organization that is focused on the long-term. Which would you rather have identified a security flaw? A pen tester you hired or an attacker with malicious intent.
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Pen Tester Hopefuls: What are the requirements?
There is no one skill required to be a pen tester, as with many IT careers. Professional penetration testers may not have any certifications or academic credentials. If you have the right combination of skills and opportunities, you can become one by learning the right skills and working hard.
There are certain skills and qualifications that you can consider “requirements” in general. Pen testers, for example, often have a Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in a technology-related field such as Computer Science or Management Information Systems.
There are many certs that will help you get into the field, and even show advanced skills. More information on these can be found below. Let’s now take a look at the soft and hard skills required to be a pen tester.
Strong networking skills. Many vulnerabilities are network-based. Understanding computer networks at an ex