A HOW TO GUIDE
If you want a career in penetration testing but don’t know where to start, this e-book will take you through what you need to know, with plenty of advice and tips throughout.
Introduction
Let’s be honest.
The cyber security industry is a mystery to most people.
There is constant publicity of the skills gap that is threatening public and private sector institutions and yet individuals who want to have a career in this industry struggle to find their footing.
‘Breaking into’ cyber security is hard.
Part of the challenge is that cyber security has come to mean all manner of things. You cannot break into cyber security anymore than you can break into industries such as engineering. Much like the expansive field of engineering, cyber security is a broad and multifaceted domain that encompasses various disciplines.
In this e-book, we’ll focus on one of the most exciting and dynamic aspects of cyber security—penetration testing.
We’ll guide you through the intricacies, providing a roadmap to help you develop the skills needed to become a successful penetration tester as well as the steps needed to get your foot in
the door.
Download our free PDF to read the full guide.
First and foremost, if you’re thinking of a career in penetration testing, let’s make sure you know what it is.
Penetration testing is a type of authorised security test, where skilled professionals simulate an attack on a computer system or application.
Pentesters use the same tools, techniques and processes as attackers, with a goal of identifying
any security risks that could be leveraged by a malicious attacker to their advantage.
While being a penetration tester is often referred to as being one of the ‘good guys’ or an ‘ethical
hacker’, it is important to note that one of the key words here is that this activity is authorised.
Penetration testing is focussed on identifying issues that can impact security and providing guidance on how to reduce the risk to an organisation.
This career means that you will develop the same skills as those who attack companies and compromise computer systems (and there is nothing wrong with pwning a network if you have permission) but that all your actions will be approved and all activity will be conducted in a
lawful manner.
So even when you find some really amazing issues or bypass security controls, it is important to
always remember that this is a career and profession that requires strong moral fibre and an
eagerness to beat the system to make it better.
Download our free PDF to read the full guide.
